Mapping the gaps
Think of this post as a roadmap, or a sketch of the journey. Before we leave, I’d like to spend some time thinking about the purpose, destinations, people, tastes, and experiences that inspired the journey in the first place. At the same time, it’s essential to map potential gaps and difficulties that might occur on the way and prepare for them ahead of time.
It’s also helpful to consider it a table of contents. I imagine there will be three main chapters to my journey:
Multidisciplinary research about children and learning
Examples and resources (I call them Goodies because they are the real deal)
Product design discussions for children learning experiences
Now let’s get mapping!
Interdisciplinary research about children and learning
Objective - Find valuable and applicable research on children and learning that can be used to create better learning solutions for children.
Why? - Simple – knowledge is power. Many intelligent people around the world dedicate their careers to research various aspects of child development, learning, child behavior, psychology, etc. Their findings might benefit design professionals and parents; however, the information might never reach them. By sharing diverse and novel perspectives, and translating the research and expertise into practical knowledge – we can empower our community.
Collection of Goodies
Objective - Curate a collection of products and resources that offer examples of great learning experiences for children.
Why? - Good examples are more powerful than words alone. The goal is to gather everything you need in one place. Goodies are great for inspiration and for enriching your knowledge. The collection will grow with time. Meanwhile, if you are looking for something specific, I’d love to help you find it.
Discussing product and LX design for children
Objective - Create a space for conversation about actual challenges and dreams.
By sharing case studies, we can explore how research converts in practice.
Why? - Designing for children is a weighty responsibility. The products we make will shape their learning path and affect their whole life. The subject is so exciting, creative, and essential – it’s worth the continued conversation.
Potential roadblocks:
Time - FInding time is a significant challenge right now. As a stay-at-home parent with a toddler and a baby, time does not belong to me these days. I’m learning how to find windows of focus during the day for research and writing. I love my kids, but it will make me a happier mum when I use my brain again. Happy mom, happy family!
System - I need a reliable strategy for research, writing, and sharing. A systematic approach will make it doable, and will keep me going. I am figuring out which routines to set, the resources I need, the ideal times for different tasks, what can I automate or outsource, which platforms to use, and so on. I will probably share some of these later on. But until then, wish me luck! I’m grateful to have bright friends. :)
Finding the unknown - This one is both exciting and scary. How do you know which findings are the real deal? How do you know what information is missing? How do you know what you don’t know? When can you be sure you know the subject well enough to write about it? Who and what can help you identify the valuable resources? I am eager to find some answers.
Alright – sounds like a plan!
Do you have anything to add? Please let me know.