Overview
This is a 3 week sprint as part of a client-driven challenge by Salesforce, aiming to address a critical gap in how parents engage with toys for their children’s growth. The focus was to design a comprehensive solution that educates parents about the developmental benefits of play, before or after toy purchases.
[Industry]
Public Sector
[Duration]
3 Weeks
[Nature]
Academic
[Type]
Service Design
Bridging Toys and Development
Introduction
This is a 2 week project documentation as part of a client-driven challenge by Salesforce, aiming to address a critical gap in how parents engage with toys for their children’s growth. The focus was to design a comprehensive solution that educates parents about the developmental benefits of play, before or after toy purchases.
Problem
Context
Process
Breaking Down the Brief
Research
parents
pediatricians
papers on child development
assessing existing methods
Primary Research Insights
Parents are more likely to trust information received in medical or educational environments (clinics, pediatric offices).
buy toys with an emphasis on emotional aspect
analytical vs emotional quotient
They need concise, engaging content that explains the developmental benefits of toys across stages.
gravitate towards certain types of toys at each age.
Kids remember stories better than toys
Secondary Research Insights
Many are unaware that toys can serve multiple purposes for children of different ages. Very few ways in realising developmental benefits post purchase of toys.
Exisisting tech solutions order: First Cry - Used by some parents as introductory app, Toy Brands, Internet, AI - ChatGPT (least used).
“Nandini App” - A renowned pediatrician uses a web-based app to assess children's developmental stages, using toys as tools to support growth, though it doesn't directly evaluate toy benefits.
Family and Relatives play an important role
Play is often viewed as a "break" from learning
Not engaging
is a contributor to depression and anxiety
Mapping Out the Problem
We mapped the pain points and created a user journey of how parents interact with toys, leading us to define the following user personas and key challenges.
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Solution
Our solution is a two-part system designed to educate parents about the developmental benefits of toys both in clinics and during their purchasing journey.
Part 1: Zine
Part 2: Web App
At the end of the zine, a barcode is included that leads parents to a web app. This app allows parents to scan any toy and receive immediate information about the developmental benefits it offers. The app also suggests multiple ways to use a toy for different age groups, ensuring that toys are seen as versatile and valuable beyond one stage of life.
Delivery
Features
Onboarding
Solution Summary
Future Vision
In addition to these solutions, we envision expanding the system to include kiosks at toy stores and an e-commerce feature that helps parents make informed toy purchases by scanning toys directly in-store or online.
Additional Inputs
As part of the solution, we created a functional machine learning model using transfer learning techniques. This model is capable of categorizing toys into various developmental categories, providing a foundation for the web app's ability to suggest toys and educational benefits. The model has been designed to adapt as new toys are added to the system, making it scalable for future use by brands or toy manufacturers.
Additionally, the project is still a work in progress. We are currently testing the system and evaluating its effectiveness, but the early feedback has been promising. This project exemplifies a cross-disciplinary collaboration between design, child development research, and technology, and it shows how impactful design can be in an educational context.
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Learnings
Working on this project taught me the true importance of empathy in design. Engaging with parents helped me see the real challenges they face when choosing toys for their children. It illuminated how much parents want to do the right thing but often feel lost due to the overwhelming information out there. I learned that listening to users and understanding their experiences can lead to better design solutions that truly meet their needs. This process also highlighted the value of collaboration; insights from different fields like child development and technology enriched our ideas and helped us create a more well-rounded solution. Each step, from brainstorming to prototyping, reinforced that design is not just about making things look good, but about making them work better for people. Overall, this experience has motivated me to focus on creating designs that are not only functional but also make a positive impact on people's lives.