Methods and Techniques for Involving Children in the Design of New Technology for Children

Children have participated in the design of new technologies intended for children using diverse methods, in differing contexts, with varying degrees of involvement. This participation can be characterized as involving children as users, testers, informants, or design partners. Only relatively recently have researchers around the world begun to work more substantively with children to design technologies for children. This book synthesizes prior work involving children as informants and design partners, and describes the emergence of participatory design methods and techniques for children. It considers the various roles children have played in the design process, with a focus on those that integrally involve children throughout the process. It summarizes and provides a pragmatic foundation for researchers and practitioners to use several methods and techniques for designing technologies with and for children. It relates the techniques to the design goals they help fulfil and concludes with a consideration of working with children in technology design processes as we move into the future.