Experiences: Learning Experiences

This is a sample chapter from the new Rosenfeld Media book Design for Kids: Digital Products for Playing and Learning. ©2013 Rosenfeld Media.

Chapter 2: Playing and Learning

At a 4-year-old’s birthday party, I had an interesting conversation with two different parents about their children’s iPad use versus their TV watching. I asked about the rules these parents had in place regarding screen time for their kids. One mother strongly objected to any “playing” on the iPad for her child. Instead, she let her son—a very intelligent, developmentally sophisticated 4-year-old—use age-appropriate reading and math apps for about an hour a day, and then allowed him to watch two TV shows before bedtime. Read More

What is the first thing users notice when they open a mobile app? It’s not the features it offers, it’s how it looks and how they can interact with it. While the key value of a mobile app is the problem it solves, it is the easy, convenient management of its features that makes it attractive to users. An app’s functionality is useless if users cannot actually implement its use in real life. If not, they would likely either choose another mobile app or write bad reviews that damage the developer’s reputation. They usually do both.

The user interface (UI) refers to the way a mobile app presents itself to the user, while the user experience refers to how the user interacts with the app by issuing the appropriate commands to complete the tasks or solve the problems for which the app was originally designed. You can assess the effectiveness of a mobile app by evaluating the optimal combination of its functionality and attractiveness. Read More

Medical animations have been remarkably useful in demonstrating concepts to students in an appealing, comprehensive manner. However, the principles of UX engineering stand paramount in helping educators in any field to enhance the learning experience for students. The role of UX engineering in the curation of animations is a standard practice among medical animation companies that have a strong portfolio.

Advancements in technology for medical animations have enabled doctors to practice, using 3D simulations, before surgical operations. In addition to being really efficient for surgeons, the use of animations is valuable to students who require demonstrations that are both immersive and easier to digest. Read More