Aesthetics

As said initially I wish to use simple drawing aesthetics in the interface of my design. To achieve this I have hand draw all of the elements and then scanned them into the computer. I have edited them in Adobe illustrator using the "live trace" tool and then coloured them all. These have given a really nice flat clean aesthetic to the drawings as well as making the interface look clean and simple. Below is an example of my scanned drawings, and then there is an image of the editing I did to them in illustrator.

Using Flash

Flash is a new program that I haven't used before. Initially I found it very difficult but soon I became better at navigating, after doing the online tutorials. I especially found it difficult using the codes as I have not taken the first year coding paper, but soon got the hang of it. Here are a few screen shots of my developments on flash.

I have been importing all of the images and buttons from illustrator, and then turning them into symbols to be coded as buttons. This is the simplest way for what I want to achieve.

User Testing

I conducted a brief test on some non-design students in my hall. Unfortunately I do not have the connections of children here in Wellington but my friends gave me ideas and opinions just the same. I explained to them what it was I was doing, the user group I was aiming at and what I was hoping to achieve from the device. They all kept that in mind as they did the test.
The test was just simple, to see which template of a layout of buttons they preferred (keeping in mind all of the criteria).
The general consensus was option B with 7 out of 10 participants choosing this option. The main reasons for this was the centralised figure in focus, which most thought would be the most effective for the navigation of children.

Target Market

I have decided to narrow my target market to children between the ages of 5-10. This will mean that the sentences and words used are not too complex and easy to understand. The layout must be simple and easy to navigate yet interesting to hold their attention. Because it is a device that could be used within schools and social environments ( especially primary ) like that this age is a good age to target at.

Interface Research

I investigated other children's game interfaces similar to what I am thinking of. It is interesting to see the layout of buttons and how accessible all the buttons and actions are for children.

First I looked at what I think to be the most similar to mine, that is the "Tamagotchi". Although it is an extremely basic black and white pixilated screen the layout is important for my research. As shown the button icons for the actions are lining the top and the bottom of the screen and the central focus is the creature in the middle

The second interface I looked at was the "Zoombini" one. In particular the customisation screen. The important thing to look at here is the simple layout of the options in rows that read from left to right, up to down and this is easily navigated by children. The interface acknowledges when the different options are selected and this is also important to understand to apply to my interface.

The layout of my interface needs to be SIMPLE. Children adapt better to new things if they are simple and easy to read. I will remember the basic principle of reading; left to right and up to down, when I am making my interface, yet make it eyecatching and interesting for the user.

Change in character!

I have decided (after feedback from the tutor) that it is much more appropriate to have they character as a modern day energy saving lightbulb. This makes sense as it will teach the child about the light bulbs and shows a modern take on the character, rather than the normal basic lightbulb I had initially intended on. I will use the image below as a template to draw from and will create a simpler version for the on screen graphics.

Recognition of Success

An important part of children's learning is the recognition of success and the reward they receive from being correct or achieving something. I will make sure that when energy saving has been achieved in my application that the interface will congratulate and acknowledge the success of the user in order for them to learn. This may be in the way of sound or animation as well as action of the reward.

Social Environments for Children

Children are constantly in social environments, especially schools. I investigated ways in which I can access these social circumstances and incorporate them into my device and interface. The device itself is similar to that of those already on the market; portable pets such as "Tamagotchis". This means that it is able to be strapped to a belt or a lanyard (worn around neck) and the device is also small enough to be hand-held as well as put in a pocket. This will enable the children to bring it to school or over to a friends house, and then compare, how each has customised their lightbulb friend, the rewards they have unlocked and how they unlocked them. The sharing of information about the game and how each reward was unlocked will enable the children to LEARN which is the most important outcome for my device.

Proposal: Part A Hand In

I will be designing a digital interactive device that encourages children to save energy. The children of today are our future and teaching them about energy conservation early is a good way to prevent our world from the harm that is currently occurring due to excess energy consumption. I will be designing a digital device with an interface that is easily navigated by children. On a handheld, portable, touch screen device, children have the opportunity to create their own “Little Lightbulb Friend”. The appearance of their friend can be customized, with the choice of different eyes, mouths and shoes to cater to all children’s needs and aesthetic preferences. This customization will encourage a personal bond between the user and the character and this will aid the successfulness of the application further in the process. The child can care for their light bulb by saving energy in their household to keep it healthy and bright. If energy is being wasted at all, the light bulb will become dimmer and prompt the user with visual and sound alerts asking them to somehow conserve the energy in order to replenish their little friend’s energy. Instead of telling the user what to do, they have to figure it out themselves, making it more of a game and creating a learning environment for the child. Once the power consumption has decreased again and the light bulb has been replenished the child is offered a reward for their efforts. This comes in the form of a new accessory for their friend, example; sunglasses, and eventually the child can unlock new and exciting things for their little light bulb friend! The device and interface will be both aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate for children. 

My Energy Consumption

Over the break I attempted to record my energy consumption through appliances I use everyday in my room in my hostel. Having purchased one of the recommended energy reading devices I found it extremely hard to use! Not a great example of design and I will be taking this into account when I begin designing mt device and interface! I managed to gather some numbers and have recorded some averages on how much each appliance used. The reader was very hard to use and read, the numbers changed dramatically over some time so these are estimated averages for four appliances I measured in my hostel room.


Laptop (On Charger):
0.1 AMP
13 Watts
Power Factor of 100
0.1 KWh
229 VoltAC at 50 Hz

Note: Some of the above numbers changed when i dimmed and brightened the screen and also changed depending on how active I was on it

IPhone (On Charger):
0.1 AMP
29 Watts
Power Factor of 100
0.1 KWh
231 VoltAC at 50 Hz

Hair Straightener:
0.4 AMP
11 Watts
Power Factor of 100
0.1 KWh
236 VoltAC at 50 Hz

Hair Dryer:
4.96 AMP
116 Watts
Power Factor of 100
0.1 KWh
227 VoltAC at 50 Hz

An Inconvenient Truth

In class we watch the movie/documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". I had never previously seen the movie so and didn't really know what to expect. The facts and ideas shown in the movie really shocked me and I think the way they were presented were really effective. The use of the graphs and the way it was related directly to our everyday lives made it shocking for me. To have the facts and truth simply laid out in front of you is really effective because often the truth is covered up by lies or people who do not fully believe in climate change. It made me want to do something to help, and made me feel like I could for once. It also inspired me more for this project and makes me feel more passionate about my efforts.

Characters That Appeal To Children

I have looked at different types of characters that appeal to children. Cartoons and digital creations are very prominent favorites in todays generation. Characters like Pepa Pig (shown above) are examples of the bright, eye-catching colours used to bring these simple characters to life and cause children to appreciate them. I will have to create characters like this in order for my design and application to appeal to my target audience of children.

Apple Aesthetics and Design

In my opinion Apple has one of the sleekest aesthetics for technology available on the market. The fine rounded edges, simple layout and easily recognisable buttons really appeal to me aesthetically. I will use their ipod design as a precedent for the actual digital device part of my design, and hope to create something equally sleek and stylish. The layout of their technology is simple, and they have many younger users which is appropriate for my investigations. I will make the most of modern technology by having a touch screen, which can be easily used and navigated by little fingers, a feature that the Apple Ipod Touch has. Below is a picture of an Ipod in their "Nano" range. The size of this device is applicable to my design as it is easily portable. I feel that I will not have buttons on the front however, and make the most of the touch screen technologies instead.

Handheld Applications for Kids

In order to design a digital application for children to use, I have looked into current portable games that are available. "Tamagotchi" are an example of a portable device and game that children use. They can care for a creature, feed it and play games for it. Neglect harms the creature. These can be used as precedents for my application design. In order for children to be able to use the application and the application to record their energy consumption, it is relative that it is portable. Children interact well with portable games and will enjoy having the application always at hand. I also like the way the digital devices can be attached to other things, for example key chains and lanyards. This is a feature that I could look into.

Virtual Life Games

Having played virtual life games myself as a child (like SIMS) I can relate to the experience of creating something and caring for it. The games like that appeal to a younger age group, as they have the opportunity to control and have responsibility over something else.
I think the main reason that most SIMS users develop emotional relationships with their characters is that they create and customise them themselves. Creating a character personal and unique to yourself builds this virtual bond, making you want it to succeed in the game and care for it.

Below is a youtube video/tutorial showing how characters on the SIMS 3 are customised and created by the user. This is something that I will look into when developing my energy saving device, as I am looking human emotions in relation to energy saving.

Aiming at Children

Children are our future. I think I will use children as a target market for my energy device design. Teaching them about energy conservation and how to make the most of their energy will not only secure their future in a clean and green New Zealand but can save them economically in the long run. A child's mind is easily manipulated when they are younger and continually learning, so teaching them early is the best idea. Also children of this generation are familiar and clever when it comes to technology, and will find it easy to navigate a simple interface. The young of today are surrounded by more technology and the digital world than ever before, and it is something easily tapped into. I will use children as a target market for these reasons.