In this article, Tanya Junell starts by saying that kids spend approximately three hours a day on digital devices. Recent studies also show that, in the US, approximately 75 percent of kids have access to technology. Digital designers, therefore, have a great opportunity to create apps for kids.
What are the key devices when building apps for kids vs adults?
Kids love a challenge – When designing for adults, the aim is to achieve their goal as quick and efficiently as possible. However, for kids, challenges are needed as it makes their experience more enjoyable and makes accomplishments more significant. This is also known as ‘micro-conflicts’ – Gelman argues it can help kids develop skills such as controlling their emotions, communication, imagining others perspectives and conflict management.
Kids need feedback on everything – Kids need visual and auditory feedback on anything they interact and engage with on an interface. Hunell highlights how some of the most successful children’s apps provide feedback on every interaction.
Kids are more trusting than adults – and so need more safeguards on apps to protect them.
Kids develop faster than adults – Kids go through a range of developmental stages and so an app for a 7-year-old isn’t the same as an 11-year-old. Junell suggests a good guideline is to focus on a two-year rage range.
What are the similarities?
Consistency – Whether designing for kids or adults, consistency is always essential, Gelman argues that even kids get bothered by random design elements that are unnecessary, which can cause them to quit using the app. Features can be cool and fun as long as there is a reason or method to it.
People need a reason to use an app – Both children and adults need a purpose or goal for using this app. Designers need to provide kids with a reason to keep using an app, beyond aesthetics or else they will get bored quickly.
People enjoy extras – Adults and children alike love little, unexpected interactions that surprise them in a positive way. Snapchat’s “pull down to refresh”, is a great example, in which a playful and colourful ghost appears and changes colours to indicate to users that their feed is updating adding to the user’s experience.
A framework for designing apps for kids
Junell says in order to fully understand the users, it’s best to pick an age group of kids and observe how they interact, what are their likes and dislikes, and how they play. It may also be beneficial to observe the differences between boys and girls.
The article also makes references to participatory design in understanding children. This is a simple exercise in which children are given the tools to design their own ideas and let them be creative. This is great for designers in understanding what interests their users the most.
It’s also essential to user test the app with children, as ultimately they’re the target user and designers need to make sure they can navigate and function the app.
It’s important to let kids make mistakes. For instance, Word Wizard, a spelling app for kids, allows children to use their imagination when spelling words, and it doesn’t alert them to being wrong. Instead, the app allows kids to listen to the words and work out themselves that there is a mistake. This is great in promoting children to actively work on problems and engage them in learning.
Junell argues a great app allows children to explore. It’s best to not have every aspect entirely scripted so that children feel in charge of their journey and experience on the app.
Additionally, the articles make an interesting point in that it’s important to keep adults in mind when designing for kids because ultimately, they are the ones buying the app for the kids. Therefore it’s recommended to not only gather feedback from kids, but also from their parents or guardians.
Conclusion
Kids are extremely creative and imaginative, so it’s important to let kids be free with their imagination and not tie them down by design. Reflecting on this article has been extremely helpful to me, although I’m designing for both kids and parents, I need to find a focus between them both.