P for Politics D for Dialogue: Reflections on Participatory Design with Children and Animals

Participatory Design strives to open up the decision-making process and empower all those who may be affected by design. This is opposed to Design as a non-participatory process, in which the power to make decisions is vested in the hands of one group to the possible detriment of others. In this paper we interrogate the nature, possibilities and limitations of Participatory Design through the perspective of Child Computer Interaction (CCI) and Animal Computer Interaction (ACI). Due to the cognitive and communication characteristics, and to the social and legal status of their participants, researchers in these communities have to contend with and challenge existing notions of participation and design. Thus, their theories and practices provide a lens through which the nature and goals of Participatory Design can be examined with a view to facilitating the development of more inclusive participatory models and practices

Leading by example: Exploring the influence of design examples on children’s creative ideation

Creative ideation is integral to the design process; to be considered creative an idea must be deemed both novel and appropriate. Design examples are often provided to inspire creativity but may also constrain designers’ imaginations (design fixation), a phenomenon observed during children’s ideation in participatory design (PD). This paper addresses a gap in the literature by empirically investigating this phenomenon through an exploratory case study of two game narrative design workshops involving 37 children. Children’s design ideas from these workshops were systematically coded by two researchers following a deductive content analysis approach and inter-rater reliability was established. Our findings show that utilising design examples can ensure appropriateness (i.e. narrative relevance and coherence), and albeit some design fixation more often facilitates the creative process by enabling existing ideas to be recycled and combined with novel ideas. This research contributes potential methodological adaptations to better foster children’s creativity during PD

An Inquiry into the TUI Design Space for Parent-Child Math Engagement at Home

Preschoolers’ early-math development is vital for their later math and academic achievement. Tangible user interfaces (TUI) may support early math as they feature physical objects imperative to math development and multimedia to support engagement. As a potentially meaningful context for TUIs, developmental studies highlight the need to support the home math environment (HME) that covers math-related interactions among parents and children. Therefore, we focus on HME as a design space that has not been investigated in TUI literature. We conducted an observational study involving physical-object based math activities and semi-structured interviews with 13 parent-child dyads. Our findings revealed the multifaceted nature of the HME, where children's agency is valued and providing lasting materials is challenging. Also, we realized that parents juggled their child's demands and the object-based physical activity at once. By reflecting on these findings, we propose design directions for supporting the home-math environment with TUIs

Designing Physical Objects for Young Children's Magnitude Understanding: A TUI Research Through Design Journey

Magnitude understanding, an understudied topic in Child-Computer Interaction, entails making nonsymbolic ‘more-less’ comparisons that influence young children's later math and academic achievements. To support this ability, designing tangible user interfaces (TUIs) demands considering many facets, ranging from elements within the physical world to the digital design components. This multifaceted activity brings many design decisions often not reflected in research. Therefore, we present this reflection via our research through design process in developing a vital design element, the physical form. We share our (i) physical object design criteria elicitation for magnitude understanding, (ii) hands-on making process, and (iii) preliminary studies with children engaging with objects. With our insights obtained through these steps, we project how this physical object-initiated research inspires the TUI in the upcoming steps and present design takeaways for CCI researchers

Participatory design process engaging intergenerational cohorts: using value elicitation to co-create interactive media experience

This thesis explores the inclusive design challenges of engaging intergenerational participants (IGP) in a participatory design process. The IGP comprise a paired generation, grandparent (aged 65 and over) and grandchild (4-6-years-old), leveraging their pre-existing relationship. Overarching research questions aim at exploring how to adequately reflect IGP voices and values in interactive media products intended for them; and how to integrate new and effective methodologies and tools for co-engaging the two generations between themselves with enhanced creativity in design processes.Under the scheme of an industry-based Ph.D. programme, the investigation is phased with three probing projects building towards the fourth main project, conducted in close collaboration with small-scale and large-scale media companies anchored in the Northwest region of England. For the fourth project, a unique data set is drawn from participatory design sessions in the form of ethnographic documents (e.g., fieldnotes), video corpus, text data, and artifacts acquired and co-created during 8 months of face-to-face and virtual participatory sessions with IGP. Data were analysed applying methods such as video coding and thematic and axial analysis across multiple documentation. The main findings are synthesized and presented as: 1) interaction patterns between two age groups when either sharing or co-creating interactive media experiences; 2) a set of IGP values elicited through storytelling-based methods in participatory activities; 3) a values-led model to predict IGP psychological processes guiding their shared media experiences; and 4) a set of methodological recommendations and criteria to engage younger and older citizens together, in participatory design processes. The resulting data highlight IGP’s interaction patterns that are centered around purpose sharing, collaboration, fun-seeking, helping each other, and mutual assurance. It also highlights that IGP place a high value on being safe, autonomous, and competent in shared media experiences. The main output is a values-led to comprehend intergenerational interactions and a methodological guide consisting of a list of recommendations on how to engage IGP in participatory design processes, aimed at designers or researchers working with intergenerational cohorts.The research contributes to social awareness by systemically modeling IGP’s underlying values and interaction dynamics while informing values-led design practices in the media industry. Further design and research hypotheses can be generated using the model to facilitate and promote positive interaction behaviours and IGP’s wellbeing. This research also contributes to strengthening participatory design methodologies through interdisciplinary research approaches with the theoretical underpinning from personal construct psychology (PCP) applied to data analysis and modeling in this work

Data autonomy in the age of AI: designing autonomy-supportive data tools for children & families

The age of AI is a rapidly evolving and complex space for children. As children increasingly interact with AI-based apps, services and platforms, their data is being increasingly tracked, harvested, aggregated, analysed and exploited in multiple ways that include behavioural engineering and monetisation. Central to such datafication is online service providers' ability to analyse user data to infer personal attributes, subtly manipulating interests and beliefs through micro-targeting and opinion shaping. This can alter the way children perceive and interact with the world, undermining their autonomy. Yet, this datafication often unfolds behind the scenes in apps and services, remaining less noticed and discussed compared to the more straightforward data privacy issues like direct data collection or disclosure. On the other hand, children are often seen as less capable of navigating the intricacies of online life, with parents and guardians presumed to possess greater expertise to steer their children through the digital world. However, the rapid evolution of AI technology and online trends has outpaced parents' ability to keep up. As they adapt to platforms like Snapchat or YouTube, children may already move to the next trend, a shift accelerated by rapid datafication that heightens the challenge of effectively guiding children online. Consequently, there's a mounting call for a child-centred approach, which shifts from just protecting or limiting children with parents in charge, to actively guiding and empowering children to take a leading role. In this shift towards a child-centred approach, there's growing consensus on fostering children's autonomy in the digital space, encompassing the development of their understanding, values, self-determination, and self-identity. Given that data is the cornerstone of AI-based platforms' vast influence, this thesis uniquely focuses on the key concept of data autonomy for children. This exploration follows a structured four-step methodology: 1) Landscape analysis to comprehend the present scope of AI-based platforms for children and the prevalent challenges they encounter; 2) Conceptual review to elucidate the meaning of autonomy for children in the digital realm; 3) Empirical investigation focusing on children's perceptions, needs, and obstacles concerning data autonomy; and 4) Technical evaluation to assess the impact of technical interventions on children's sense of data autonomy. Synthesising the research presented in this thesis, we propose the pivotal concept of data autonomy for children in the age of AI, aiming to address their online wellbeing from a unique data perspective. This work not only lays the foundation for future research on data autonomy as a novel research agenda, but also prompts a rethinking of existing data governance structures towards a more ethical data landscape

Landscapes of Affective Interaction: Young Children's Enactive Engagement with Body Metaphors

Empirical research into embodied meaning making suggests specific sensorimotor experiences can support children’s understanding of abstract science ideas. This view is aligned with enactive and grounded cognition perspectives, both centred in the view that our ability to conceptualise emerges from our experiences of interaction with our environment. While much of this research has focused on understanding action and action processes in individual children or children in pairs, less attention has been paid to affective dimensions of young children’s group interaction, and how this relates to meaning making with body metaphors. Indeed, Gallagher describes how no action exists in a vacuum, but rather revolves around a complex web of affective-pragmatic features comprising a ‘Landscape of Interaction’ (2020, p.42). This research project addresses gaps in research in understanding young children’s affective engagement from an enactivist cognition perspective. It takes a Design-Based Research approach with an iterative design orientation to examine young children’s interaction with multisensory body-based metaphors through an embodied participation framework. A series of empirical studies with young children, aged 2-7 years, comprising of experiential workshops, build iteratively upon each other. A novel theoretically informed method, Affective Imagination in Motion, is developed involving several purpose-built multisensory body metaphors prompts to enable access to dimensions of young children’s affective engagement. This research makes theoretical and methodological contributions. It extends the theoretical notion of ‘affect’ from enactive and grounded cognition perspectives through identifying key interactive processes in young children’s engagement with multisensory action metaphors. In addition, the novel method offers a contribution as a way of ‘looking’ at affect within a group situation from affective-pragmatic and social embodiment perspectives. Finally, the research contributes to embodied learning design frameworks offering a guideline for designers wishing to inform their work from enactive cognition perspective

Boosting children's creativity through creative interactions with social robots

Creativity is an ability with psychological and developmental benefits. Creative levels are dynamic and oscillate throughout life, with a first major decline occurring at the age of 7 years old. However, creativity is an ability that can be nurtured if trained, with evidence suggesting an increase in this ability with the use of validated creativity training. Yet, creativity training for young children (aged between 6-9 years old) appears as scarce. Additionally, existing training interventions resemble test-like formats and lack of playful dynamics that could engage children in creative practices over time. This PhD project aimed at contributing to creativity stimulation in children by proposing to use social robots as intervention tools, thus adding playful and interactive dynamics to the training. Towards this goal, we conducted three studies in schools, summer camps, and museums for children, that contributed to the design, fabrication, and experimental testing of a robot whose purpose was to re-balance creative levels. Study 1 (n = 140) aimed at testing the effect of existing activities with robots in creativity and provided initial evidence of the positive potential of robots for creativity training. Study 2 (n = 134) aimed at including children as co-designers of the robot, ensuring the robot’s design meets children’s needs and requirements. Study 3 (n = 130) investigated the effectiveness of this robot as a tool for creativity training, showing the potential of robots as creativity intervention tools. In sum, this PhD showed that robots can have a positive effect on boosting the creativity of children. This places social robots as promising tools for psychological interventions.Criatividade é uma habilidade com benefícios no desenvolvimento saudável. Os níveis de criatividade são dinâmicos e oscilam durante a vida, sendo que o primeiro maior declínio acontece aos 7 anos de idade. No entanto, a criatividade é uma habilidade que pode ser nutrida se treinada e evidências sugerem um aumento desta habilidade com o uso de programas validados de criatividade. Ainda assim, os programas de criatividade para crianças pequenas (entre os 6-9 anos de idade) são escassos. Adicionalmente, estes programas adquirem o formato parecido ao de testes, faltando-lhes dinâmicas de brincadeira e interatividade que poderão motivar as crianças a envolverem-se em práticas criativas ao longo do tempo. O presente projeto de doutoramento procurou contribuir para a estimulação da criatividade em crianças propondo usar robôs sociais como ferramenta de intervenção, adicionando dinâmicas de brincadeira e interação ao treino. Assim, conduzimos três estudos em escolas, campos de férias, e museus para crianças que contribuíram para o desenho, fabricação, e teste experimental de um robô cujo objetivo é ser uma ferramenta que contribui para aumentar os níveis de criatividade. O Estudo 1 (n = 140) procurou testar o efeito de atividade já existentes com robôs na criatividade e mostrou o potencial positivo do uso de robôs para o treino criativo. O Estudo 2 (n = 134) incluiu crianças como co-designers do robô, assegurando que o desenho do robô correspondeu às necessidades das crianças. O Estudo 2 (n = 130) investigou a eficácia deste robô como ferramenta para a criatividade, demonstrando o seu potencial para o treino da criatividade. Em suma, o presente doutoramento mostrou que os robôs poderão ter um potencial criativo em atividades com crianças. Desta forma, os robôs sociais poderão ser ferramentas promissoras em intervenções na psicologia