It was a great visit to the nursery today. We enjoyed playing with the young children. These chidren are aged between 2 and 3 years old (which matches our target users) We were amazed on how these children responded to technology and things around them. We identified some of their ability to learn a new skill and adapt to new techniques. Here are the observation questions that we have put:
Observation Result: Based on our observation, we found that the boys were quite lazy to do a task and they had a hard time learning the skills that we were trying to ask them. Whereas, the girls were more interested towards everything that was put in front of them. The children tend to eat whatever toys that they had in hand. This shows that they were not really interested to learn particular toys but to play with them. We have taken a video that shows one of the boys stepping on a vacuum machine and do not know how it works. When it comes to learning, the boys needed more attention and have to be guided to learn something at a young age. For example, we gave them a puzzle that comprises of 5 different shapes and they were asked to solve it. They seem to know the name of the shapes but had no idea where to place the shapes onto the puzzle. However, after giving them a clue of where it should be placed, they had a rough idea on where to place the next. Without guidance, boys would never learn a new skill or knowledge. On another occasion, the boys had no idea how to use a washing machine. As indicated on the video, one of them started to turn the buttons, even though guidance were given to him, he still continued to do the same thing.
The girls spent most of their time in kitchen area; familiarising with all the objects in the area. They knew some of the products and how to operate them, but some of the products were not familiar to them, so they tried to use their initiative. For example, as shown in the video, one of the girls tried to put the kitchen utensils into the washing machine as she did not know what to put in and how to operate the device, but she knew how to operate the vacuum cleaner and how to change the bag. There were willing to learn any thing that is interesting to them including colours and texture. They were attracted to objects that seem interesting such as our camera, which were accidentally left on the table. Most of them were excited to see the photos and insisted on using the camera. However, when they could not operate it, they tried to throw it on the floor instead. Nonetheless, numerous questions were asked.
We realised that most children know something that they have been taught before but did not know how to express them verbally. One of the boys were given a microwave oven toy and asked what it is for and how it works. He did not know how to describe it but knew that he had to put something in it. He chose a plate and animals (as food) and put it together into the microwave oven. This indicate the child’s recognition ability rather than recalling them. The boy knew what the microwave oven toy is because he has seen it before (most probably at home). However, there were some toys that the boy has no idea of and yet is lazy to learn them.
Another observation was with the group. We put the boy with the 3 other kids and asked them to build something from the Lego toys. Again, all 4 boys had no idea what to do with the Lego pieces. However, after being told to build a tall building, they started to build it as instructed. However, none of them was doing it together as a group. They tend to do it by themselves. This indicate that they did not like sharing their toys and playing with others.
We observed the boys based on heuristic designs such as the colour, texture and type of product as well. We have given 2 boys 3 different dolls (1 brown doll, 1 pink barbie doll and 1 black doll) to play with. Both of them chose the brown doll as their first choice. The colour choice had probably resulted from their parents or guardians way of choosing colour. The boys' fathers may love dark colour, which made the boys think that they prefer dark colour too rather than pink dolls. The boys seem to be happy to look at different texture of design. We have given them about 4 and 5 texture to touch and they were really excited about it. However, they did not have any particular interest in texture. Nonetheless, we had to take into consideration on texture too because some kids may be sensitive to certain texture.
We found out that the boys tend to play with the gardening, computer and musical instruments toys such as the spanner, screwdrivers, computer, guitar and the piano. We tried to place them at the kitchen area where they can cook or do some washing. They just stayed there for a minute and decided to walk away after that. When we put them at the gardening area, they spent a longer time playing with the toys there and they enjoyed themselves by trying to describe the toys they were playing. That shows their particular interest due influence from outside world, including their parents. When we observed girls in group, they also tend to work on their own. Most of them knew the products, as their main interests were the kitchen products.
Summary: As elaborated above, the requirements for our product design implementation do fit both male and female categories that can be played by young children aged between 1 and 3 years old. This product is beneficial to parents as it is less time consuming and programmable.
The girls spent most of their time in kitchen area; familiarising with all the objects in the area. They knew some of the products and how to operate them, but some of the products were not familiar to them, so they tried to use their initiative. For example, as shown in the video, one of the girls tried to put the kitchen utensils into the washing machine as she did not know what to put in and how to operate the device, but she knew how to operate the vacuum cleaner and how to change the bag. There were willing to learn any thing that is interesting to them including colours and texture. They were attracted to objects that seem interesting such as our camera, which were accidentally left on the table. Most of them were excited to see the photos and insisted on using the camera. However, when they could not operate it, they tried to throw it on the floor instead. Nonetheless, numerous questions were asked.
We realised that most children know something that they have been taught before but did not know how to express them verbally. One of the boys were given a microwave oven toy and asked what it is for and how it works. He did not know how to describe it but knew that he had to put something in it. He chose a plate and animals (as food) and put it together into the microwave oven. This indicate the child’s recognition ability rather than recalling them. The boy knew what the microwave oven toy is because he has seen it before (most probably at home). However, there were some toys that the boy has no idea of and yet is lazy to learn them.
Another observation was with the group. We put the boy with the 3 other kids and asked them to build something from the Lego toys. Again, all 4 boys had no idea what to do with the Lego pieces. However, after being told to build a tall building, they started to build it as instructed. However, none of them was doing it together as a group. They tend to do it by themselves. This indicate that they did not like sharing their toys and playing with others.
We observed the boys based on heuristic designs such as the colour, texture and type of product as well. We have given 2 boys 3 different dolls (1 brown doll, 1 pink barbie doll and 1 black doll) to play with. Both of them chose the brown doll as their first choice. The colour choice had probably resulted from their parents or guardians way of choosing colour. The boys' fathers may love dark colour, which made the boys think that they prefer dark colour too rather than pink dolls. The boys seem to be happy to look at different texture of design. We have given them about 4 and 5 texture to touch and they were really excited about it. However, they did not have any particular interest in texture. Nonetheless, we had to take into consideration on texture too because some kids may be sensitive to certain texture.
We found out that the boys tend to play with the gardening, computer and musical instruments toys such as the spanner, screwdrivers, computer, guitar and the piano. We tried to place them at the kitchen area where they can cook or do some washing. They just stayed there for a minute and decided to walk away after that. When we put them at the gardening area, they spent a longer time playing with the toys there and they enjoyed themselves by trying to describe the toys they were playing. That shows their particular interest due influence from outside world, including their parents. When we observed girls in group, they also tend to work on their own. Most of them knew the products, as their main interests were the kitchen products.
Summary: As elaborated above, the requirements for our product design implementation do fit both male and female categories that can be played by young children aged between 1 and 3 years old. This product is beneficial to parents as it is less time consuming and programmable.
No comments:
Post a Comment