Let them play!

Last week I had the honour of being a Guest Speaker at the Innovation Studio of the Product Service-System Design Master program 2014/15 at Politecnico di Milano.

A large group Master students from all over the world have been tasked with designing products for the National Museum of Science and Technology “Leonardo da Vinci” shop in Milan.

After a lesson in Edutainment in the Museum Field from Program Leader Michele Capuani, I helped to provide some insight into the young group of users for whom their products are targeted. My talk focused on children, design and play and the highly strategic nature of the challenge ahead. The students will focus on one of two age groups: 5-10 yr olds and 10-15 yr olds.

In Design for the Real Kids: let them play!, I presented many projects and design processes undertaken with children of the two age groups, and a educational-play model for use during research, concept and prototype phases.