Kids are abandoning their toys in droves and jumping online, playing video games, socializing in virtual worlds, and the like at younger and younger ages. They’re increasingly using devices intended for adults, like the iPhone, instead of turning to the supposed kid friendlier versions. How do you design for kids when they are looking more and more like adults? This panel sets out a roadmap of design principles when determining how to design tech experiences for kids.
Questions Answered:
What are the top 10 things to keep in mind when designing an interface for kids versus adults?
What are the top 10 best designed kids tech tools, sites and apps and why?
What are the top 10 worst designed kids tech tools, sites and apps and why?
Would the answers be the same if we asked a panel of kids instead of the panel of ‘experts’ on the dais at SXSW?
Do kids today only want to use adult devices?
Is there such a thing as an age-neutral app?
How much do you gear design to kids versus gear kids to a particular design, like making them interface with a QWERTY keyboard versus more naturalistic play patterns?
How can technology help kids foster imaginative play versus get in the way of it?
Should you design kid experiences to appeal to the kids or to the gatekeepers, meaning their parents/guardians?
Does designing in safety mean that you muddy the design?
Level:
Beginner
Category:
Design Thinking, Education, Interface Design, Mobile Applications, User Experience