Shanshan_ Gao

Here is a garden storing my thought, laugh, tear & sweat during a glorious design adventure

[gaksdesigns]

Banksy’s artwork in motion by Artist ABVH. Artist On Tumblr

[shanshangao]

I call it a revolution of product design. It is such a brilliant idea to reinvent the product design process by embracing new technology and media. 

[shanshangao]

“Cyberspace is not a place you go to but rather a layer tightly integrated into the world around us”

Institute For The Future

[shanshangao]

Concept Exploration

Last two weeks, I did several concept experiments of my future product. Since I did rough wireframe of iphone app last semester, I use it at my start point and play it a little more. Instead of hastily jumping into feature design, I put effort to setup a tone, a perception I want to address in the prototype. I believe "delight", and "serendipity" are most important feeling I want to my user, parent could take it out by playing the app.

After talking with my thesis advisor, Sylvia, I was inspired and encouraged to bring metaphor in the concept design. Some sketches of ideal humanity connection between parent and the product.

A hierarchy of some key features. The left column is a serendipity experience, when parent are too tired to think of what they should play, they choose this one. It's like a "concierge experience". You answer simple question, then got some serendipity ideas. 

The is one of  "concierge experience" I imagined, which I use metaphor of balloon. 

Another idea. I use metaphor of dewy drop. I had this idea since last semester, dewy drop is small, transparent and adorable. Each small, quick idea is analogous to dewy drop, every small drop could bring parent and children a happy moment, but accumulatively, it could be long-term happy, it alternatively becomes happy memory. It also invisibly nourishes their relationship.  

[shanshangao]

Weeks ago, I stumbled upon an program for toddler parents' at an independent bookstore at Prince street. Parents there, besides their babies were so happy to hang out, talk and laugh. 

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Observation at McNally Jackson Bookstore

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"As seen on the ever-brilliant Adverblog (a big inspiration for the creation of this site – is it possible to have a crush on a website? I guess if it’s OK to want to make sweet, sweet love to cars (link SFW), then it must be fine), a German science magazine for children has taken a unique approach to teaching kids about climate change."  

Thanks Nikki's recommendation. It is brilliant hands-on collaborative game for kids to understand certain serious topic. 

[shanshangao]

I have made a paper box game, picture and description will be here soon, but I'm eager to hear Minnie's feedback first. I have an another idea which I think it'll be more attractive to Jua. 

[shanshangao]

Why kids are so interested in playing paper box?

Some exciting thought was lingering in my mind, I was so happy to have a talk with Minnie about her cute toddler, Jua's new game last night. Meanwhile, she told me several times that Jua was so interested in playing gift box instead of gift/toy inside. She's looking for a good way to hack mountains of paper box at her home. I made a quick note of that.

Coincidentally, I found some parents' answers about why Kids are so interest about cardboard box, so interesting to read them.

 When James Cantorna received an inflatable ball pit for Christmas, the Palos Park, IL, 3-year-old was thrilled with his new plaything -- the box it arrived in. "He climbed in it, put it over his head, and put all kinds of toys inside that box, and all the while the ball pit just sat there," recalls his mom, Melanie. So why do kids love boxes?

"Because a box is so open-ended, it can be anything your child wants it to be," says Tovah Klein, Ph.D., director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development in New York City.

Kids this age are curious, but they also love the familiar. A new toy can have a different shape, color, and sound, and that may be enough to propel your toddler back to the simple (and familiar) pleasure of the box.

Toddlers are fascinated with opening and closing, hiding and finding, and placing items in and taking them out of things; a single box lets your child do all of that. It also lets him learn about -- and control --the separation process: He knows that even though he can't see what he just put in there, it's still there.

Many kids love to climb into boxes because a small space makes them feel protected. Says Klein: "The world is a big place, and boxes are little places that give toddlers a feeling of security."

[shanshangao]

Reflection of Thesis Goal and Statement

My latest reflection of my thesis goal and statement

Design-related Goal MY GOAL IS to raise awareness and confidence FOR parents and their children to build close emotional relationships, by inspiring them to engage in accessible, fun activities. I WILL ACHIEVE THIS BY intervening one on one time parent spending with their kids, such as feeding time, bath time or bedtime(approximately from 5 mins to half of an hour) AS WELL AS showing several case studies from real parents, providing a service based on their insights and finally using a example to articulate the experience. Thesis Statement FOR busy (working) parents, WHO have limited time (energy, competence, money, etc), X(service name) is a service that inspires parents to have fun, home activities with kids, alternatively it could become an conversation/joyful-time trigger for parents and kids. UNLIKE any DIY program at after school, it's a close time exclusively designed for parents and kids, it always has flexible option for every parent to initiate an fun activity in limited time, it has bunch of inspiring examples rather than templates. UNLIKE DIY.org, it's not only a platform to show off projects, but a tool about awareness, self-learning, and adjusting for young parents who play a key role for their kids emotional health.

It's always good to reframe goals and look back when feeling lost.

[shanshangao]

An Interesting Blog from Mom

While doing research, there's a lot time I read stories of parents through their blog.  I found a Mom, Michelle DuPuis's blog by accident. The sweet and love feeling conveyed by her blog deeply attract me, more important, her wisdom in creating engaging and fun actives for her kid from baby to toddler make me excited for while.

One of my favorite poster is Heart Stamps, the idea is about turning toilet paper roll to a heart stamp. 

[mikelikesscience]

Have you ever noticed that people use the terms Theory and Hypothesis interchangeably? Most people say they have a Theory. They really mean that they have a Hypothesis.

My latest Science Music Video sheds some lyrical light on the situation. Watch “Theory vs Hypothesis” to learn more!

[shanshangao]

Theory vs Hypothesis Rap, it's so COOL!! 

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I felt in love with "on finding balance" stories of these seven young & creative Moms, thanks a lot for Minni's recommendation  @ minibeom 

[shanshangao]

Tips after an 15mins quick talk with Liz

- What blocks parents from the existing online tips/activities? What are they lack of ? time, energy or motivation, education? ( Honestly, well-education parents are still don't know how to play with kids, through an interview from a parent, a Phd candidate) The blocks you find will help to create a service bridge these two ends, parents and tips/game actives. (Exactly!)

- It's a problem not only to working parents in terms of fragments time with kids. Maybe should address the audience in another way? (That's true. I'm looking for a better way to describe them)

- If parent has a good experience with kids, ask what it is? Ask why he/she think it is a good interaction? Try to identify the attributes. Finally you may be able to integrate those attributes to your service. (I totally agree)

[shanshangao]

Reframe my thought #week 10 - #week11

At the beginning of this semester, I decided my topic of thesis was around children's emotional health after asking myself "Five Whys". (An exercise forces people to examine and express the underlying reasons for their behavior and attitudes) The reasons I chosen this topic is I love child, never tired of answering their "stupid" question, simply because I believe "Every Child is an artist" as Pablo Picasso. Also, I think parents play an exclusive role in children's emotion development. Grown up as the only kid with my busy working parents, I became a super shy girl until I graduated from college. There's a while I was thinking what if my parents played with me more...and I gradually realize it's not a simple challenging faced only by my parents. Some people told me they're lack of fruitful conversation with parents when they're young while others lack of actives. More important, most of them feel this relationship with their parents invisibly but significantly influence their personality and emotion style today. I recently read a word from a popular writer, Lisa Wingate, "Children are the greatest gift God will give to us, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in our hands." which  I couldn't agree more.  For today's parents, being even more busy, some may (not) have awareness about the fact but need a feasible and realistic suggestion to improve it, I am here with great interest and empathy for them to knock out this wicked problem.

I love hear people's thought and never stop talking to folks around me since at very early stage of my thesis. I treasured ever normal, "live" person's perspectives and I truly believe honest thought from real people are as important as results from professional book and study. I got an interesting story from Christine, our department secretary, she sees herself with a "serious personality" which is potentially from her childhood experience.  Minne, who has day-time job, graduate school work, and an one year old baby, she pointed out everyone working mom felt a little bit guilt about their kids and she's eager to do something to improve it.  Another working parent, Mitja, who has two kids, said lots of time he don't know or don't have energy to know what he should play with kids when backing from work. I feel that's so true and decided make a honest design, which is not persuade them do something fancy for kids, but they'll never have chance to do.  While I did some informal interviews with people, I read a buch of articles and did a secondary-research of a working mom, which made me to think: there are many moments throughout the day that busy parents spend with kids—— feeding kids at dinner table, waiting for babysitter, making a bath, getting ready for bed—— what if we take some imagination and creativity to turn those fragments of time to quality time?  I think the answer to execute this idea is a customize service for parents.

With those constrains of limited time(also could be energy, competence, etc) from parents, the next step is to figure out how to measure parents' constrains, category children features and needs by age, and finally create a service help working parents utilize little fragments of time with kids as quality time feasibly and flexibly.

see the full-size picture

[shanshangao]

“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” – Pablo Picasso

[shanshangao]

Dangerous things you would kids to do, holy crap! My ambitions goal! 

http://www.fiftydangerousthings.com/