Bieke Zaman

Editorial: the evolving field of tangible interaction for children: the challenge of empirical validation

This special issue is devoted to the topic of tangible user interfaces and children. It emphasizes research on tangibility that transcends system descriptions, focusing on the empirical support of theories and design guidance. The papers result from the organization of a workshop at the CHI 2009 ACM conference in Boston, USA. As an introduction to this issue, empirical evidence is discussed for the potential benefits that using TUIs may have for children. Next, we focus on the impact of tangibility in terms of usability, learning, collaboration, and fun. Finally, we suggest directions for future work and outline the papers that are included in this special issue.

Laddering with young children in User eXperience evaluations: theoretical groundings and a practical case

In this paper, we investigate the usefulness and feasibility of Laddering with young children in User eXperience evaluations. We start with a revision of theoretical literature and guidelines. Developmental literature suggests that children aged two to seven years old have the cognitive capabilities to perform as Laddering interviewees. Next, we put these findings to the test via a practical case. The results of our case study demonstrate that only the older children, aged five years and older, were able to construct meaningful ladders. As for the type of ladders created, our results are in line with literature; children are inclined to attribute external reasons to product preferences rather than internal reasons, and consequently create ladders of attributes and consequences, not reaching for values.

The FaceReader: measuring instant fun of use

Recently, more and more attention has been paid to emotions in the domain of Human-Computer Interaction. When evaluating a product, one can no longer ignore the emotions a product induces. This paper examines the value of a new instrument to measure emotions: the FaceReader. We will assess the extent to which the FaceReader is useful when conducting usability evaluations. To do this, we will compare the data gained from the FaceReader with two other sources: user questionnaires and researchers loggings. Preliminary analysis shows that the FaceReader is an effective tool to measure instant emotions and fun of use. However, a combination of the FaceReader with another observation method (e.g. researchers loggings) is necessary. As regards the user questionnaire, our results indicate that it is rather a reflection of the content of the application or the outcome of a task, than a correct self-reflection of how the user felt when accomplishing the task.

Introducing contextual laddering to evaluate the likeability of games with children

It becomes more and more recognized that children should be involved in a product’s design and evaluation process. Many findings report on the methodology for usability research with children. However, there has been relatively little analysis of likeability research with children. In this paper, we propose the laddering method—traditionally a marketing method among adults—for likeability research in the domain of child–computer interaction. Three exploratory cases will be described. The cases report on the use of the laddering method with children aged between 7 and 16 to evaluate the likeability of two games. The lessons learnt about the use of the laddering method will be discussed in great detail. In order to adapt the laddering method to work with children, we recommend a variation of this method and call it the ‘contextual laddering method’.

A Qualitative Inquiry into the Contextualized Parental Mediation Practices of Young Children’s Digital Media Use at Home

Technologies are increasingly adopted and used by young children at home. Parents play an important role in shaping their media use, keeping certain possibilities open for children to play, learn, and socialize while limiting others. Nevertheless, the literature on parental mediation of young children’s media use is scant. In this article, we describe a qualitative, mixed-method study involving 24 parents and 36 children aged 3 to 9, and focus on the contextual factors that shape (transitions between) parental mediation practices. The results point to the emergence of new manifestations of parental mediation and provide evidence of their dynamic, often paradoxical nature. In particular, the insights on distant mediation, various buddy styles, and participatory learning, as well as the value of a wholeness approach for understanding children’s conditions for media engagement, suggest new prospects for parental mediation literature.

Tangibles for children,: the challenges

A significant proportion of research in the field of tangible interaction involves children. A common aspiration is to offer benefits through tangibility, related to ease of use and overall user experience while also support learning and developmental processes. However, evaluation results are often equivocal, and expectations of researchers not always verified. This workshop aims to attract researchers who approach this topic of tangibility and children from an empirical or design perspective. The purpose is to obtain a good picture of what benefits we expect tangibility to provide (including novel and future applications), establish what is the current empirical evidence to support such claims (or what is missing), and motivate appropriate evaluation methodologies for children.

The Extended Likeability Framework: A Theoretical Framework for and a Practical Case of Designing Likeable Media Applications for Preschoolers

A theoretical framework and practical case for designing likeable interactive media applications for preschoolers in the home environment are introduced. First, we elaborate on the theoretical framework. We introduce the uses and gratifications paradigm (U&G). We argue that U&G is a good approach to researching likeability of media applications. Next, we complete the U&G framework with expectancy-value (EV) theory. EV theory helps us move from theoretical insights to concrete design guidelines. Together, the U&G framework and the EV model form the foundation of our extended likeability framework for the design and evaluation of interactive media applications, for preschoolers in the home environment. Finally, we demonstrate a practical case of our extended likeability framework via the research project CuTI. The CuTI project aims at revealing those particular user gratifications and design attributes that are important to support playful behaviour and fun activities of preschoolers in the home environment.

Coupling the Users: The Benefits of Paired User Testing for iDTV

Interactive digital television (iDTV) is a social medium and must therefore be tested in a context as close to real life as possible. This explains why we saw the potential and importance for the involvement of real-life couples in iDTV usability testing. In this article, an experiment that compares single user testing and coparticipation testing with couples for the evaluation of several Flemish iDTV applications is described. The study found that, first, there was less probing needed by the facilitator to think out loud in the think aloud/coparticipation method with couples than in the think aloud/single test user method. Second, couples did not encounter difficulties working together with the iDTV applications. Further, couples did not lose time by discussing irrelevant issues during the test session. A fourth finding is that couples detected more usability hits than single test users. The quality of comments, however, was the same in both conditions. Sixty perecent of the comments consisted of intrinsic suggestions and 40% of general problem detections. Another issue was raised through findings during the test. Couples in general were enthusiastic to participate, put in little effort on their part in the test session, and evaluated the test session as easy and fun to do. On the contrary, single test users in general were not sure whether they would like to participate again in future tests, declared that the test session demanded considerable effort, and evaluated the test session less positively.

Why Gamification Fails in Education and How to Make It Successful: Introducing Nine Gamification Heuristics Based on Self-Determination Theory

Gamification, a design technique that uses the motivational elements of games in other contexts, is increasingly looked at as a possible solution to the dropping levels of motivation observed in learners. However, previous research has presented mixed results as to the demonstration of whether gamification in education works or not. To better evaluate the potential of gamification, we argue that it is important to first focus on how gamification works. This chapter contributes to this discussion by asking three research questions, starting by specifying “What is gamification?” (Q1), to then revealing “How does gamification work?” (Q2). Looking at gamification from the perspective of self-determination theory, we show that various types of motivation guide people’s behaviour differently and point to the importance of basic psychological need satisfaction. Furthermore, the answers to our first two research questions will explain why adding game elements as external, meaningless regulations is likely to cause detrimental effects on learners’ intrinsic motivation. Finally, by cumulating these theory-informed insights, we address our last research question “How can gamification design be improved?” (Q3) and define nine gamification heuristics that account for (the interplay between) design, context and user characteristics. As such, this chapter forms a guide for researchers, educators, designers and software developers in fostering a promising future generation of gamified systems that resonates our plea for theory-driven design.

Applying the CHECk tool to participatory design sessions with children

To encourage ethical practices in participatory design with children the CHECk tool was created. This paper reports on an expert review of the CHECk tool and a validating case study. Four main challenges to the CHECk tool are identified: (1) how to inform children on the research and their role herein, (2) distinguishing between project values and designer or researchers personal values, (3) accounting for the dynamic nature and social constructedness of values in design, and (4) the emergence of values in all stakeholders including child design partners. We advocate complementing CHECk with interactive storytelling and show how this narrative can be used to not only inform participation and achieve ethical symmetry, but also to negotiate values with child design partners.