SPORTS SITES FOR CHILDRENAslin Harminah Binte Anuar

So Jami Florence

Tey Hwee Chen

INTRODUCTION

Introduction Theories on Child Development Children Behaviour In Relation to Computers Sports Websites for Children Designing Children’s Interfaces Usability Issues in Designing Children’s

Webites Recommendations Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Sports are essential to a child’s social and physical development.

Numerous sport sites available that cater to the different user needs.

Provide information, includes tips on how to engage in the sport and rules.

For these sites to be used effectively there is a need for the sites to be designed with the children in mind.

INTRODUCTION

A need to recognize the characteristics and unique needs of children.

Different learning styles.

Match the learning capabilities of the children being targeted.

Older children between the ages of 10 and 12.

Baseball sites in particular.

INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of children and child development

Guidelines and usability issues

Recommendations

Objectives: Arouse interest in the sports Learn the rules and regulations of the sports Acquire the theoretical aspect of skills necessary to play the

sports Keep updated on the news and events related to the sports

DESIGNING CHILDREN’S INTERFACES Take into user’s perspectives

Builds upon principles of good web design

Cannot be based on a single theory – children are not a homogenous group

Skills and preferences must be considered in relation to technology

HEATHER NAM (2010) – DESIGNING USER EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN

Ages 3 – 5 years old Ages 5 – 7 years old

Ages 7+

Non-readers and emerging readers; emerging mouse control and dexterity.

Early Readers Already know standard mouse interactions

Avoid using pop-up windows. Easier for small children to click a back button

Create user interfaces comprising multiple windows, if necessary. Older children can more easily switch back and forth between windows.

Reduce /eliminate text, replacing it with simple, concise voice-overs. Repetitive instructions that explain how to manipulate a web site’s controls and the goals of a game are always helpful.

Give users the ability to skip voice-overs and instructions.

Reduce number of buttons, controls and other clickable elements and increase their size to ensure young mousers can easily hit their intended targets.

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Avoid the need to move objects across the screen.

Use standard drag and drop interactions.

HEATHER NAM (2010) – DESIGNING USER EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN

Children age 3 and older:

•Always place navigational controls above the fold.

•Use a red X button to close a window. Even kids understand this convention.

•Do not design navigation that requires children to use the arrow keys on the keyboard.

•Consider including a brief tutorial on how player control works – play/pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons.

A BASEBALL WEBSITEhttp://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/

Suitable for 10 to 12 years old

Simple yet attractive

Comic-style graphics

Easy navigation

DESIGNING MULTI-MEDIA ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDRENActivity design • Design activities to be interesting and challenging so

children will want to do them • Design activities to allow for expanding complexity and

support children as they move from one level to the next• Design reward structures that take children's

developmental level and context of use into account.Instruction design

• Present instructions in an age-appropriate format• Design instructions to be easy to comprehend and

remember• On-screen character interventions should be supportive

rather than distracting • Allow children to have control access to instructional

informationScreen layout • Design icons to be visually meaningful to children

• Use cursor design to help communicate functionality• Use rollover audio, animation and highlighting to indicate

where to find functionality.

Hanna, Czerwinski and Alexander (1999)

BASEBALL WEBSITE

BASEBALL WEBSITE

http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/baseball/index.html

AN EVALUATION- TRADEOFF

Abundant use of images and games – slows the system

Children can be impatient

Tradeoff must be considered

Provide a status bar showing progress of loading

USABILITY ISSUES IN DESIGNING CHILDREN’S WEBSITE

Age Appropriate Format and Design Can be difficult Need to target a narrow age

group Cost

Different Skill Levels with Same Age-Group

Difficult to differentiate Difference in skill levels even

within each age group

USABILITY ISSUES IN DESIGNING CHILDREN’S WEBSITE

Design Issues Cramped Poor Utilisation of Space

Learned Path Bias Children tend to use ways Familiarity transferred from one website

to another – sets some expection!

RECOMMENDATIONS – AGE APPROPRIATE FORMAT AND DESIGN & LEARNED PATH BIAS

Including children as equal partners in designing.

Testing out the prototypes and also be informants

Share ideas, opinions and discussion groups

Better sources of information.

Multiple formats for different age groups can be created with feedback.

RECOMMENDATIONS - DIFFERENT SKILL LEVELS WITH SAME AGE-GROUP

Interactive ‘help’ function.

Offering chat rooms and discussion groups or customizing the site.

Control the issue of ‘one size does not fit all’.

RECOMMENDATIONS – DESIGN ISSUES

Include interactive concept maps.

Brief tutorial of how navigation around the website is done

Presenting instructions in a clear format.

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