Greg Walsh

FACIT PD: a framework for analysis and creation of intergenerational techniques for participatory design

In this paper, we present a framework that describes commonly used design techniques for Participatory Design with children. Although there are many currently used techniques for designing with children, researchers working in differing contexts and in a changing technological landscape find themselves facing difficult design situations. The FACIT PD framework presented in this paper can aid in choosing existing design techniques or in developing new techniques regardless of the stage in the design cycle, the technology being developed, or philosophical approach to design method. The framework consists of eight dimensions, concerning the design partners, the design goal, and the design technique. The partner dimensions are partner experience and need for accommodation. The design goal dimensions are design space and maturity of design. The technique dimensions include: cost, portability, technology and physical interaction. Three cases will be presented which describe new techniques developed using the framework and two cases will describe existing techniques.

Curator: a game with a purpose for collection recommendation

Collection recommender systems suggest groups of items that work well as a whole. The interaction effects between items is an important consideration, but the vast space of possible collections makes it difficult to analyze. In this paper, we present a class of games with a purpose for building collections where users create collections and, using an output agreement model, they are awarded points based on the collections that match. The data from these games will help researchers develop guidelines for collection recommender systems among other applications. We conducted a pilot study of the game prototype which indicated that it was fun and challenging for users, and that the data obtained had the characteristics necessary to gain insights into the interaction effects among items. We present the game and these results followed by a discussion of the next steps necessary to bring games to bear on the problem of creating harmonious groups.

Toque: designing a cooking-based programming language for and with children

An intergenerational design team of children (ages 7-11 years old) along with graduate students and faculty in computer science and information studies developed a programming language for children, Toque. Concrete real-world cooking scenarios were used as programming metaphors to support an accessible programming learning experience. The Wiimote and Nunchuk were used as physical programming input devices. The programs that were created were pictorial recipes which dynamically controlled animations of an on-screen chef preparing virtual dishes in a graphical kitchen environment. Through multiple design sessions, programming strategies were explored, cooking metaphors were developed and, prototypes of the Toque environment were iterated. Results of these design experiences have shown us the importance of pair-programming, programming by storytelling, parallel programming, function-argument relationships, and the role of tangibility in overcoming challenges with constraints imposed by the system design.

StepCity: a preliminary investigation of a personal informatics-based social game on behavior change

Encouraging physical activity is an important public health issue. In this study, we set out to see if a game could be used to motivate people to be more active. We recruited 74 subjects to wear Fitbits -- a personal activity monitoring device that tracked the number of steps taken in a day -- and compared step totals in three experimental conditions: a control, a social interaction experience, and a social game we developed called StepCity. We found that for newer Fitbit users, the game led to users taking more steps than they did in a control condition. In this poster, we present the details of our system and the results of a controlled experiment.

DisCo: a co-design online tool for asynchronous distributed child and adult design partners

Face-to-face design with child and adult design partners is not always possible due to distant geographical locations or time differences. Yet we believe that the designs of children in areas not co-located with system builders, or who live in locations not easily accessed, are just as important and valid as children who are easily accessible especially when designing for a multinational audience. This paper reports on the prototype design process of DisCo, a computer-based design tool that enables intergenerational co-designers to collaborate online and asynchronously while being geographically distributed. DisCo contains tools that enable the designers to iterate, annotate, and communicate from within the tool. This tool was used to facilitate distributed co-design. We learned that children were less forgiving of their inability to draw on the computer than on paper, and they formed small, intergenerational design teams at their own locations when the technology did not work as they expected.

Cooperative Inquiry Extended: Creating Technology with Middle School Students with Learning Differences

Cooperative Inquiry is a method of developing technology in which children and adults are partners in the design process. Researchers use Cooperative Inquiry to empower children in the design of their own technology and to design technology that is specific to childrens needs and wants. As Cooperative Inquiry is continually evolving and expanding, it is important to consider how researchers can extend this inclusive design approach to work with populations of children with disabilities. In a semester-long case study, researchers explored the use of Cooperative Inquiry in a classroom of middle school boys with learning differences, including mild to moderate autism, specific learning disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The participating class of 10 boys ages 11–12 designed a browser-based computer game using Cooperative Inquiry over the course of six design sessions. During the project, the children had overall positive experiences and were able to form partnerships with the adult researchers to develop the game. Based on the experiences of all the team members, researchers make recommendations for employing Cooperative Inquiry in special education classrooms. These include adding informal time during the design sessions, maintaining a high adult-to-child ratio, giving instructions using many modalities, and planning for high engagement. Through this work, researchers broaden Cooperative Inquirys applicability to a new population in a classroom setting, and provide guidance for designing with populations of children with special leaning needs in the future.

The role of school librarians in enhancing science learning

School librarians play a pivotal role in facilitating learning of all subjects in primary and secondary schools in the United States, but their potential contributions to science have not been explored. In this paper, we show how school librarian practices can directly enhance aspects of science education by providing concrete examples from a study where we engaged school librarians to co-design and co-implement a science-infused after-school program. We found that librarians are a strong asset in science learning, as they foster youth engagement in authentic inquiry practices and engage young people’s everyday life interests in science learning. This study contributes new insight into how librarians can use their expertise to enhance science education efforts in schools.

Wii can do it: using co-design for creating an instructional game

There are many children for whom learning is difficult if they need to remain still. The Nintendo Wii, with its motion-controlled sensors, can support learning experiences that enable children to be physically active learners. This paper presents the methodologies and results from a multi-day, co-design session at the University of Marylands Human-Computer Interaction Lab. The goal of the sessions was to design an instructional game that leveraged the Nintendo Wiis motion controls to teach about U.S. National Parks.

A case for intergenerational distributed co-design: the online kidsteam example

As more childrens technologies are designed to be used with a global audience, new tools need to be created to include more childrens voices in the design process. However, working with those children who are geographically distributed as design partners is difficult because existing technologies either do not support distributed design, or are not child-friendly. Industries that produce items for children to consume have begun using traditionally academic co-design techniques in order to design new products and experiences for children. As these groups need to reach out to more diverse and global populations, they will begin using technologies that support distributed co-design. As child-computer interaction researchers, we have a duty to understand this concept and identify recommendations for others to use that incorporate the ideals of our field. In order to do this, this paper describes the design process of an online environment to support geographically distributed, intergenerational co-design. Within this environment, children can work together despite differences of time zones, geographic location, or availability. The online environment was deployed for eight weeks during the summer and was modified each week throughout that time to better support the participants. Based on the experiences of participants within the environment, we make suggestions for new technologies including user management tools, creative expression tools, and ad hoc team membership that encourage more voices in the design process.

Inclusive Co-Design within a Three-Dimensional Game Environment

Co-design research with children is a field that continues to find new ground and expand as it explores new, and more effective ways to design. As children become more enveloped in a world of technology and video games, it follows to leverage these kinds of experiences for use in our design toolbox. In addition, continuing to explore how to include a larger global audience through distributed co-design can advance the design process. The study presented in this paper serves as a preliminary exploration of virtual sandbox game environments as a co-design tool. Utilizing a design inclusive research approach, we discuss what led us to explore this environment as a co-design tool, how it evolved over time, and our success in using it to include those who could not attend in-person sessions.