EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF DESIGN AFFORDANCES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN'S TOY PREFERENCES
DS 92: Proceedings of the DESIGN 2018 15th International Design Conference
Year: 2018
Editor: Marjanović D., Štorga M., Škec S., Bojčetić N., Pavković N.
Author: Balzan, Emanuel; Farrugia, Philip; Casha, Owen; Wodehouse, Andrew
Series: DESIGN
Section: INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Page(s): 2165-2176
DOI number: https://doi.org/10.21278/idc.2018.0155
Abstract
The role of toys in early childhood intervention is crucial for children to acquire and improve their skills. A study with preschool children has been carried out in order to establish, from a product design perspective, how toys' innate characteristics trigger toy preferences. It was found that children’s preference is presided by the play value that is perceived. By exploiting hedonic and pragmatic qualities, designers can embed persuasive qualities in toys. A framework for toy design is proposed as a model for a computer-aided support tool that helps toy designers reach their design goal.
Keywords: design cognition, design support system, user centred design, product persuasiveness