Kids are not just tiny adults- they have their own culture, world and way of thinking that requires adjusting the way we conduct user research with grown ups. Participatory Design with children involves entering their world in a way that allows you to truly collaborate with children.
Canva recently embarked on the journey of setting up a junior UXR research practice and learned first hand what does and doesn’t translate well. There are a stack of lessons in the bank from our first few research projects, and from consulting with experts in play design and UXR from Google, IDEO Play Lab, Khan Academy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Toca Boca.
Tips to keep in mind…
You’re about to enter a whole new world. Some of it may feel familiar- we were all kids once, right? But it’s probably been a while- and in the eyes of a kid, you’re a big grown-up.
Early on in the research you want to try to “break” this image of you as “the adult” and become “the friend.” Mila HMH
One way to do this is to become a kids pop culture expert. Go and spend time with some kids before hand, ask them ‘what are you interested in? Go to a toy store, read some picture books or surf cartoon network. (I recommend watching Summer Camp Island -my favourite recommendation from an 8 year old)
Being a big kid doesn’t mean acting like a kid, in a way that doesn’t feel authentic to you. Kids can sniff out fakeness.
‘My colleagues always manages a fart joke and for some reason it always works. If fart jokes aren’t authentic to you then it wouldn’t work' Vlasta, Director of Design, IDEO Play Lab
After you’ve done your pop culture research, connect over what you authentically know and love. Whether it’s arts and craft or playing minecraft.
Children are still developing metacognitive skills and will quickly tire & bore of question/answer tasks. In this world, play becomes the best way to probe.
Re-design questions that you would normally deliver via an interview, as craft activities- with ‘worksheets’ and spaces for children to write, doodle and draw; this gives kids the opportunity to respond in different ways, making the interview more accessible.
Bring lots of materials to touch, hold and focus on; to keep the conversation going: **Helene Löfman Toca Boca**
Some inspiration: