1. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating with children

2. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating
Student Project 1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children
Bahar Mayahadin, University of Sussex
Student Project 2 : Growing Kit,
Sam Hancock, University of Sussex
Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play
Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton

3. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating
30 primary school children at St Andrews C of E Primary School,
Hove.
The studies were carried out within the classroom environment.
Both the tutor (the primary author) and the student were involved with introducing each project brief and to help with directing activities and discussions with children.
The pupil’s usual teacher and a classroom assistant were also participants in discussing work with the children.
This represented approximately one adult per table of 7 to 8 children.
The teacher and some of the children were interviewed to assess their enjoyment of the event.

4. Co-design is an ideal Obtain the view of the user
Important for groups with a very different
demographic, e.g. kids
Inspirational: Creative stages
Correctional: Analysis stages

5. Co-design is an ideal
Elizabeth Sanders was one of the early pioneers of Co-Design techniques she invented the ‘Say, Do, Make’ model
‘Say’ represents verbal information gathering, through questionnaires and interviews.
‘Do’ represents observational techniques, like Video ethnography.
‘Make’ describes more projective methods that involve creative techniques with the user..
Make is good for children

6. Co-design is an ideal
Garzotto suggests that children can be good Design Partners.
Druin is also a proponent of including children as designers through ‘Cooperative Inquiry’.
Creative activities rely less on language and memory, which are underdeveloped skills in early childhood:
Creative activities appeal to a child’s imagination and this is one of their main assets, according to Vaajakallio et al. investigations.
Garzotto suggests that children can be good Design Partners.
Druin is also a proponent of including children as designers through ‘Cooperative Inquiry’.
Creative activities rely less on language and memory, which are underdeveloped skills in early childhood:
Creative activities appeal to a child’s imagination and this is one of their main assets, according to Vaajakallio et al. investigations.

7. What are the limits to Co-Design
What are the limits to Co-Design ? Knowledge Transfer Project with PDD Ltd Time: Co-design within the constraints of a consultancy environment., Access : to children. These factors are even more extreme for individuals (including undergraduates).

8. Why Character Design ? Familiar and Tangible Children react emotionally to them Del Vechio, G., 1997, Creating Ever-Cool: A Marketer's Guide to a Kid'sHeart, Pelican Publishing. Fun Mazzone et al. [7] alongside others [11] have found that fun is an important issue when dealing with children. Characters have attributes of people and technology

9. Character Design
Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children
Bahar Mayahadin, University of Sussex

10. Character Design
Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children
Bahar Mayahadin, University of Sussex
More pictures and results

11. Character Design
Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children
Bahar Mayahadin, University of Sussex
‘I think taking my own blood
would be very scary ‘
Lily
‘UURgh ! ‘
General class outcry
‘A game would be a fun
reward but I would like to
choose my character’
Franklin
‘Can we think of it as
cranberry juice?’ Tilly

12. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex
Character Design
Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex

13. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex
Character Design
Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex

14. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex
Character Design
Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex

15. Character Design Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play
Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton

16. Character Design Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play
Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton

17. Character Design Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play
Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton
Common themes:
Communication devices with friends or parents
Recording information
Protecting themselves with shields/cloaks
Security objects like teddies and blankets
Weapons to protect themselves
Practical things like torches
games.

18. Conclusions: Why Character Design ? Inspiration:

19. Conclusions: Why Character Design ? Characters were a good talking point the characters attributes and possessions represent children’s preferences and they can articulate their views.
personal qualities for the character
about feelings
likes and dislikes

20. Conclusions: Why Character Design
Conclusions: Why Character Design ? These projects have characters as a natural part of the interface but.. Clifford Nass and Byron Reeves [8] at Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information revealed people treat their technology as people

21. Conclusions: Why Character Design. Accessible and tangible…
Conclusions: Why Character Design ? Accessible and tangible…. Next stage: Can they they also be used in a representational sense? If so, can they be used as a medium for discussing sensitive design scenarios, like the teddy bear is used by counselors for sensitive discussions.