Interaction Design and Children

by Juan Pablo Hourcade

Given the greater exposure of children to computer technologies, it is imperative that they be designed taking into account children's abilities, interests, and developmental needs. Interaction Design and Children aims to contribute towards this goal through a survey of research on children's cognitive and motor development, safety issues related to technologies and design methodologies and principles. It also provides an overview of current research trends in the field of interaction design and children and identifies challenges for future research. Interaction design and children is a young field, but it has strong foundations to build on. Decades of work on child development provide a starting point. Research on children's motor skills can guide the development of low-level interactions. An awareness of the risks that technologies may pose provides warning signs for areas to stay away from. Following empirically based guidelines can ease the way. But many challenges remain and Interaction Design and Children is a valuable tool for those who want to become familiar with the field as well as for those looking to get up to date with current research on interaction design and children.

117 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2008