Playfully process book 2018

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA 2 0 1 6 –2 0 1 7 M FA TH ES I S PRO C ES S play fully.life

Basic toys, b e t t e r p l a y.

K R I S H N A P R I YA ( K P ) D U T TA G U P TA 2 0 1 6 –2 0 1 7 M FA TH ES I S PRO C ES S

THESIS ADVISORS Phil Hamlett Carolina De Bartolo Wi o l eta Ka m i n s ka

an d H ar vard M e dical S ch o o l in B osto n as we ll as dire cto r an d co-fo un d e r of C am p aign fo r a C o m m e rcial-Fre e Ch ildh o o d .

MFA THESIS PROCESS

* S usan Lin n, is a psych o l ogist at J u dg e B ake r Ch il dre n’s C e nte r

P L AY F U L LY

—Dr. Susan Linn*

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

“The perfect toy’s meaning and its use changes at the child’s behest.”

Contents

01 –1 1

INTRODUCTION Contex t Prob lem D esign O pp or tun ities

1 2– 61

RESEARCH O pin ion Posters Th e Im p or tant Q u estions Min d M ap Th e Audien ce S p e ctrum ‘S h ow & Tell ’ Event At ten din g Events S ur veys & Inter views

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

62–93

1 1 6 –2 0 5

Insights Strategy Ch ar t M aterials M atrix

B ran d Form at App

94 –1 1 5

MFA THESIS PROCESS

DEVELOPMENT

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STRATEGIES

2 0 6 –2 13

PLAYFULLY

CONCLUSION

Logo V isual G uid e lin es App lication

So cial M e dia Th e Reso urces Ackn owle dg em ents

INTRODUCTION Contex t Prob lem D esign O pp or tun ities

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA P L AY F U L LY

Toys stimulate a child’s mind, enhance creativity, and encourage activity. Kids absorb messages from toys through all stages of their growth. The kind of toys selected and how kids plays with them will influence how well they meet their optimal learning potential.

MFA THESIS PROCESS

Children love toys!

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Introducing The Context Why toys matter?

Think back to your favorite toys. What comes to mind? Do you remember the colors and sounds?

Or, do your memories center around what you did as you played with, tinkered with or dreamed up what you could do with the toy? Blocks could become forts or shields, ice cream shops or just tall towers to test how high a skyscraper could go before collapsing. You likely remember the thrill of discovery or the pretend play scenarios that captivated your interest and imagination for hours.

And looking back now, you realize that playing with some of those toys helped you learn key lessons about communicating with others, thinking creatively, and building your confidence. The sense of joy and awe did not come from the toy per se, but about the experience that the toy supported. Toys are platforms for play—not directors of play.

Toys stimulate a child’s mind, enhance creativity, and encourage activity. Kids absorb messages from toys through all stages of their growth. The kind of toys selected and how kids plays with them will influence how well they meet their optimal learning potential.

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Choosing the right toys is not easy. It can be a real challenge to find the right product, at the right time, for the right price. To top it all, the challenge of getting the maximum value from a toy.

Research conducted by child-development specialist, psychologists, educators and others point out that the first five years in the life of the child are of the greatest consequence. Researchers have found that toys and play stimulate more brain synapses per neuron.

The secondary motor stage of child development occurs during these first five years. It is the time when the most rapid physical, emotional, and mental growth takes place. And at each stage of this development, a child needs different kinds of stimulation, enhanced by different kind of toys.

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Introducing The Problem Why should we care?

These days, typical options for childhood amusement include linear, prescriptive commercial playthings that do the entertaining for them.

Store shelves are lined with fancy electronics and brightly colored gadgets that promise to make our kids the next Einstein.

Toys are one of largest industries for licensed products globally. Toys inspired by movies outperform the market, growing by 9.4% in 2015. That included $700 million in sales from “Star Wars” products, making it the No. 1 property of the year. The franchise was worth more than “Jurassic World,” “Minions” and “Avengers” combined. Eight out of top ten toys are cross-licensed from movie and TV shows. How is this multi-billion dollar industry shaping the next generation? Is it affecting their aptitudes and attitudes? About 97% of American children six and under own toys—that features the image of characters from media.

A commercial play culture fuels distrust in kids’ capacity for imaginative play. According to apa , children under 8 don’t have the cognitive abilities to understand the persuasive intent of commercials.

This means they are susceptible to manipulative advertising that seeks to monopolize their attention and shape their desires.

If we constrict children’s opportunities for creative play from birth, they won’t begin to know how to generate new ideas, challenge existing norms, or revel in their own creativity. That’s why perhaps the most troubling trends in the media and marketing industry’s all-out effort to get kids hooked on linear engagement from the moment they’re born.

What is at risk is no less than the development of essential life skills.

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As Susan Linn wrote in her book, “We start to believe that they aren’t capable of generating constructive activity on their own. We and our children begin to think that their natural instincts aren’t good enough and that they need the things corporations sell in order to occupy themselves constructively.” Fro instance, Toys representing media characters steer children toward set internalized “scripts” from which it is hard to deviate.

They usually stick to rigid portrayal of characters exactly as its seen on television or in the movies.

Unfortunately, kids can become accustomed to someone or something else providing the fun for them. As a result they may be attuned to the slower pace of conversation, the expansive pleasure of make-believe, or the subtle wonders found in their environment.

According to Dr. Linn, “A toy should be 90 percent kid and 10 percent toy.” If there’s only one way to play with it, experts says it’s not a very good toy, because the child does not have to do anything or think about things in a different way.

a lifetim e to th e im p o r tan ce of p l ay, an d eval u atin g toys, g am es an d ch ildre n’s p ro d u cts .

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MFA THESIS PROCESS

* Stevan n e Au e rb a ch, Ph D, Auth o r of 1 5 b o o ks, h as d e dicate d

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—Stevanne Auerbach*

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“As toys become more complicated we lose touch with basic forms of play.”

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Introducing The Opportunity What can I do to help?

What looks like simple activity to an adult—stacking blocks and knocking them down or running cars around an imaginary track—is actually serious developmental work to a child. By choosing the right kinds of toys, parents can make the most of playtime.

With further research I realized that, the best toys for early childhood are often the simplest. Toys that allow children to direct the play themselves— open-ended play—are not only more engaging for younger children, they’re also important for development.

But that’s easier said than done. The questions that we need to address here are, what are these toys that provide basic foundation for kids imagination? How do I promote these basic toys? How do I convince parents that toys aren’t an end in themselves, but rather a launchpad for a child’s

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imagination and ingenuity? Shopping for toys is often frustrating, inefficient, and confusing. How are parents supposed to navigate the vast range of options? And in the growing online market, how could they try toys that are best suited for their child?

That’s when Playfully was born: an opportunity to provide a better way to select toys for active engagement. Design solutions that aims to promote toys that foster children’s imagination and ingenuity.

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

Toys that are not an end in themselves but rather a launchpad for a child’s imagination and ingenuity.

RESEARCH O pin ion Posters Th e Im p or tant Q u estions Min d M ap Th e Audien ce S p e ctrum ‘S h ow & Tell ’ Event At ten din g Events

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA P L AY F U L LY

My research started on a hunch based on a statistics by u cl a that, 3.1 of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40 % of the toys consumed globally.This fact provoked me to investigate further, starting with probing questions, to myself and others to understand the scope of my chosen topic. This exercise required expressing my opinion, reading relevant books and articles, finding connections by drawing mind maps, by conducting interviews and surveys, and by participating in relevant events to name a few. My objective was to look for answers that lead me to the actual insights that would eventually guide my strategies.

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MFA THESIS PROCESS

For Deeper Insights.

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Researching Within What do I think?

At the beginning of my thesis my objectives were a little blurred in my head. With further research I gained clarity and focus that helped me narrow my exact area of concern within my topic.

In this exercise I explored and added my personal experiences and perceptions that I felt strongly about. I started by designing posters based on these personal views to communicate my thoughts.

These posters reflects my struggle as a parent that I face with toys. It’s also about how our children are becoming passive consumers of linear objects sold in the name of play.

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These posters also helped me understand the visual vocabulary appropriate for a topic related to children. My exploration of design elements for this project started with these posters and helped to choose what worked and what didn’t.

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

Indiscriminate accumulation of toys stunts mental growth.

Indiscriminate accumulation of toys stunts mental growth.

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Indiscriminate accumulation of toys stunts mental growth.

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Researching Important Qs Why ask questions?

It all started with asking many question within my topic spectrum and then trying to find answers in articles, blogs, news, reviews, post, etc. The idea behind this was to investigate the scope of my topic.

The thrust of these questions were to clarif y the chosen topic. The questions in the general had to be threaded i.e. there is a connectedness/sequence to the questions starting from the first one. These led to insights that helped me focus and distill my thesis objective and solution.

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In this exercise I developed a list of 50 questions based on the structure of Socratic questioning to investigate the scope of my topic. The structure had 6 major following categories: • Question for clarification.

• Questions that probe assumptions.

• Question about viewpoints and perspectives.

• Questions that probe implications or consequences.

• Questions about questions.

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Researching Connections How are things connected?

This exercise helped me review my topic to the world around us and how it is connected. The goal was to find new connections and begin exploring the relevance of these new areas conceptually and visually.

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The process began by identif ying camps that impact my topic. The following were the camps I chose to explore further: • Environmental Impact • Political Impact • Cultural Impact • Economic Impact • Personal Impact • Societal Impact Within each camp I identified three elements that were most intriguing and created a deck of cards using one word and image representing the word.

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Manipulation

Explore

Lobbying

Legislation

Personal Impact

Value

Overload

Toxin

eWaste

Sustainable

Environmental Impact

Political Impact

Donate

Compete

Digital Cultural Impact

Transmedia

MFA THESIS PROCESS

Empathy

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Make

Print

Proxy

Exchange

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Economic Impact

Societal Impact

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Researching The Audience Who am I designing for?

This exercise helped me identif y and narrow my audience spectrum. The goal of this lab was to create set of 8 archetypes that I am trying to address.

This helped me understand who they are, their demographic and ethnographic details, their preferences and their perspective. Most importantly what truly defines them —something that might not be evident at first glance.

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The following part of this exercise was to create a set of 8 cards that resembles an artifact related to my topic. I chose small car toy packaging and utilized the front and back to deliver relevant information about my archetype.

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Audience 01

BACHELOR

Single

MANAGER

City College

IMPROMPTU

No kids Nephews and Nieces

Lives in

CITY

See back for details.

Shares with roommate

LENA City Bike: For staying in shape and hates driving.

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY.

ARCHETYPE 01

Age

25+

Female

Lebanese

Citizen

Middle class

THE GIFT GIVER

tm

“It feels like there’s a birthday every other week and I am always shopping for toys at the last instance.

I usually go online, look for the trendiest or most highly rated new toy and just buy that. No thought required and a happy child at the end of it!”—Lena

01

Active online purchasers. For better deals and trends.

02

She takes a lot of short vacations with her friends.

03

Sometimes she orders gifts online to save time and energy.

04

When buying toys she decides on the basis of reviews and ratings.

05

She gets competitive when playing console games with her nephews and nieces.

06

She enjoys staying in the city over suburbs.

07

She follows music concerts and food festivals. She loves to post photos of good food on social media.

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She leaves her review and comments every now and then on yelp, amazon and other websites.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

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LAB 6

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Audience 02

SCHOOL

Middle Child

KID

RESOURCEFUL

Kindergarten in public school

2 siblings: 8, 2 yrs Parents: Blue collar job

Lives in

CITY

See back for details.

Rented apartment

KEVIN Public Transport: The only option

tm

Male

Hispanic

Citizen

Lower middle class

THE HARD UP BOY

6+

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY. “My parents work pretty late and we never seem to have enough to spend on the latest toys.

Most of the dollar store toys don’t last long. I would love good toys that are very cheap or that I can build on my own.”—Kevin

01

He mostly plays with toys that are either second hand or purchased from dollar store.

02

He hates sharing his favorite action figures with his brothers and ends up fighting with them.

03

He likes making swords and guns out of paper.

04

He often picks up pots and pans from the kitchen and pretends to be drummer performing in a concert.

05

He doesn’t like books and ends up coloring all the pages that he can lay his hands on.

06

He looks forward to occasional visits to McDonald’s because he gets a free toy with his meal.

07

He plays free games in his mother’s phone after she returns from work.

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MFA THESIS PROCESS

Age

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ARCHETYPE 02

He is closest to his grand mother. She picks him up from school and stays around till his parents return from work.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

LAB 6

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Audience 03

MASTERS

Married

TEACHER

2 kids: 3, 5 yrs Spouse: Housewife

Specialization in chemistry

PRUDENT

Lives in

SUBURB

See back for details.

Rented near school

JOHN Used Pontiac Aztek Car: Good deal and American made

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY.

Age

32+

Male

White

Citizen

Middle class

THE OUTDOORSY DAD

tm

ARCHETYPE 03

“Kids need to spend time away from tablets and computers. Also, the convenience of some of these digital purchases can lead to pretty heavy sticker shock that I cannot afford right now. I would rather they had toys and games that we could play together, preferably outdoors”—John

01

He is a weekend traveler, loves hiking and goes to nearby beaches with his family and friends.

02

He had been teaching in the same school for the past eight years.

03

He is a voracious reader and has a wide collection of second hand books.

04

He has a Lathe machine in his garage in which he makes wooden stuff.

05

He and his kids are regular at neighborhood library and spends 2 hours every 2 weeks browsing books.

06

He is fond of technology but can’t afford to indulge, therefore only downloads apps that are free.

07

He is a Amazon Prime member and his shopping cart mostly has used books.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

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LAB 6

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Audience 04

GRADUATE

Married

HOUSEWIFE

3 kids: 3, 5, 7 yrs Spouse: Tax accountant

Bachelor in literature ACTIVE

SUBURB

BLOGGER

Lives in

See back for details.

Self-owned house

MARGARET Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Car: Economical and responsible choice.

tm

Female

White

American Citizen

Middle class

THE NEAT FREAK MOM

40+

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY. “I would appreciate any ideas and insights into how to make toy purchases that are age and environment appropriate, allow my kids to play and learn at the same time, and are well-made to last as hand-medowns. Cost and storage space are also of concern to me.”—Margaret

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02

03

04

05

06

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MFA THESIS PROCESS

Age

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ARCHETYPE 04

Doesn’t mind spending extra on natural cleaning chemicals over toxic ones, because its safe around kids. It is also eco-friendly and the packaging is made of sustainable materials.

She subscribes to “Parenting”, a magazine that focuses on raising children. She looks for recipe ideas and advices.

She spends a lot of time driving around her kids to activities.

For her vegetable and fruits she visits to farmer’s market every weekend. Pantry supple comes from Cotsco and regular grocery from neighborhood store like Safeway.

Every 3 months she donates clothes, toys, shoes, and other items to Goodwill to reduce clutter accumulation.

She is an active blogger on her motherhood experiences and post reviews on a facebook page on safe children products.

She loves scrap booking photographs, artifacts with little notes on them to preserve her memories around her children.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

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Audience 05

COLLEGE

STUDENT

1 kid: 2 yrs old boy Spouse: Engineer

Masters in Fine Art

DISCERNING

Married

Lives in

CITY

See back for details.

Rented luxury apt.

SANDHYA BMW SUV Fuel Car: Safety and aesthetics.

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY.

ARCHETYPE 05

Age

33+

Female

Indian

Legal Resident

Upper middle class

THE MULTI-TASKER

tm

“I restrict toy purchases so my boy learns self-restraint and I curtail activities that involve staring at screens and pushing buttons.

I am sold if a toy allows exploration, is non-linear, open-ended and allows for a range of physical activity and creativity.”—Sandhya Active Amazon Prime member. Convenient shopping based on reliable reviews.

01 Willing to spend more for quality over quality.

Avoids plastics and other synthetic materials.

02 Prefers space saving purchases. She wants her small

apartment to look spacious.

03 For her son she prefers art material over action fig-

ures. They are not creative.

04

She like cooking meals with organic ingredients and doesn’t mind tweaking recipes to make it more healthy.

05 When eating out, she orders for whole wheat pizza/

pasta instead of regular for her family.

06 She only purchases electronic by Apple or Sony primar-

ily for aesthetics.

07 She prefers IKEA for minimalist functional design and

do-it-yourself aspect.

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WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

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LAB 6

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Audience 06

MASTERS

Single Father

ENGINEER

TECH-SAVY

University of Berkeley

1 kid: 7 yrs old boy Spouse: Passed Away Lives in

SUBURB

See back for details.

Town House Owner

YUNFEI Luxury Sedan Tesla Electric Car: Best reviewed “Car of the year”.

tm

Male

Asian-American

Citizen

Upper middle class

THE TIGER DAD

40+

01

He mostly purchases products that are brands and highly rated.

02

He prefers buying toys, apps, games and programs with educational value.

03

His goal is to invest whatever time and resource possible on his child’s overall development.

04

He strongly advocates for private schools and has enrolled his son in one because he believes they put more emphasis on education.

05

He goes swimming with his son every weekend.

06

He took special permission to attend math club with his son every week.

07

He bookmarks technology websites in his favorites.

He owns latest versions of many gadgets because he is an impulsive buyer when it comes to tech.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

LAB 6

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MFA THESIS PROCESS

Age

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY. “I would love for my child to start programming at a young age.

I believe that digital education apps and robotic kits like Lego Mindstorm, promote early development of logical thinking, math and language. I am not too concerned about cost as long as he finds something that he and I can spend time on together.”—Yunfei

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ARCHETYPE 06

Audience 07

BACHELORS

Married

HOUSEWIFE

INDULGENT

University of Berkeley

2 son, 3 grand children Spouse: Retired doctor Lives in

SUBURB

See back for details.

Self owned house

MELINDA

Age

72+

Female

African-American

Citizen

Upper middle class

THE DOTING GRANDMA

tm

Third generation Nissan Altima: Spacious mid size family car.

ARCHETYPE 07

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY. “These kids nowadays are all about technology and computers.

I love buying my grandkids all the latest gadgets and remote controlled cars and what-nots. I am afraid they wouldn’t be interested in the toys of our generation”—Melinda

01

She visit her children and grandchildren every other weekend.

02

She is extremely fond of her two pets, both Lab.

03

She is intimidated by technology and finds its complex and useless for her age.

04

She is an impulsive buyer and doesn’t particularly wait for discount days for shopping.

05

She maintains a flower garden and also took a short course on Japanese flower arrangement.

06

She is not a big fan of cooking but enjoys baking for her grand children with extra chocolate and icing.

07

She loves entering her Roses for flower show and dogs for dog show.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

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LAB 6

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Audience 08

MASTERS

1 kid: Girl, 5 Yrs Spouse: Lawyer

The Ivy League graduate

WORKAHOLIC

Married

LAWYER Lives in

CITY

See back for details.

Penthouse owner

PATRICIA Mercedes S-Class Sedan: Top of the line and exquisite style

tm

White

Citizen

Upper Class

THE HIGHFLIER MOM

Female

MORE TOYS. LESS PLAY. “I have no time for these parenting fads. I give my daughter only the best and the most expensive toys, pretty much anything she wants and that will keep her occupied.

We obviously want the best for her and are considering sending her to a top-rung boarding school in the fall.”— Patricia

01

Frequent traveler for advising on corporate mergers and patent legalities.

02

Top in her batch at Ivy league grad school.

03

She turned vegan at 40 to maintain her health.

04

She changed 8 nannies in last 2 years because she felt they were not competent enough.

05

She wants to provide the best education that money can buy for her daughter.

06

The toys that she purchases for her girl are mostly from the airports during her travel.

07

Beside other colors, she particularly owns 35 pairs of designer black footwear.

08

Whenever she is traveling, she manages to talk to her daughter over Face-time twice a day.

WARNING: THESE CHARACTERS ARE PURE ARCHET YPES AND SOME RESEMBL ANCE IS INEVITABLE, THOUGH INCIDENTAL.

MFA THESIS PROCESS

Age

43+

P L AY F U L LY

ARCHETYPE 08

VISUAL COMMUNICATION LAB

THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM

G R 600 FALL 2015

LAB 6

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Researching Experiences What did I find out?

To generate deeper insights into my topic I organized events to get together parents and caregivers to discuss the topic. I decided to divide my events in two different locations (suburb park and city playschool). For these events I created three major deliverable: Invitation, event planning guide and event report that includes the documentation of the event and distillation of this project.

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Twelve people & kids joined the events. It started with ‘Show & Tell’ activity by parents that required them to share any one of their kid’s toy that the kid doesn’t play with and what influenced their toy purchase. This was followed by an open discussion about toys and its benefits in general. I gained few significant insights about parents view-point on the topic and also it helped me to understand what do parents consider while gifting toys to their kids.

The suburb venue helped me understand how parents consider buying toys when space is not a concern. Some families living in suburb also choose to have a dedicated toy room that is often full of toys. On the other hand understanding the perspective of families living in the city and how they deal with toy purchases where only selected few can find space in their accommodation.

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Important insights for further investigation

01

Play Value What does more toys mean for children? Does number of toys affect their ability to play properly?

“If there are too many toys in front of her she will just keep flitting around them, and then end up going off and finding something like a pot or pan to play with. Now we just get out one or two toys and hide the rest in a box.”—Sudhir Movva, father “A doctor Barbie can only work as a doctor. But a cardboard box can become anything. The only limitations are in the child’s mind.”—Ms Shoan, caregiver Michael Malone, professor of early childhood education at the University of Cincinnati, shows that parents should carefully manage their children’s access to toys.

Average household has above 50 toys and purchases toys once in a month. But when asked, parents shared the ideal quantity should be few toys that forces them to explore.

02

Clutter-free What does more toys means to parents?

“We have stopped buying toys but still end up with lot of gifted ones. Birthdays, Christmas, Grand parents and the list is endless.”—Sofia Netto, parent “Houses in suburb has rooms that look like kindergarten.”—Susan Clancy, parent “Space is a consideration for most people staying in the city. I circulate, donate toys to avoid excess.”

—Kathyrn, parent Unused toys in boxes and donate them to a medical center, nonprofit organization, local church, homeless shelter, orphanage, school, or Goodwill. Simply discard the dirty or broken ones.

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Reach out If kids don’t have tons of toys to play with to fill their time, what will they do?

We respond to our kids’ boredom by providing technological entertainment or structured activities.

Study the bugs on the sidewalk (as Einstein did for hours), build a fort in the back yard, make a monster from clay, write a short story or song, or organize the neighborhood kids into making a movie.

P L AY F U L LY

“We give in because it makes parenting easier.”

—Kathryn, parent

MFA THESIS PROCESS

“When she complains of getting bored, I simply ask her to go to the backyard.”—Susan, parent

Children with fewer toys learn how to develop interpersonal relationships with other kids and adults.

Studies have attributed childhood friendships to a greater chance of success academically and in social situations during adulthood.

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Researching Expert Advice What did I learn?

2 0 1 7, S AC R A M E N TO, P L AY S U M M I T In 2017, I got a wonderful opportunity to attend the 6th annual Sacramento Play Summit, presented by Fairytale Town and Sacramento Public Library, that aims to highlight the importance of play, the many types of play, ways to incorporate play into daily and school life, and more.

Keynote speakers included Cathy Salit, author and CEO of Performance of a Lifetime, Jim Gill, award-winning children’s musician and author, and Helen Hadani, Ph.D., head of research for the Center for Childhood Creativity, Stevanne Auerbach, author of 15 books on the importance of play and toys to name a few.

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I gained significant insights and found focus in my thesis topic. I also had the pleasure of meeting, to discuss and seek advice from the very popular Dr. Toy. She has been an inspiring force behind a lot of content and directions that I changed during the course of my thesis. Her advice was valuable, insightful and valid.

This conference was attended by adults who work with children: preschool and elementary educators, early childhood education specialists, childcare providers, after-school program administrators and practitioners, parks and recreation professionals, physical education professionals, parents and grandparents.

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

P L AY F U L LY MFA THESIS PROCESS

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

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Researching Mini Experts What did I learn?

2 0 1 7, S A N J O S E , M A K E R FA I R E Learning is an essential aspect that we often associate with toys. I attended the San Jose, Maker Faire as a volunteer to understand the present culture of kids who are hands on with their exploration.

What excites them? What did they do differently in their early childhood? What and how do they feel about toys, learning and play in general?

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

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Researching Interviews What did they say?

by Samira Boon

I wanted to interview designers who are working on solutions similar to my topic objective. This gave me an opportunity to contact two toy designers who also happen to be parents and share my concern and wanted to propose a solution in their specific design area. Both are currently based out of U.S., so I conducted virtual interviews.

My first interviewee was Samira Boon, she is a textile architect, with a strong focus on creating flexible and dynamic environments, meeting the changing needs on spatial usage, climate regulation and acoustics. She believes that textile can accommodate and facilitate these necessities ultimately well.

Ms. Boon studied architecture and lived in Japan for several years where she experienced the great values of traditional flexible spatial usage. In cooperation with Tokyo University and the Dutch Textile Lab, Samira Boon researches computerized textile folding possibilities by exploring the complex origami techniques.

Her Kickstarter project, San kaku mado is a playful window mosaic. Kids can create and rearrange easily their own patterns, images and objects with these colorful triangles. Due to the adhesive properties of the material they stick to the window.

They can use their creativity to construct their own imagination. Following were the questions that were asked in the interview:

How did you initially get interested in designing toys?

I always have been a creative person, and I was thought by the Rudolf Steiner school where the teachers also stimulate creativity. I have no particular interest in designing toys. But with my 4 years stay in Japan ( after my graduation as an architect) I was inspired by the Japanese vision of simple but strong esthetics ( beauty ) of their objects, interiors etc. That is the source of creating the toy.

I think children need more inspirational play and toys, objects to stimulate their individuality and creativity. Any child can play with the triangles of the toy, I created. In every age and at any level. It is not a very expensive toy and you can do it almost everywhere ( the only need is a window to stick at).

What problem do want to address with your designs?

Stimulating the creative potential of the brain, the potential of people in general, and in this case of the toy, especially stimulating the creativity of the brain of children. I really would hope people put effort in everything they do or want to do. I want to stimulate that special sense that any child or person can act, can do something, can awaken his own activity and be wondered again about his own creation. Although it is a simple figure , made by the forms of this toy, it is something the child created !

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How do you plan to promote your product?

As you probably have notices, I designed and developed the game and a small series as a prototype, but of course I wanted to promote this toy worldwide and started a crowdfunding at kickstarter.

My goal has been reached so I could produce the toy in a certain edition and I could search for distribution partners/retailers around the world.

Nowadays the toy is sold at museum shops all over the world and a lot of other places. I also hope to reach all the primary schools around the world.

Did you approach any big brands or did any brand approach you for collaboration?

I designed and developed and produced the toy on my own. I try to work with good retailers, they are my ambassadors.

Does Project Playfully and you share anything in common? Do you see Playfully as a channel that could possibly bridge the gap between you and the end consumers?

Yes, of course. I also are very eager to stimulate peoples senses, and their own ingenuity and fantasy etc simple but strong and made with good quality of materials etc. Any channel with a good view on playing and stimulating good quality in toys and plays for children is welcome.

Why do you consider “basic is better” for toys and most importantly play?

Stimulating creativity, self-thinking, making something of your own, but with the accent on; simple / basic and imaginative / beautiful (materials, the quality) / payable/ etc Also that you can use a toy in many ways, that it is undefined (open-ended), at a certain point is important for me. With this toy you can create unendless figures for example.

“Children need objects to stimulate their individuality and creativity.”

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Researching Interviews What did they say?

by Cecilia Falcon

My second interview was with Cecilia Falcon. She studied arts and worked as an illustrator in a newspaper and several magazines for 8 years. Looking for new challenges she worked in advertising, where she discovered her interest in designing objects.

As a parent she gets inspired and sees many possibilities worth exploring in this area.

Her Kickstarter project Endless Road, is more than car tracks, a fun toy that develops kid’s creative thinking without limits. Following were the questions that were asked in the interview:

How did you initially get interested in designing toys?

I really like to think about how to improve processes and products and when I find a gap I begin to think..¿ how could I improve it?

Now I am a mom and I’m constantly looking for products to develop my children abilities, sometimes i can’t find them in the market so I start to think about how to develop that product, I make prototypes and prove them until they become something real.

How do you come up with the ideas for the toys?

The ideas come to think of how I could explain something to my children always from an educational and fun angle.

What problem do want to address with your designs?

Make materials that are a tool for creativity, for development of skills, for children to seek solutions and questioning not a limiting and preset article that limits their chances of discovering.

How do you plan to promote your product?

Through the internet.

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Does Playfully and you share anything in common?

The search for materials that ignite the spark for development in children.

Do you see Playfully as a channel that could possibly bridge the gap between you and the end consumers?

Of course!

Who do you think is your competition?

Trademarks with a great display of campaign and economic resources.

Why do you consider “basic is better” for toys and most importantly play?

Because children can discover without limits if they have freedom to imagine.

“Children can discover without limits if they have freedom to imagine.”

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Researching Surveys How did they respond?

The survey asked the respondents their toy consumption decisions and few things that they value more in context of toys like price, educational value, quantity, quality, etc. It also asked about their buying patterns and sources of information on toys and play.

SURVEY DATA To ta l R e s p o n s e s : 3 6 2 / 1 8/ 1 6 – 2 /2 5/ 1 6

Question 01

Question 05

W h a t i s y o u r a g e c a te g o r y ?

W h i c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g i s y o u r e m p l o y m e n t s ta t u s?

U n d e r 17

0

0%

Employed

30

8 3 . 3%

1 8 –2 0

0

0%

N o t- e m p l o y e d

3

8 . 3%

2 1–2 9

4

1 1.1%

Student

2

5 . 6%

3 0 –39

21

5 8.3%

Self Employed

1

2.8%

4 0 – 49

11

3 0. 6%

R e t i re d

0

0%

5 0 –59

0

0%

Above 60

0

0%

Question 06 W h i c h e t h n i c i t y d o y o u b e l o n g to?

Question 02 W h i c h g e n d e r d o y o u b e l o n g to?

Male

20

5 5 . 6%

Female

16

4 4 . 4%

Other

0

0%

Q u e s t i o n 03 W h a t i s y o u r c o u n t r y o f re s i d e n c e?

U n i te d S ta te s

12

3 7. 5 %

Others

20

62.5%

Question 04 W h i c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g i s y o u r c u r re n t re l a t i o n s h i p s ta t u s?

Married

35

9 7. 2 %

Single

1

2.8%

Others

0

0

56

American

3

8 . 3%

Others

33

91 . 8 %

Q u e s t i o n 07 H o w m a n y p e o p l e c u r re n t l y l i v e i n y o u r h o u s e h o l d ?

2

1

2.8%

3–6

35

9 7. 3 %

Question 08 H o w m a n y c h i l d re n , b y a g e , c u r re n t l y l i v e i n y o u r h o u s e h o l d ?

0 –1 y e a r

2

5 . 6%

1–3 y e a r

8

22.2%

3 –5 y e a r

12

3 3 . 3%

5–8 year

3

8 . 3%

Above 8

11

3 0. 5 %

Question 09

Question 13

W h e re d o y o u g o f o r to y re l a te d i n f o r m a t i o n? (m u l ti p l e a n sw e rs)

W h a t c o n v i n c e s y o u m o s t to p u rc h a s e a to y ?

Books

9

25%

Price

10

2 7. 8 %

We b s i te s/b l o g s

29

8 0. 6%

B ra n d

6

1 6.7 %

Pediatrician

0

0%

Review

15

4 1 .7 %

Family members

11

3 0. 6%

Demand

14

3 8 .9 %

Magazines

3

8.3%

Educational value

20

5 5 . 6%

I n s to re

4

11.2%

O t h e r p a re n t s

1

2.8%

None

4

1 1.1%

All

1

2.8%

Question 10 W h i c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g to y s y o u r c h i l d o w n s m o s t? (m u l ti p l e )

A r t & c ra f t to y s‎

16

4 4 . 4%

C o n s t r u c t i o n to y s ‎

17

47. 2 %

D o l l s‎

9

25%

E d u c a t i o n a l to y s ‎

18

50%

Tra d i t i o n a l to y s

9

25%

E l e c t ro n i c to y s‎

15

4 1 .7 %

T V/m o v i e to y s

3

8.3%

Question 14 W h a t d o y o u t h i n k t h e p u r p o s e o f to y s a re f o r a c h i l d ?

Ke e p o c c u p i e d

14

3 8 .9 %

Te a c h l i f e s k i l l s

12

3 3 . 3%

Development

33

91 .7 %

Just for fun

12

3 3 . 3%

Question 15 K i n d l y l e a v e a n y o t h e r c o m m e n t y o u w a n t to s h a re a b o u t to y c o n s u m p t i o n .

“ We l i ke to b u y to y s th a t i n v o l v e s o m e s o r t o f i m a g i n a ti o n o n o u r s o n’ s p a r t. H e d o e s g et a l ot o f e l e ctro n i c to y s a s g i f ts th o u g h .”

“ M y m o st re c e n t to y p u rc h a s e w a s i n f l u e n c e d b y o b s e r v i n g n e i g h b o r ki d s . I p u rc h a s e d a te n t c o n stru cti o n ki t fo r m y n e p hQuestion 11

e w s b i r th d a y b e c a u s e m y n e i g h b o r o w n s o n e a n d th e ki d s o f

H o w o f te n d o y o u b u y to y s?

v a ri o u s a g e s h a v e b e e n p l a y i n g w i th i t c o n s i ste n tl y fo r o n to 2 y e a rs . M y n e p h e w a l s o l o v e s h i s . I t w a s n ot i n e x p e n s i v e , a n d

Once a week

3

8.3%

Once a month

20

5 5 . 6%

Occasionally

11

3 0. 6%

R a re l y

2

5 . 6%

n ot a b ra n d I w a s fa m i l i a r w i th . I t h a d v a l u e fo r i ts a b i l i t y to h o l d th e i r I n te re st fo r a l o n g ti m e ..”

“ I fe e l p l a y i n g w i th to y s i s m u c h b et te r th a n w a tc h i n g t.v.”

“ M y s o n l i ke s Question 12 W h a t i s t h e p r i m a r y s o u rc e f o r to y s i n y o u r h o u s e?

Gif ts

11

3 0. 6%

B u y I n s to re

25

6 9. 4%

Buy Online

18

50%

R e n t to y s

1

2.8%

lego

to y s , b i t e x p e n s i v e b u t c re a ti v e .”

“ I d o n’ t h a v e a n y ki d s , s o I ’ m n ot s u re h o w th e y th i n k a b o u t to y.”

“ D o n a te th e m o n c e y o u d o n’ t n e e d th e m .”

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Researching Surveys What were the results?

1. 58.3% respondents between the age group of 30–39 took the survey, 40–49 were 30.6% to respond and between 21–29 age category were 11.1% to respond.

2. Male respondents were 56.6%, female were 44.4%.

3. 62.5% respondents were residents of other countries and 37.5% were from United States.

4. 97.2% respondents were married, 2.8% were single.

5. 83.3% respondents were employed, 8.3% were unemployed, 5.6% were student and 2.8% were self-employed.

6. 91.8% respondent belonged to other ethnicity, 8.3% were American.

7. 97.3% responded in category 3–6 people living in their household, 2.8% responded in category 2 and below.

8. 33.3% respondents with kids between 3–5, 30.5% responded in above 8, 22.2% were in 1–3 year, 8.3% in 5–8 year and 5.6% in 0–1 year.

9. 80.6% responded for website/blog for information on toys, 30.6% go to family members, 25% read books, 11.1% are none, 8.3% get magazines, 11.2% from in-store, 2.8% from other parents and 2.8% from all.

10. 50% responded for educational toys, 47.2% selected construction toys, 44.4% selected art & craft toys, 41.7% electronic toys, 25% dolls, 25% traditional toys, and 8.3% tv/movie toys.

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11. 55.6% respondent selected once a moth option for buying toys, 30.6% for occasionally, 8.3% once a week, and 5.6% rarely.

12. 69.4% get toys from stores, 50% from online, 30.6% received as gifts, and 2.8% rent.

13. 55.6% respondents buy toys for its educational value, 41.7% pick based on reviews, 38.9% due to repeated demands, 27.8% for its price, and 16.7% for its brand.

14. 91.7% responded that toys help in overall development, 38.9% for it keeps kids occupied, 33.3% believed it taches life skills and 33.3% for fun.

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

55.6% respondents buy toys for their educational value.

80.6% respondent search websites/ blogs for information on toys.

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

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INSIGHTS & STRATEGY Insights Strategy Ch ar t M aterials M atrix

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The Motivating Forces.

Just understanding in the traditional sense of how toys appeals to a specific demographic group is not enough. It means really getting down to the nitty-gritty of understanding why the group acts a certain way, how they share information with each other, and what cultural influences are at work in shaping their perceptions and understanding.

My main goal was to understand the current wave of young parents. Instead of trying to change their behavior, I wanted to learn how to play to them and utilize them to their advantage. A relevant quote from Malcolm Forbes sums it up, “the culture of time is reflected by the toys of the generation.�

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Understanding Insights What matters to us?

The following are a list of insights that I have gained from my readings, interviews, surveys, journals and conversations. I used these for further planning of my Delivery Strategy Chart and conceptualizing my thesis Materials Matrix.

01

Imaginative play is diminishing.

Children have amazing capacity to make something out of nothing. Studies on how children spend their time suggest that the time children spend on creative, pretend play is diminishing.

We are surrounded by overwhelming abundance of media-linked, prescriptive, goal oriented toys.

American children consumes 40% of the world toys*. Play has become too easy, “A child loves his play,” wrote Dr. Benjamin Spock, “not because it is easy, but because its hard.” A good toy is versatile but the toys produced today too often do everything at the touch of a button.

S O U R C ES : * u c l a R e s e a rc h .

B o o k, Th e R e a l To y S to r y, E ri c C l a rk .

B o o k, Th e C a s e fo r M a ke B e l i e v e , S u s a n Li n n .

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

02

Fewer higher qualities toys are better for kids.

With fewer toys available at any one time, expert evidence shows that children learn to be more creative, develop their attention spans, learn to collaborate and share, and crucially, without an instant replacement, learn to value what they have.

P L AY F U L LY

S O U R C ES : I n te r v i e w, D r. To y, 27 F e b ru a r y, 2 01 6 .

B o o k, S m a r t P l a y S m a r t To y s b y S te v a n n e A u e rb a c h , P h D .

B o o k, Th e C a s e o f M a ke B e l i e v e b y D r S u s a n Li n n .

MFA THESIS PROCESS

B o o k, S i m p l i c i t y P a re n ti n g b y Ki m P a y n e .

A H e l p f u l G u i d e fo r D e c l u t te ri n g To y s b y J o s h u a B e c ke r, F e b ru a r y 2 013 .

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03

Parents buy “educational toys” despite no evidence of their efficacy.

Our work ethic makes us regard play as a waste of time. This attitude has been reinforced by contemporary changes in society. Educational toys are narrowly conceived and designed to teach academic skills. Most educational toys are created for preschool children, fueled by a widespread belief that education is a race and the earlier you start the better. The fastest-growing tech-toys for children are for infants from six months to two years.

This is an indication of how toys have become part of the consumer culture.

Parents are encouraged to buy such toys to give their children an educational edge. And there is a subtle message that parents who do not buy these educational toys for their children are really not doing a good job as parents. They are designed and marketed more for their appeal to parents than for what is really in the best interests of the child.

S O U R C ES : P a re n ts s u r v e y, G o o g l e fo rm s , F e b ru a r y 2 01 6 , 3 6 re s p o n s e s P a re n ts I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

P a re n ts’ v i e w s o f th e b e n e f i ts c l a i m e d i n e d u c a ti o n a l to y a d v e r ti s i n g b y Wi l ke y Wo n g , Xi m e n a U ri b e-Za ra i n , R o b e r ta G o l i n ko f f, Ke l l y F i s h e r, Ka th y H i rs h- P a s e k .

D e v e l o p i n g tre n d i n c h i l d re n’ s to y s b y J a n tze n S h a rm a .

P a re n ts a re b u y i n g th e i r ki d s a l l th e w ro n g to y s b y J e n n C h o i , D e c e m b e r 11 , 2 013 .

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04

Top selling toys are electronic and media-linked.

Toys are one of largest industries for licensed products globally. Toys inspired by movies outperform the market, growing by 9.4% in 2015. That included $700 million in sales from “Star Wars” products, making it the No. 1 property of the year. The franchise was worth more than “Jurassic World,” “Minions” and “Avengers” combined.

Eight out of top ten toys are cross-licensed from movie and TV shows. How is this multi-billion dollar industry shaping the next generation? Is it affecting their aptitudes and attitudes? About 97% of American children six and under own toys—that features the image of characters from media.

Toy Sales in 2013 Toy S a l es

Trans- m edi a 31 %

Top 10 Toys

Cross Licensed Toys

S O U R C ES : To y-l i c e n s i n g , N e w Yo rk Ti m e s , g l o b a l to y n e w s .c o m , R i c h a rd G ot tl i e b .

Li c e n s i n g—A Ke y P a ra m e te r D ri v i n g G l o b a l To y s S a l e s b y U tku Ta n s e l , S e p te m b e r 3 , 2 01 5 , G l o b a lTo y n e w s .c o m .

U S to y s a l e s j u m p n e a rl y 7% , to p p i n g e sti m a te s , Kr y sti n a G u sta f s o n , We d n e s d a y, 2 0 J a n 2 01 6 , h t tp://w w w.c n b c .c o m/

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05

Children under 8 don’t understand the persuasive intent of media.

According to apa , children under 8 don’t have the cognitive abilities to understand the persuasive intent of commercials. This means they are susceptible to manipulative advertising that seeks to monopolize their attention and shape their desires.

If we constrict children’s opportunities for creative play from birth, they won’t begin to know how to generate new ideas, challenge existing norms, or revel in their own creativity. That’s why perhaps the most troubling trends in the media and marketing industry’s all-out effort to get babies and toddlers hooked on linear engagement from the moment they’re born. What is at risk is no less than the development of essential life skills.

S O U R C ES : B e y o n d R e m ote- C o n tro l l e d C h i l d h o o d b y D i a n e E . Le v i n .

M a rketi n g to C h i l d re n O v e r v i e w, c o m m e rc i a l f re e c h i l d h o o d .o rg (c c fc ).

Ku n ke l . (2 0 01 ).C h i l d re n a n d te l e v i s i o n a d v e r ti s i n g . I n: D .G . S i n g e r & J . L . S i n g e r ( E d s .) Th e h a n d b o o k o f c h i l d re n a n d m e d i a .

Th o u s a n d O a ks , CA : S a g e . p . 375-3 93 .

Atki n , C . K . (1 9 8 2 ). Te l e v i s i o n a d v e r ti s i n g a n d s o c i a l iza ti o n to c o n s u m e r ro l e s . I n: D . P e a rl ( E d .), Te l e v i s i o n a n d b e h a v i o r: Te n y e a rs o f s c i e n ti f i c p ro g re s s a n d i m p l i c a ti o n s fo r th e e i g h ti e s .

R o c kl a n d , M D : N a ti o n a l I n sti tu te o f M e n ta l H e a l th , p . 1 91-2 0 0 .

B o o k, C o n s u m i n g Ki d s b y D r S u s a n Li n n .

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06

Involvement of parents in children’s play is crucial.

“If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them as half as much money.”—Abigail Van Buren, columnists “Dear Abby” Parent are the “play Guide” for their children. It falls upon the parents to protect and guide their children so that they feel deserving and not “entitled”. Parents are their child’s first and best playmates. Not only do parents have an important role in choosing good toys, but research shows that the most creative children are those who have had adults involved in their play. The richest play occurs when the adult takes an active role and plays alongside the child, rather than just providing the toys or supervising the activity.

S O U R C ES : I n te r v i e w, D r. To y, 27 F e b ru a r y, 2 01 6 .

B o o k, S m a r t P l a y S m a r t To y s b y S te v a n n e A u e rb a c h , P h D .

B o o k, S i m p l i c i t y P a re n ti n g b y Ki m P a y n e .

P l a y a n d C h i l d re n’s Le a rn i n g , n a e y c .o rg .

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07

Children want instant gratification.

Children these days prefer the fast paced stimulation and immediate gratification of interactive toys and screens. Hi-tech devices—one of the fastest growing sectors of the toy market aimed at infants as young as nine months. To help children get beyond passive play, we need to look at toys that help children engage actively with issues most basic to healthy, social, emotional and intellectual development. Research tells us that it is possible for thoughtful toy to be the springboard for creative play.

According to a ap, among chil dr en under age 2, 38% had used mobile devices like iPhones and tablets.

For children 8 and under, the average amount of time they spend using mobile devices has tripled since a similar survey two years ago.

S O U R C ES : C h i l d re n , A d o l e s c e n ts , a n d th e M e d i a b y

a a p,

O ct ober 2 0 13 .

R a i s i n g D i g i ta l N a ti v e s: Te c h n o l o g y A n d O u r Ki d s b y E l i s e H u , O cto b e r 2 9, 2 013 , n p r.o rg .

B e y o n d R e m ote- C o n tro l l e d C h i l d h o o d b y D i a n e E . Le v i n .

S i x-y e a r-o l d s u n d e rsta n d d i g i ta l te c h n o l o g y b et te r th a n a d u l ts b y J u l i et te G a rs i d e , Th e G u a rd i a n , We d n e s d a y 6 , A u g u st 2 01 4 .

D o w e n e e d to re s c u e o u r ki d s f ro m th e d i g i ta l w o rl d? B y J a n e Wa ke f i e l d , b b c , 1 8 J u n e 2 01 4 .

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K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

08

The notion of play needs fuller consideration.

P L AY F U L LY

Studies shows children are rushed into other pursuits and are not given the respect, time, or right toys needed for play. Or they are pushed into playing with media-promoted products that may be unsuitable for young, impressionable minds.

Instead of active play with toys they are too often parked for long periods of time sitting passively in front of an instrument that provides the “show and tell� instead of involving them.

Unfortunately, society is not always good to children. Many homes, playgrounds, and primarily toys prove to co-opt creative play. Play takes time. It is a process that cannot be rushed.

MFA THESIS PROCESS

*Decreasing Active engagement impacts development

Development Active Engagement

S O U R C ES : B o o k, S m a r t P l a y S m a r t To y s b y S te v a n n e A u e rb a c h , P h D .

Th e Va l u e o f P l a y I : Th e D e f i n i ti o n o f P l a y G i v e s I n s i g h ts b y P ete r G ra y P h . D , p sy c h o l o g y to d a y.c o m , N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8 .

C o n tri b u ti o n s o f p l a y a n d to y s to c h i l d d e v e l o p m e n t b y J e f f re y G o l d ste i n , P h . D .

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80.6% adults go to web for toy related information.

Web emerged a clear winner as the most popular means to get toy-related information. Especially, channels like YouTube and mommy-bloggers acts significantly in promoting toys. But the question is can these sources be fully trusted, or are they just another marketing strategy for promoting passive consumption.

The Google-owned video platform has become an increasingly powerful tool for toy brands seeking to reach kids. Consumers are turning from the linearly scheduled TV channels to the on-demand mobile video portals. Today, toy giants Lego, Mattel and Hasbro all run YouTube channels with varying degrees of original digital content.

S O U R C ES : P a re n ts S u r v e y, G o o g l e fo rm s , F e b ru a r y 2 01 6 , 3 6 re s p o n s e s .

P a re n ts I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

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Toy borrowing and rental services are not popular.

P L AY F U L LY

Survey confirmed toy rental services in US are not as popular due various reasons. One of the major one is the hygiene factor. Concern over the cleanliness of the toys being sent through rental services. “How clean is the toy? You don’t want your kid to get sick.” “Is it worth it to just buy the toy for a little more than a rental.” In general, consumers choose the rental option if toys have a high price, low usage or take up a lot of space.

Reviews / “This company is fairly new and the website was somewhat difficult to navigate.”

“They seem mixed, with some complaints that boxes had missing pieces and that customer service was poor. However, many reviewers were very pleased with this service.”

“Negatives reported were from a few folks having problems canceling their subscriptions.”

MFA THESIS PROCESS

S O U R C ES : P a re n ts S u r v e y, G o o g l e fo rm s , F e b ru a r y 2 01 6 , 3 6 re s p o n s e s .

P a re n ts I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

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Toys that do not require a child’s imagination have low play value.

The kind of toys children use in their play can influence what and how they play—that is, both the content and the process of their play. Some toys are more likely to promote higher quality play than others. According to Joan Almon, director of the Alliance for Childhood, “A good toy is 90% child and 10% toy.”

Ironically, we are surrounded by an overwhelming abundance of toys and yet fewer and fewer encourage fantasy and imagination. Children look to toys for amusement and distraction, not imaginative inspiration. The more a toy contributes to the interactive process, the less effort a child makes to think creatively, to come up with solutions or act spontaneously—and the less benefit children derive from that toy.

S O U R C ES : Th e Va l u e o f P l a y I : Th e D e f i n i ti o n o f P l a y g i v e s I n s i g h ts b y P ete r G ra y P h . D , p sy c h o l o g y to d a y.c o m , N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8 .

I n te r v i e w: D r. To y, 27 F e b ru a r y, 2 01 6 .

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Traditional/basic toys not given prime shelf space.

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I walked into several mega-stores with toy sections looking for display of toys. What I noticed as a common practice across most of these stores that 90% of aisles occupied media-linked toys (Strategically placed within the reach of children).

The traditional, simple toys were either tucked away in the top corner shelves or had poor display appeal.

Traditional toys or time-tested toys are counterculture. It is not profitable. Traditional toys are simple, basic and nurture imagination. They are free of computer chips and prescriptive play and can be used repeatedly in a variety of ways. These typically cost much lesser and therefore, not as profitable.

MFA THESIS PROCESS

S O U R C ES : B o o k, Th e C a s e o f M a ke B e l i e v e b y D r S u s a n Li n n .

Q u a l i ta ti v e R e s e a rc h , Tra g e t a n d Wa l- M a r t S to re o b s e r v a ti o n .

P a re n t ’s I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

B o o k, Th e R e a l To y S to r y, E ri c C l a rk, C h a p te r 0 6 : Wa r o f th e A i s l e s: Th e R eta i l B a c kg ro u n d .

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Children who play creatively find multiple uses for an object.

In US nurturing creative play is a threat to corporate profits. Children who play creatively find multiple uses for an object—they can transform a blanket into a tent one day and a cave the next.

A stick can be a magic wand, a sword, a lightsaber, or a mast of a schooner.

Children who have been given adequate opportunities to play creatively since infancy don’t need toys to “lead” them. If children are, from birth, provided mostly with kits and electronic or media-based toys they won’t have a chance to learn how to enjoy or even approach challenges that call for imagination, experimentation, invention, or creative problem solving.

S O U R C ES : B o o k, Th e C a s e o f M a ke B e l i e v e b y D r S u s a n Li n n .

P a re n t ’ s I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

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A significant number of toys are gifts.

A significant body of survey has shown the relationship between increase in toy sales and holiday seasons. Especially, the fourth quarter experience a massive boost in toy sales. Toys R Us said that its domestic same-store sales rose 1.4% from November 1–January 2 in 2015–16. National Retail Federation said retail sales increased 3% during the holiday season.

“We don’t need a plethora of gifts, but it is sometimes unavoidable.” Even though the motivation is to make the child happy there needs to be a thought around it so that the toy becomes a cherished item and not just “stuff and things” S O U R C ES : npd

G ro u p R e p o r ts , N o v e m b e r 1 8 , 2 01 5 .

U S to y s a l e s j u m p n e a rl y 7% , to p p i n g e sti m a te s , Kr y sti n a G u sta f s o n , We d n e s d a y, 2 0 J a n 2 01 6 , h t tp://w w w.c n b c .c o m .

P a re n t ’s I n te r v i e w, O cto b e r 2–24 , 2 01 5 .

P a re n ts S u r v e y, G o o g l e fo rm s , F e b ru a r y 2 01 6 , 8 5 re s p o n s e s .

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Make-believe play prepares kids for school.

Imaginative play prepares kids for the real world.

According to apa studies, imaginative playing may be used to prepare kids for school. The early childhood years are a crucial time for the development of self-regulation—an array of complex mental capacities that includes impulse and emotion control, self-guidance of thought and behavior, planning, self-reliance, and socially responsible behavior.

Self-regulatory capacities are also essential for children to meet the academic and social requirements of school. Make-believe play contributes significantly in developing self-regulation in children. “The best toys are those that appeal to the way their minds work. Those toys will get used most and will help children develop skills they will need to be successful once they enter school.”

—JoAnn Morales, Eastern Arizona College early childhood instructor.

S O U R C ES : A m e ri c a n Psy c h o l o g i c a l A s s o c i a ti o n , M a y 2 8 , 2 0 03 .

M a ke- B e l i e v e P l a y: We l l s p ri n g fo r D e v e l o p m e n t o f S e l f- R e g u l a ti o n , La u ra E . B e rk, Tri s h a D . M a n n , a n d A m y T. O g a n , I l l i n o i s S ta te U n i v e rs i t y.

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A commercial play culture fuels distrust in kids’ capacity for imaginative play.

Toys representing media characters steer children toward set internalized “scripts” from which it is hard to deviate. They usually stick to rigid portrayal of the characters exactly as it’s seen on television or in the movies.

As Susan Linn wrote in her book, “We start to believe that they aren’t capable of generating constructive activity on their own. We and our children begin to think that their natural instincts aren’t good enough and that they need the things corporations sell in order to occupy themselves constructively.”

S O U R C ES : To y s re p re s e n ti n g m e d i a c h a ra c te rs ste e r c h i l d re n to w a rd s et i n te rn a l ize d “ s c ri pts” f ro m w h i c h i t i s h a rd to d e v i a te . Th e y u s ua l l y sti c k to ri g i d p o r tra y a l o f th e c h a ra cte rs e x a ctl y a s i t ’ s s e e n o n te l e v i s i o n o r i n th e m o v i e s .

A s S u s a n Li n n w rote i n h e r b o o k, “ We sta r t to b e l i e v e th a t th e y a re n’ t c a p a b l e o f g e n e ra ti n g c o n stru cti v e a cti v i t y o n th e i r o w n .

We a n d o u r c h i l d re n b e g i n to th i n k th a t th e i r n a tu ra l i n sti n cts a re n’ t g o o d e n o u g h a n d th a t th e y n e e d th e th i n g s c o rp o ra ti o n s s e l l i n o rd e r to o c c u p y th e m s e l v e s c o n stru cti v e l y.”

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Toy exchanges help families learn and enjoy quality toys.

Toy exchange networks end up being great conversation starter, a healthy way to combat consumerism, and a terrific way to build community.

They can also help families with limited financial means provide more engaging toys for their children.

When children are bored, it’s often not because they have nothing to play with. It’s often because what they have doesn’t inspire their creativity. By using a toy exchange service, children has the opportunity to play with a variety of toys that are then returned when they lose interest in them and exchanged for a different toy.

S O U R C ES : B o o k, B e y o n d R e m ote- C o n tro l l e d C h i l d h o o d , D i a n e E . Le v i n .

P a re n ts’ N e w To y D e b a te: B u y o r R e n t?, Ka te R o g e rs P u b l i s h e d D e c e m b e r 13 , 2 011 , h t tp://w w w.fo x b u s i n e s s .c o m .

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Simplicity is the key to active engagement.

The toys a child plays with can unlock the door to learning, and each new experience helps to turn the key. Research conducted by child-development specialist, psychologists, educators and other point out that the first five years in the life of the child are of the greatest consequence.

Researchers have found that toys and play stimulate more brain synapses per neuron. “Toys that are too complex are easily frustrating and toys that are too easy are boring.” That’s why many children are more interested in the box a toy came in than the toy.

S O U R C ES : B o o k, S i m p l i c i t y P a re n ti n g , Ki m P y n e .

B o o k, S m a r t P l a y S m a r t To y s , b y S te v a n n e A u e rb a c h .

I n te r v i e w, J e n n y H o b s o n , D i re cto r B ri g h t H o rizo n s , M a rc h 2 01 6 .

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Understanding Strategy How did I approach it?

Thesis journey undergoes lots of stages of process and distillation. With every step, we gain new insights about the topic problem that often force revaluation of direction and plans. Topics can take any shape according to the plan we make during these stages.

During my thesis research phase I went through several iterations to pick the most relevant insights, revised and focused the strategies accordingly, and finally refined the deliverables. This is when I realized the importance of having an overall plan of action to stay focused on the ultimate thesis objective.

INSIGHT

STRATEGY

DELIVERABLE

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The following chart presents the three shortlisted insights gained on the topic along with their respective strategies and the deliverables. These would help to meet the thesis objective for the potential audience.

TOPIC

OUTCOME

AUDIENCE

Toys for early childhood.

Increase active engagement with toys in children under 8 years.

Children under 8 years.

Adults 25–40 years.

Young parents and gift givers.

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INSIGHT 01

Imaginative Play is Diminishing.

Children have amazing capacity to make something out of nothing. Studies on how children spend their time suggest that the time children spend on creative, pretend play is diminishing.

STRATEGY 01

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Introduce & Promote Promote toys that provide opportunities for imaginative play.

DELIVERABLE 01

MFA THESIS PROCESS

A Brand Create a brand that focuses on promoting imaginative toys and its benefits. The following are deliverables to meet the strategy. » » Subscription Box Service » » Website » » Posters » » Products

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INSIGHTS 02

Toys and Play Needs Fuller Consideration.

Despite research associating unstructured, child-led play with self-confidence, social skills and resilience, relatively few parents make this association. The majority of parents believe the benefits most closely related to child-led play are creativity and problem-solving.

STRATEGY 02

Streamline & Guide Expand parent’s perspective on play and toys with distilled information and organized content provided by the experts.

DELIVERABLE 02

A Format Provide access to organized, trusted source of information. Use design to simplify and to make it appealing for the audience. » » Quarterly Magazine Toys Story Interview Innovation Guest Books Lifestyle » » Guide book (redesign & reorganize) The Importance of Play & Toys Toys for 3–5 year old Milestones About the Author

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INSIGHTS 03

Less is More.

According to expert advice, “fewer, higher quality toys are better for kids.” With fewer toys available at any one time, expert evidence shows that children learn to be more creative, develop their attention spans, learn to collaborate and share, and crucially, without an instant replacement, learn the value of what they have.

STRATEGY 03

A Network Create a community to increase adoption of imaginative toys for active engagement. » » An App Discover Connect Browse Buy » » Promo video Short teaser video to introduce the App in social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram. »»

Pop-up Event(s) Organize a neighborhood pop-up event that promotes a specific theme based toy.

Theme based toys by a small aspiring brand/a toy designer Event poster Social media engagement event images Support materials

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DELIVERABLE 03

The best way to decrease consumption of linear toys is to motivate parents to share valuable information and experience with each other related to toys and ways of playing with them. Create a community and increase collaborative consumption of basic, imaginative toys that have repeated and longer play value.

P L AY F U L LY

Connect & Collaborate

Understanding The Matrix What are the deliverables?

The foundation of the materials matrix was to create brand Playfully. This brand promises a world of playful, vibrant and imaginative experience for kids. My first set of deliverables consists of

a subscription box service supported by a website, promoted by poster series and products that echoes the core essence of the brand.

A Brand

1.5 points

2 points

A monthly subscription box to promote open-ended toys that encourage imaginative play.

One stop portal to simplif y parental access to Playfully products and services.

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1 point

Poster series to promote playfully.life

1 point

Products for kids to promote the brand attitude and core values.

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Understanding The Matrix What are the deliverables?

The next set of deliverables involved designing formats that would inform, guide parents on toys and ways of playing with them.

I designed a quarterly magazine, to cover stories, articles, unique solutions around toys and play.

I also included a set of guide books that would help parent pick appropriate toys for their children.

This book is authored by a toy expert and includes tips for parents to consider before selecting toys.

A Format

2 points

1 point

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Monthly magazine that promotes unique playthings that engages kids actively. The content of this magazine will be interviews, articles, expert advice, case studies etc.

Re-design a guide book to expand perspective on play and toys.

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Understanding The Matrix What are the deliverables?

The last set of deliverables were designed to meet the objective of building a community of parents who share, advice and collaborate to select better toys for kids.

My primary deliverable in this strategy is an app that would bring together parents as a community with similar interests around toys, help them select better toys.

A supporting deliverable is a short video to promote the app on social media like Facebook, Instagrm, Twitter.

The last is a pop-up event to help parents and kids make better connections and select, play with toys on a common ground.

A Network

2.5 points

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A app that connects and assists parents to pick toys that engages kids actively.

0.5 point

A short promo video to promote the app.

0.5 point

Event to create a community of parents and kids to try innovative toys that engages them actively.

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PLAYFULLY IDENTITY Logo V isual G uid e lin es App lication

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Playfully brand style guide communicates the design standards that guides the entire project.

This cohesion is important because it helps establish a strong brand voice that resonates with the audience, which is essential for building brand awareness. Af ter several iterations with color, typography and imagery, we set an appropriate voice for playfully that would be used across its deliverables.

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The Brand Guidelines.

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Playfully Logo What is Playfully?

The meaning of ‘Playfully’ is full of play or fun. Our logo represents every child at play. It is an abstract combination of letter ‘P’ and child’s face in an act of imaginative or active play.

It a symbol of Playfully’s mission of ’basic toys, better play’. The circle represents active engagement and holistic play. The primary mark should

+ B rand I nitial

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be used whenever and the icon is useful in situations where artful, simple, and somewhat abstract, references to Playfully is required.

+ Play

Child Icon

icon

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primary mark

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x

3/4

3/4

1/2

1/2

1/2

1x

1x

1/2

Th is is the construction and the spacing standards for the Playfully mark and the logo type.

The type is in Gilroy bold with perfect rounded counters .

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Playfully Logo

Horizontal letter ‘ P ’ represents dress-up toy for pretend play.

Eyes of a kid and dot represents basic form, start and focus.

Circle represent holistic play, active engagement and a ch ild’s face.

N egative space represents open-endedness and endless possibilities.

Geometric typeface, single storey represents sim plicity and kid-friendly.

Gilroy bold with perfectly round counters represents basic shape and to match the geometric brand icon.

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brandmark

P L AY F U L LY MFA THESIS PROCESS

logotype x height

tagline

Basic toys, better play.

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Playfully Color Guidelines What do the colors represent?

Children usually learn about color during their preschool years. The ability to identif y colors is considered a marker and milestone in a child’s cognitive process and is often part of early screening for development and educational admittance.

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We at Playfully wanted to celebrate this colorful journey that is a significant aspect of active engagement of early childhood. The color palette for brand Playfully consists of cheerful, vibrant colors. Kids like playing with colors and so does Playfully!

K R I S H N A P R I YA D U T TA G U P TA

Mischievous Purple PANTONE 2745 U CMYK / 70 + 75 + 10 + 0 RGB / 105 + 88 + 153

Happy Yellow PANTONE 115 U CMYK / 0 + 20 + 85 + 0 RGB / 255 + 204 + 64

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Imaginative Teal PANTONE 320 U CMYK / 90 + 15 + 35 + 0 RGB / 0 + 157 + 169

Active Orange PANTONE 16T5 U CMYK / 0 + 70 + 80 + 0 RGB / 243 + 112 + 67

Calm Gray PANTONE WARM GRAY 1 U CMYK / 10 + 10 + 15 + 0 RGB / 227 + 221 + 210

Shy Gray PANTONE WARM GRAY 10 U CMYK / 50 + 45 + 45 + 10 RGB / 129 + 124 + 122 103

Playfully Typography How does our type work?

Typography is an essential component of our brand guidelines. It makes our communication crisp and clear. Playfully has two typefaces, Gilroy used as the primary and archer as the secondary.

The geometric forms of Gilroy makes it kid friendly and approachable. Archer compliments Gilroy’s structured forms. We use Gilroy mostly everywhere across medium. Archer is used sparingly for body text and support information. Both the typefaces are print and web compatible.

GILROY IS PRIMARY

ARCHER IS SECONDARY

Designer: Radomir Tinkov

Designer: Tobias Frere-Jones

Gilroy is a modern sans serif with a geometric touch.

An older brother of the original Qanelas font family.

It comes in 20 weights, 10 uprights and its matching italics. Designed with powerful OpenType features in mind, each weight includes extended language support (+ Cyrillic), fractions, tabular figures, arrows, ligatures and more. Perfectly suited for graphic design and any display use, Gilroy could easily work for web, signage, corporate as well as for editorial design.

Archer is a humanist slab serif typeface. It was originally created for use in Martha Stewart Living magazine in 2001 and was later made publicly available in 2008. For a slab serif, it has a very warm and inviting feeling to it. Archer has been an extremely popular font (some might say overused) in the print world since its release and I continue to see it used more and more on the web. Archer is available in five weights—light, book, medium, semibold and bold—along with matching italics and small caps styles.

Gilroy GGGG 1 2 3 4

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Archer AA A 1 23

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Playfully Letterforms Basic letters and numbers can help in transition to the world of language. Research helped me understand that the world of kids is very visual and abstract. Imaginative kids find meaning in abstract forms and make sense of the world around them.

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This insight gave a direction to design letterforms out of basic shapes. These letterforms are based on our primary typeface Gilroy and are used sparingly with the system. I designed numbers and letters that I could used in chapter openers, packaging, products, and motion graphics.

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Playfully Illustrations How does our world look?

The illustration style is created keeping in mind our core philosophy, “basic is better�. These illustrations are inspired from what kids create from simple shapes, add their own meaning and story around

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simple, everyday things around them. The objective of these illustration is to add playfullness to our design vocabulary and to show the endless possibilities with basic, simple shapes.

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Playfully Icons How does our world look?

We also developed a set of icons based on the construction of our logo mark. These icons are used to communicate, differentiate and organize information across medium. We used this sparingly

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to keep it exclusive and specific to the content of the deliverable. These icons are mostly used in one color and one weight.

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Playfully Photo Style How does our world look?

Playfully images are all about capturing the magic of childhood with unique perspectives, natural light, and a shallow depth of field. We drew inspiration from exploring and in viewing the world through the eyes of young children. The images are mostly candid moments of kids playing with toys.

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My objective in these were to celebrate moments when they discover the value in their play. The focal point is always the toy in these images.

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DEVELOPMENT Th e S ubscription S er vice Th e M agazin e & B ook Th e N et work

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Af ter the deliverables were conceptualized, the next phase was to develop these into prototypes for user-testing and further refinement. During this phase these deliverables went through several changes in form and content based on feedback, research and functionality aspects. It is during the end of this phase that the visual system was applied across all deliverables and some major changes were applied to achieve the final completed results.

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The Next Phase.

Developing The PlayfullyBox How are we introducing?

Our PlayfullyBox is a monthly subscription box of toys, designed to inspire imaginative play. Each month, PlayfullyBox subscription will include minimum five toy samples.

Our research confirmed that imaginative play is diminishing in children under ages 8. Kids are less engaging with toys. Our goal is to introduce and promote toys that are basic, open-ended and imaginative. Expert advice pointed out that

What ’s in the box?

Theme

I ntroduction

Theme

based toys

booklet

booklet

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there are a lot of toy-makers, designers and small family brands that share our mission. We found an opportunity here to help them connect with their audience in a way where they don’t have to fight for shelf-space and brand value.

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STEP 01 / ORDER

STEP 02 / GIFT

STEP 03 / DISCOVER

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STEP 04 / EXPLORE

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STEP 05 / INFORM

STEP 06 / PLAY

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Developing playfully.life What are our online coordinates?

Our main objective for the website was to create a one stop portal for all Playfully services. The primary function of the website is for the subscription service. After the first round of prototype we tested our website with 3 users.

The research method we used were evaluative research. It involves the testing of the interfaces by real potential users of a system in design development. It’s important that whatever experience we design should be functional and not overly complicated. This method gave us feedback that was necessary to simplif y the user experience.

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We also used usability testing as our second research method. This method focuses on people and their tasks, and seeks empirical evidence about how to improve the usability of an interface. It also allows us to observe an individual’s experience with a digital application as he or she walks through the steps of a given task.

After the user-testing we considered for our next rounds of refinements: » » The animated gifs looks playful, however watch- out for overdoing it and smaller gifs looks better that bigger ones. » » The overall navigation of the website needs to be clearer and placed appropriately. » » Every section should have clear way out in navigation. » » Add follow-up screen to home page. This screen should focus on “how Playfully works”. » » The legibility of some smaller text needs to be reconsidered. » » Create an option for “gift” with the subscribe option. » » Add more images of the actual products. May be like a gallery. » » Create a “join the Playfully community button”. » » Place the thesis process link appropriately. » » Keep the nomenclature simple and easy to » » Understand. Remove any that’s conflicting or confusing. » » Landing page needs a short description about » » What the site offers. » » Add icons or visuals to support text.

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“I like how it looks but I am not sure what should I do after this.” ­— J agdish D haram

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“It would be helpful if I get to see more images of toys here.” ­— Reshma Robert

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“I like the blog section that informs about new, innovative products.

Its like a newsletter.” ­— Abh ishek D atta

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User 01 / Abhishek Datta Abhishek is an engineer by profession. He is a tech enthusiast, and avid book reader.

He prefers function to form and likes to take his kid to conventions and concerts.

Lives in / Cupertino, CA Age & gender / 39, male Relationship status / married Children / boy, 5 yrs

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User 02 / Jagdish Dharam Jagdish is an engineer by profession. He is a travel enthusiast and love practicing landscape photography. He believes a child should be exposed to as many different toys as possible to his overall development.

Lives in / Cupertino, CA Age & gender / 42, male Relationship status / married Children / boy, 6 yrs

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User 03 / Reshma Robert Reshma is currently unemployed. She is an active parent in the school and community. Reshma is highly organized and multi-tasking comes easy to her. She likes enriching herself with every tiny details about child development and well-being.

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Lives in / Cupertino, CA Age & gender / 34, female Relationship status / married

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Children / boy, 6 yrs

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Guest User / Alana Ippolito Fo un d e r, ZigZag Cit y G uid es

Alana is a mother, designer, AAU alumni, and entrepreneur working in the Bay Area.

We met Alana and she agreed to be a part of our website and magazine user-testing research.

We also discussed our thesis deliverables and our strategies. Alana thoroughly tested the website, browsed the magazine and picked up details and questions for clarification.

“I love your topic and your visual direction.

I look forward to see how your thesis develops.”—Alana

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https://www.playfully.life

https://www.playfully.life

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https://www.playfully.life

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https://www.playfully.life

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https://www.playfully.life/play-facts

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https://www.playfully.life/about

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Developing The Poster Series How do we promote our brand?

Posters provide a logical and cost-effective way of communicating to a particular target market. When placed correctly, attractive posters can lure nearby people into a specific event and alert them of an upcoming product or service. Posters have the ability to stick in viewers’ minds and can be a great tool for small- to medium-sized businesses to use to increase brand awareness.

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To popularize the brand in general, and the website in particular, we designed three sets of two posters each, organized thematically around the dimensions of “Active, “Creative” and “Educational”.

Our research shows that these are the main categories for the analysis of early development toys and we would like more parents to think of toys in these terms.

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Developing The Magazine How do we inform?

After we developed the magazine initial designs we protoptyped 30 pages and user-tested it. This exercise revealed insights and observations on what we could have done better and also showed us which design decisions resonates most with our audience. We used two types of user-testing method.

Experience Prototyping, facilitates active participation in design through subjective engagement with a prototype system. We wanted to engage our audience with the prototype to better understand what appeals to them.

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The next method is Evaluative Research, involves the testing of the prototype by real potential users of a system in design development. It’s important that whatever our design prototype should be cohesive and has a fluid experience. We believe this method would give us feedback necessary to simplif y our design deliverable.

We listed a few things that we considered during the user-testing exercise. None of the following were directly asked to the user. We tried to clarif y these questions through their body-language, initial reactions, feedback and their questions for clarification.

We asked two users to test our magazine for this phase. The questions were: » » What is the first reaction to the cover? » » Does it communicate the subject? » » Does it engage the audience? » » Is the type legible? » » Is the cover intriguing enough to go further? » » How do they react to the colors? » » Does the table of contents page clearly demonstrate hierarchy? » » What is the initial reaction towards illustration style and letterforms? » » What do they like most? » » What is out of sync? » » What can be improved? » » Anything specific they want to know or should be considered?

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USER 01 / Katherine Wallenta Katherine is a graphic designer. Follows healthy, and sustainable lifestyle. She wants to engage with brands that offer honest products and services. She believes in simplicity of things.

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lives in / San Francisco, CA age & gender / 35, female relationship status / married

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children / 1 girl

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USER 02 / Dana Van Etten Dana is a graphic design student and a freelancer.

She believes in spending quality time outdoors with her family. She is extremely mindful about her expenditures. A huge fan of colorful, well-designed, and modern fun products. lives in / Berkley, ca age & gender / 28, female relationship status / married children / boy, 3 yrs

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The cover received positive feedback from design stand-point. However, the concept doesn’t connect with any article. Reconsider the visual.

The contents page needs redesigning and reconsider hierarchy of information. Make it clear and simple.

The illustrations across needs little more consistency and establish clear contextual divisions.

The colors look good. However, the knock-out text needs to be re-adjusted for better legibility.

Add pages on other deliverables of Playfully like App, subscription box, community, website etc.

Consider consistent treatments for chapter openers.

Introduce pages that are bit more fun and playful.

Make it modern, look at other well-designed magazines for inspiration.

We could have a section that specifically targets kids. May be an activity within the magazine that involves kids and parents. It could be a diy project, a game or an activity.

The images used should also follow a system.

Consider choosing between b/w or color. Do not show faces when showing children at play.

Introduce more text hierarchy and contrast to establish clear distinctions and to break the monotony.

Add filler pages (images, quotes, ads) to break the text heavy pages. Keep it light read.

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After user-testing the Playfully magazine, we had a few things to consider before further refinements. We incorporated most of the following mentioned below in our next phase of refinement:

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Developing The Guide Book(s) How do we guide?

The next deliverable under the second strategy is to streamline and guide. I designed a set of 4 books. These books are based on an existing book

by Dr. Stevanne Auerbach. My interviews, research, and meeting experts revealed that even though parents have access too much information available in the web. Its overwhelming, confusing and misleading. Her book is very well organized but due to lack or organization and design doesn’t

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appeal to modern parents. I found a design opportunity here and redesigned and divided this book into 4 separate books, divided according to different milestones of a child. I also changed the format size to make it easier to carry and refer.

The new design contains images of toys relevant to content, illustrations to add visual queues and chapter openers that divides the overall content.

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Developing The App How do we network?

Our Playfully app journey started with asking several questions like, how do young parents shop for toys? How is their experience while buying these toys? How do parents decide which toys are best suited for their kid(s)? Our goal was to design an app that could help parents connect to a community and consume toys mindfully.

Our research into parent’s consumer insight revealed that American toy stores are overwhelming and often pushes them towards wasteful, impulsive and accumulation of linear, prescriptive toys.

We want to help them pick toys based on real information and not just advertising gimmicks. To make sure we cover all the necessary aspect of a user journey we started our research by user interview with 6 target users.

Target User Prof ile The users for this interview were in the age group between 30—45 year old. They are parent of young kids (under 8), they are residents of Bay Area and belong to middle income group.

Q uotes “We like toys that encourage family time and are time-tested.”—Oren, father “Toys are the best way to keep kids occupied, especially when they don’t have too many friends and outdoor activities.”—Jagdish, father “Mostly online research to find out the usefulness of the toy based on the age of the child.”—Divya, mother “I like to see my child’s toy last a while.

My favorite toys that my son has are the one that he has imaginary conversation with, where he’s doing most of the work, not the toy.”—Dana, mother “We buy toys based on our son’s demand.

Don’t really pay much attention to the value.

We just consider the price and safety.”

—Reshma, mother “I like fewer, higher quality toys. I don’t prefer buying toys based on sales and discounts.”

—Abhishek, father

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Discover

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Connect

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Look Up

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Browse

Interview Questions

01 / Introduction

02 / Overview

03 / Exploring Specifics

Hi, we’d like to talk with you today about children’s toys. Feel free to skip any question that makes you uncomfortable. We will try our best to keep this conversation light and focused.

How old are your children? What toys do they play with?

You mentioned (follow up on specifics from overview). Is this always the same, or does it change? Why do you do it this way?

What were your favorite toys in your childhood? Why? How do you buy toys for your kids, if at all?

How do you think toys are related to your kids development, if at all?

Kindly share your opinion about benefits of having toys?

How often do you buy toys?

What is the last toy that you bought? Tell us little about it?

How do you make sure the toy that you bought is best suited for your kid? What references do you use to verify the play-value of a toy?

If you see your child is not engaging with a toy that you bought do you do anything different to get him to play with it?

How do you inform yourself about the toy category in general?

What are the things that you consider while purchasing a toy?

04 / Play-value of Toys

05 / Recommendations

06 / The Future

What role does a parent have in children’s play?

What would you suggest as a parent about sources of information for toys? Can you show them to me? What do you like most?

What aspects do you wish were different?

If I told you that there is an App that lets you connect to a community of parents with similar concerns, doubts, goals in mind such as yours. How would you feel and why? What might this app help you do?

How can we maximize child’s engagement with a toy?

What kind of digital or print resource do you use to seek advice on toys and play, if at all?

What kind of toys does your kid like to play with? Why?

Do you refer to any publication or digital media for reviews, ratings and evaluation?

Which toys do you like most and why?

What do you dislike about toy shopping?

Have you ever tried other ways of buying toys like subscription services, toy rentals, Apps, boutique toy websites, toy designers? Why or why not?

What info about toys is easy for you to find? What info is difficult? Why?

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What is that one thing that you would want to change about buying toys if you could?

How do you see yourself contributing to this community and what kind of information would you like to access related to toys?

Is there anything you’re surprised that I didn’t ask you about?

Connect

Due to busy schedule and multitasking, parents prefer easy to access information.

Create opportunity by connecting people to each other.

Insight 02

Unbiased

Better informed parents make better choices.

Straightforward, organized and convincing communication.

Insight 03

Simplify

Parents like sharing and connecting on topics related to children.

Because simple is loved, needed, used and shared.

Insight 04

Clarity

Young parents like unique options Vs. mass produced toys.

Increase confidence through clarity.

Insight 05

Be Consistent & Standard

Unbiased reviews about toys are not easily available.

Familiar, yet modern.

Insight 06

Playful

Parents want fewer, higher quality toys for children and but don’t know how to shop smartly.

Brings smile to your face.

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Insight 01

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Design Principles

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Effortless Experience should be fast and fluid.

User and tasks before technology.

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Exploring Concepts Sketches After the interviews we started exploring concept sketches for our app based on the insights and design principles.

Concept 01 This first concept is based on convenience.

In this the user has the power to switch between different tabs at the bottom to reach the desired goal. The interactions are mostly swiping and scrolling for browsing the information.

The details about a product are only shown on drop-down menu. In this option, I stacked layers to organize the informations instead to adding to many screens.

Concept 02 The second option focuses on the shopping aspect in the app. From browsing according to categories to using different filters to narrow down options.

I also added the profile in the main section which lets you connect with others. The main section of the app consists of search, cart, browse and others/extra.

Concept 03 The third option is the simplest of the lot.

The interaction is linear, clean and minimal. Here my intention was to make the live feed as the main section for browsing, researching, comparing and connecting.

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Paper Prototype Testing The next step was to develop two versions of our app as paper prototype for user-testing.

This will help us understand the usability flow and the expectation from the users. We conducted this user-testing with three users.

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User-test Insights

Prototype 01

Prototype 02

The navigation was easy to follow.

The navigation is little confusing.

It has too many sections.

The users loved the fact they could connect with a community checkout each others wishlist.

Recommendations are helpful in selecting toys.

Payment steps needs clarity.

The ‘add to cart’ is all the way down after lot of scrolling.

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The title for the tabs needs clarity.

The product scan feature should be more prominent. Users loved that feature.

‘Play’ section recommendation should take to the browse list.

Payment option is confusing. Does the product leads to the merchant site or can we buy the toy from this app?

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After the prototype user-testing.

We developed the final wireframe for the app. During this process we made significant changes to the app navigation, section names and added details to the userjourney. This will become the base for our next round of design and refinement.

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Wireframe

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Developing The Event How do we connect?

From retail marketing to experiential dining, pop-up events are gaining in popularity since their inception about a decade ago. But pop-ups are more than just a trendy, “seemingly unplanned” or temporary happening. They have real power in building brand awareness and impressing a new audience.

Playfully’s goal is to setup free open play events in Bay Area to showcase unconventional, unique, basic toy brand/product(s) experience for potential users curated on a specific theme. This event is mostly for kids/parents.

About our Event Sponsor Uncle Bubble toys bring kids many different ways of making and playing with bubbles. Imagine making huge bubbles bigger than your entire body, or, blowing bubbles inside other bubbles! Uncle Bubble have also developed bubbles that don’t pop when you catch them in your hand! Uncle Bubble Toys have enjoyed great popularity in Europe and Asia and now they are available in the US market.

Debby Tien, marketing supervisor for Uncle Bubble was excited to be a part of this initiative.

She represented the company at the event with lot of innovative bubble toys and enthusiasm.

“Great concept and thoughtfully put together.”

—Debby Tien

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We partnered with Uncle Bubble, an innovative, responsible small toy company from Taiwan. Bubble toys are not only fun and basic but also good for child development. We kept the premise humble and informal. Our event promotion was through posters and social media. Our aim was to connect parents and give kids and parents an opportunity to connect, experience and share as a community.

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CONCLUSION So cial M e dia Th e So urces Ackn owle dg em ents

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Congratulations! You have reached the final phase of my thesis. In which I look back and synthesize all the work done over the last one year. Show your Work! by Austin Kleon helped me immensely in understanding how to share my thesis journey with an audience. This included quotes, articles, design decisions, credits, events and many other details that helped me guide my design strategy and then the deliverables planned around it.

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The Last Lap.

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The Resources What were the source of information?

THE BOOKS Toy Design by Chris Van Uffelen Dr. Toy’s Smart Play. Smart Toys by Stevanne Auerbach Consuming Kids by Susan Linn The Real Toy Story by Eric Clark Made to Stick by Chipp Heath & Dan Heath The Case for Make-believe by Susan Linn Shapes by Xavier Deneux DOT magazine Toys for a Lifetime by Stevanne Auerbach Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne My First Shapes with Frank Lloyd Wright by Mudpuppy THE WEBSITES thegeniusofplay.org huffingtonpost.com thecityofplay.co.uk spielgaben.com kaboom.org Kickstater.com parent.co mother.ly washintonpost.com commercialfreechildhood.org tinkergarten.com millergoodman.com

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Acknowledgements Who do I want to Thank?

MY FAMILY To my family, thank you for instilling so much love, determination, hard work and dedication in me.

To Ma and Baba; I could have never done this without your blessings, support, love and reminders to keep a balanced life. To Abhishek, for being so supportive and taking care of me when I couldn’t.

To Pushya, for inspiring me and Adding play to my work.

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MY ADVISORS To my instructors, Phil, Wioleta and Carolina, thank you for your guidance. To Alana Ippolito for sparing your valuable time and advice. To all my instructors, for your support and knowledge.

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MY SUPPORTERS Thank you for taking time to answer my questionnaires, for attending events and user-testing my prototypes. Your contribution was very helpful.

To Dharam family, Movva family, parents at Bright Horizons (San Francisco branch), families from Lincoln Elementary School (Cupertino), Dana Van Etten, Katherine Park and to all the wonderful parents and their lovely kids.

MY FRIENDS Thank you for all the stress release talks, happy distractions and endless inspirations that you guys brought to the table.

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Copyrights Š 2018 Krishnapriya Dutta Gupta all rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without express permission from Krishnapriya Dutta Gupta.

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K R I S H N A P R I YA ( K P ) D U T TA G U P TA Graphic Designer /

+1.408.643.2032 krishnapriyadg @ g m ail.co m 7548 B ollin g er Rd. C u p er t in o, 95014 C A B e h a n ce/kr ish n a pr iy a In st a gra m/_ k p _ d g _ kr ish n a pr iy a d e sig n.c o m

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Sch o ol / Ac a d e m y o f Ar t U niver sit y, S a n Fra n c isc o, US A Ad vis ors / P hil H a mle t t, C ar olin a D e B ar t olo, W iole t a K a m in sk a M ajor / MFA, Gra p hic D e sig n & D ig it al M e d ia -

Title / Play f ully Ty p efaces / Gilr o y a n d Ar c h er Ph oto gra p hy / Kr ish n a pr iy a D u t t a G u p t a & Tia n Lu y a n g Printin g & Bin din g / Blur b.c o m

C over Sto ck / I m a g e w ra p, M at te

Te xt Sto ck / Pr olin e Eg g sh ell