Thursday, July 11, 2002
Three Criteria for Smart Toys
From puzzle artist's Scott Kim's Newsletter
"1. Open anywhere (a phrase I heard from user interface guru Bruce Tognazini). No introductory screens, no long manuals. Just start playing. Wherever you start it makes immediate sense.
"2. Nonmodal. Most electronic kid's toys create depth through modes. Slide the mode switch and everything changes. But modes tend to be confusing, and allow younger kids to get into advanced material too quickly. Both Tap, Type, Write and Music Blocks avoid modes by offering richly recombinable elements that become more rewarding as you discover more sophisticated things to do with them. The modes are in your mind, not the machine. Actually both toys do have modes, but they are clearly marked and easy to understand: type a number key in Tap, Type, Write, or change cartridges in Music Blocks.
"3. Behavior fits the physical form. The physical form of Music Blocks is tactilely satisfying, and strongly suggests what can be done with it. I consulted briefly with Neurosmith on a project to put Music Blocks behavior into a different physical form. Although kids found the new form compelling, it encouraged a different pattern of play that did not suit Music Blocks content. Tap, Type, Write uses an existing physical form -- the computer keyboard and monitor -- but with a freshness that makes you look at computers anew."
"1. Open anywhere (a phrase I heard from user interface guru Bruce Tognazini). No introductory screens, no long manuals. Just start playing. Wherever you start it makes immediate sense.
"2. Nonmodal. Most electronic kid's toys create depth through modes. Slide the mode switch and everything changes. But modes tend to be confusing, and allow younger kids to get into advanced material too quickly. Both Tap, Type, Write and Music Blocks avoid modes by offering richly recombinable elements that become more rewarding as you discover more sophisticated things to do with them. The modes are in your mind, not the machine. Actually both toys do have modes, but they are clearly marked and easy to understand: type a number key in Tap, Type, Write, or change cartridges in Music Blocks.
"3. Behavior fits the physical form. The physical form of Music Blocks is tactilely satisfying, and strongly suggests what can be done with it. I consulted briefly with Neurosmith on a project to put Music Blocks behavior into a different physical form. Although kids found the new form compelling, it encouraged a different pattern of play that did not suit Music Blocks content. Tap, Type, Write uses an existing physical form -- the computer keyboard and monitor -- but with a freshness that makes you look at computers anew."
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