ENP64 Final Presentation.pptx

CAD,
Prototyping,
Intended Users
Interview,
observation of
kids playing with
toys and
questionnaire
Table of contents
Research Anthropometry
Knowledge
Elicitation
Product
Description
Research on
child
development
and block play
Anthropometric
considerations.
Involved in
prototyping
01 03
02 04
User Testing
Takeaways
Description of
test, results,
redesign
05
06

2-Year-Old
Hold object in one
hand while doing
something with the
other hand (CDC,
2022)
Begin building with
blocks – horizontal or
stacked
Build 8-block tower
(Montana State
Library, n.d.)
3-Year-Old
String large beads
together (CDC, 2022)
Build 10-block tower
Use scissors
(Montana State
Library, n.d.)
Child
Development
Milestones

Fine Motor Skills and
Learning
Study of 156
Kindergarten
children:
“a significant
correlation
between fine
motor skills and
executive
functions was
found” (Oberer et
al., 2017)
Defining fine
motor skills:
“manual dexterity”
tested with various
tasks requiring dexterity
and spatial
organization (e.g.
threading beads,
placing pegs in holes,
placing coins into slots)
(Roebers et al., 2014)
3-4-year-olds’ fine motor
skills assessed before
kindergarten
-
Woodcock-Johnson III
Tests of Academic
Achievement
administered in fall and
spring
Strong fine motor skills
predicted greater
improvement between fall
and spring and higher
scores in the fall
compared to those with
poor fine motor skills
(Cameron et al., 2012)
Study of 3-4-
year-olds:
:

Benefits of
Block Play
“building with blocks really develops math
skills, like measuring, counting, and estimating”
“they’re doing what engineers do…they’re
conceiving a problem or something that they
want, a product they want to make…then they
are trying construction, they’re constructing a
prototype and seeing if it works” (Purdue
Extension, 2013)
– Jim Elicker, Associate Professor of Human Development &
Family Studies at Purdue
Block Play Can Teach:
Problem solving, imagination, self-
expression, science, self-esteem, social
and emotional growth

Interview
Explanation:
Interviewed a mother of three
– two two-year-olds and one
four-year-old – on the topic of
play and children’s toys. Her
four-year-old has a
fascination with puzzles, and
she wants her two-year-olds
to get into puzzles, but they
struggle to maneuver pieces
and she fears they may choke
on pieces.
Takeaways:
“there is educational value in
play”
Wants her kids to ”have to think”
when they play
Maybe two-year-olds would like
puzzles, too, if they could better
grasp and maneuver the pieces

Notes From
Observation
Explanation:
Watched YouTube videos from “family
channels” detailing their children's
favorite toys and providing clips of the
children playing which I used to conduct
a task analysis (kids were 2-3 years old)
Notes:
Parents think play is “good for brain
development”
Want kids to learn shapes, colors, and
problem solving while developing fine
motor skills
Every video involved some form of block
play (wooden blocks, Lego, Duplo, etc.)

Quotes From Observation
“Play is all about exploring their environment and building
those skills like fine motor skills and language.”
“I am a stay-at-home mother of two young boys, so
making sure we have toys that engage them, help them
with learning, as well as develop their fine motor skills is
huge for me.” (My Jewish Mommy Life)
“I was amazed at how much they were into building!” (My
Jewish Mommy Life)

Statistics
From
Observation
Using Floor
as Play
Surface
Using Table
as Play
Surface
Number of
Children
8 3
Using Pinch
Grip
Using Other
Grip
Number of
Children
8 1

Task Analysis From
Observations
Playing With Blocks
1. Set-up
1.1. Obtain blocks
1.2. Find suitable play
space
Requires flat play surface -
often floor
1.3. Spread blocks out
on play surface
2. Play
2.1. Grasp block Often done with just one hand
2.2. Decide where to
place block
Must assess whether block
placement fits their design
Generally no deceivable
pattern in shape or color
2.3. Place block
If using blocks w/ linking
mechanism (e.g. Lego), must
get block to proper
orientation
Will often use force (slamming
blocks, pressing them hard) to
try to get them to fit
2.3.1. Apply force to block to
get it into place
3. Clean-Up
3.1. Place blocks back
into storage
bag/container
Key Takeaways:
2–3-year-old children:
are aggressive with toys
tend to use one hand when grasping
and manipulating blocks
don’t seem to create any deceivable
patterns in shape or color

Questionnaire
I sent a questionnaire to parents of children aged 4 or under.
For questions in which they were asked to rank options, I
calculated a total ranking score, multiplying the number of
first place responses by five, second place responses by 4,
third place responses by 3, etc. This allowed for easier data
visualization. My questionnaire received 20 responses.

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Spark Creativity Help Child Develop Fine
Motor Skills
Teach Them Shapes and
Colors
Teach Concentration Skills Keep Child Occupied
Total
Ranking
Score
Ranking Potential Goals For Toys

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Safety Learning/Educational
Value
Quality/Durability Child's Intellect/Dexterity Sustainability of Product Price
Total
Ranking
Score
Ranking Factors Involved in Toy Purchase

How much do you agree with
the following statement: “play
is important for a child’s
learning”?
Question:
None At All:
A Little:
A Moderate Amount:
A Lot:
A Great Deal:
Question:
Would you be more likely to
purchase an “open-ended” product
(e.g. blocks or paint) or something
with one correct solution (e.g. a
lego set or puzzle)?
Open-ended Toy:
One Correct Solution:
4
16
0
0
0
0
20

Needs Informing Design of Toy
1. Safe
2. Provide some form of educational value
3. Durable
4. “Open-ended” (allow for creativity)
5. Assist development of fine motor skills
6. Assist development of problem-solving skills

Anthropometric
Considerations
Determining ideal width
and length of each piece
In my observations, 8 of 9 kids gripped blocks with one hand in
some form of a pinch grip. The ideal block should thus fit snuggly
between the middle finger and thumb of the child.
I will choose to use the middle
finger to thumb length, shown to
the left, for this metric.
Measurements:
Males aged 2-3.5 5th percentile: 4.4 cm
In this age range, males have smaller hands then females, so
I will use the 5th percentile of middle finger to thumb length
for males as the width and length of each piece.
Note:
The 4.4 cm width and length applies to the square that
each piece is based on, it does not account for the male
and female connections which are added to the square.
Takeaway:

Anthropometric
Considerations
Determining the thickness of
each piece.
Want pieces to be thick so they are easy for
kids with minimal fine motor skills to
manipulate.
From observations, I estimate that kids grip a block with the portion
of their fingers from fingertip to the beginning of the middle
phalanges. (e.g. shown to the left)
This distance appears to be roughly 1/3 of the finger length, so
I will use this as my metric for the thickness of each piece. I
chose middle finger length as it is the longest finger.
Measurements:
95th percentile of middle finger length of 2–3-year-old children
(male and female): 4.9 cm
Using 95th percentile to accommodate larger hands. Small
hands can easily grip something that is too thick by gripping only
the top of the piece; however, if a piece is too thin, it is harder for
larger hands to grip and maneuver said piece.
Note:
Piece Thickness:
Piece thickness = 1/3 * 95th percentile
middle finger length
Piece thickness = 1/3 * 4.9 cm = 1.62 cm

Anthropometric
Considerations
Determining limits for the weight
of each piece.
As kids will be holding pieces
with a pinch grip, it is
important to know their
pinch strength. I will use the
tripod pinch for this metric.
Measurements:
5th percentile tripod pinch strength of the nondominant
hand of 3-year-olds: 2.3 lbs
(Lee-Valkov, 2003)
Takeaway:
The weight of each individual piece cannot exceed 2.3 lbs.
It should not come close to 2.3 lbs as this data is from 3-
year-olds, and this product is intended for use by children
aged 2-3.

𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅:
𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 = 𝐹 𝑥 𝑑 = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 ∗ 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑚 = 0.02 𝑘𝑔 ∗ 9.81
𝑚
𝑠2
∗ 0.9525 𝑚 ∗ 0.44
= 0.1962 𝑁 ∗ 0.4191 𝑚 = 0.082 𝑁𝑚
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 =
𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝑑
=
0.082 𝑁𝑚
0.07 𝑚
= 1.17 N
𝐶𝑆 = −13331.2 − 73.7 𝑥 3 − 962.6 𝑥 1 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 + 403 𝑥 48 + 79.8 𝑥 14.42 𝑘𝑔 = 4923.32
𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝟑 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚:
Biomechanical Analysis
The weight of each piece is inconsequential to the total compressive strength of a 3-year-old
boy; even if holding a piece with arms fully extended, the piece creates a load on the L5-S1 joint
of only 0.02% of the child’s total compressive strength.
Assumptions of calculations: 0.9525 m tall 3-year-old boy weighing 14.42 kg
(average weight and height of 3-year-old); estimated each piece weighs 20 g
Therefore, any musculoskeletal injuries will be inherent to the child’s posture while playing
and not the nature of the toy itself.

What are
PuzzleBlocks?
PuzzleBlocks are essentially a combination of
blocks and puzzles; these thick, square pieces
fit together with geometric male and female
connectors and are designed to naturally fit
the hand of a 2-3-year-old allowing easy
maneuverability. There is no solution, just a
whole bunch of pieces. The child must use
their imagination, linking as many blocks as
they want in any shape they can think of, so
long as the shapes of the connectors are
compatible. Along the way the child will
develop their fine motor skills, problem-
solving abilities, and creativity.

Rounded edges
promote safe play
Geometric connectors
encourage shape learning
4.4 cm width and
length of pieces
affords easy gripping
and maneuvering
while preventing
choking
A 1.62 cm thickness provides
perfect amount of surface for
2-3-year-old to grip each
piece
Acrylic material is non-toxic
and durable

Intended
Users
Who
2-3-year-olds.
Why
• At 2 children engage in building play w/ simple 2-Dimensional patterns (Montana State
Library, n.d.)
• At 2 kids can use one hand while holding something in the other and can construct 8-10
block towers (CDC, 2022)
• 2 is an ideal age to begin learning shapes (ACA, 2017)
• Older kids welcome to use PuzzleBlocks but it may be too simple or not engaging for them

Prototype
Cut shapes out of
foam board.
Glued and stacked
cutouts to obtain
adequate thickness
Colored pieces with
child-safe markers.
Note: was going to
make prototype with
acrylic using laser
cutter, but machine was
broken the week before
I scheduled my user
testing

User
Testing
Subjects: two recently-turned three
siblings
Location: their playroom
How: pieces were laid on their floor in
front of them, and they were told there
was a new puzzle for them to play with
Description
Link to video of user testing:
Link

User Testing
Metrics
Effectiveness
• Did the user
connect all
pieces together
in some
pattern?
• If not, how
many pieces
were they able
to link together?
Efficiency
• How many ”errors”
were made in the
construction process?
• Namely, how many
times was a piece
picked up and then
put down because the
user was unable to
find a place for it to fit?
• How many times did
they force a piece into
a wrong position?
Maneuverability
• Was the user able
to hold and
manipulate the
pieces easily?
• Did they ever
drop a piece or
display struggles
trying to position
a piece?
Satisfaction
• Did the user
enjoy their
experience
using the
blocks?
• Hard to quantify
and is largely
based on the
user’s feedback.
• Can look at
time on task

• First user connected 3/6 pieces
• Second user connected 2/6 pieces
• Seemed to lose interest – left to play with other toys or their pet guinea
pig
Effectiveness:
Efficiency:
Results
User Testing
First User:
• Made two errors: forced a round peg into a square hole and picked up a piece, couldn’t
make it fit, and put it down
Second User:
• Made two errors: twice she picked up pieces and couldn’t find a place for them to fit
• Successfully fit two pieces together and promptly disconnected them – not an error

Maneuverability
• Hard to quantify.
• Neither exhibited any difficulty maneuvering pieces.
• Easily grasped and positioned pieces with one hand.
• Zero pieces were dropped accidentally.
Satisfaction
• The first user spent 1’ 30” on task while the second spent only 50”.
• When asked “Did you like the puzzle?” the users responded with a
simple, “yes”.
• When asked whether they liked to make different shapes with the
puzzles, the users said ‘”mhm” and nodded their heads.
• Time on task seems to conflict verbal responses
User
Testing
Results

While I do want the toy to remain
challenging, I think that there is
room for improvement in
effectiveness. In a redesign, I may
consider adding magnets to the
connectors which would encourage
proper alignment of the pieces and
would also reduce errors.
Add magnets.
I noticed that the second user
tried to connect pieces based
on color which was not my
original intention. This suggests
color-coding the connectors –
e.g. making all round pegs and
holes blue - could help users
connect more pieces while
simultaneously reducing errors.
Add color-coding.
Redesign
Applying what I learned in user testing to
the redesign of PuzzleBlocks.

Further Notes on the User Testing
• Major distractions were present during user testing – other toys,
guinea pig, snacks
• Distractions could have played a roll in the users’ relatively short time
on task
• I had my sister conduct the testing as she was baby sitting two kids of
appropriate age at the time

The
App
Link to the design:
Link
Link to prototype for
iPhone 8 Plus:
Link
Note: the design is
responsive and can
be adapted to fit any
phone or tablet size

Design Considerations on the App
I used Nielsen’s HCI Heuristics to design and evaluate my app.
#1: Visibility of system status:
• Headers on each page tell user which section they are in
• Buttons change color when pressed
Selected
Non-Selected
#2: Match between system and the real world:
• Simple language used – simple, intuitive interface
#3: User control and freedom
• Back buttons at the top of the “Directions” and “Pictures”
pages allow user to quickly return to the home-screen
• Menu button at top of home screen (and buttons at
bottom of screen) provide quick access to app’s functions
#4: Consistency and standards
• Font and colors are consistent throughout app
• Standards: N/A
r

Design Considerations on the App
#5: Error prevention:
• Can’t think of any possible errors
• Back button on each page to “undo” mis click of a button
#6: Recognition rather than recall:
• Buttons are labeled so user doesn’t need to remember
their function
#7: Flexibility and efficiency of use
• N/A – no short cuts as interface is very simple
#8: Aesthetic and minimal design:
• Simple color scheme
• Only essential information; images do not distract from
important info
#9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
• N/A
#10: Help and documentation
• N/A

I did not have time to conduct
any usability testing with the
high-fidelity prototype of my
app, thus my only iterations
are it and the wireframe
(shown to the right).
Design Iterations on the App
I received some feedback on
my wireframe from friends
and parents who suggest I
simplify the “Pictures” page
and put a “Back” button at
the top of both the ”Pictures”
and “Directions” pages that
returns you to the “Home”
page.

Discussion
and
Reflection
Takeaways from product
development:
• Don’t get too attached to a particular
concept or design as user research may
reveal major flaws with said design
• Don’t assume you know how the user will
interact with your product – you need to
think about all possible affordances of the
design
• It takes a lot more work than I expected to
go from a concept in my head to a physical
product – need dimensions based on
anthropometry, a 3D model in CAD, a
prototyping plan, material choice, etc.

Discussion
and
Reflection
Takeaways from app
development:
• Figma is a wonderful tool once you
understand how to use it, BUT there is a
significant learning curve
• Heuristic review is an efficient and effective
way to assess a user interface (i.e. I will never
forget Nielsen’s 10 HCI Heuristics)
• Wireframing is a very quick way to get a low
fidelity prototype to show to potential users
before you waste your time in Figma
designing something that has major usability
errors

Discussion
and
Reflection
Favorite quotes from lecture:
• “Always design for the back of the room”
• “it is insufficient to just make the technology
work, the people need to actually be able to
use it”
• “this is a profession where coming in naïve is
an asset”
Main takeaways:
• Can’t downplay the importance of
affordances (there are Norman doors in the
brand-new Cummings building)
• Never assume
• Always put the user first
• It is your fault if someone gets hurt using your
design
• Design is a process, and one that should not
be done alone

ACA. (2017, October 27). What Age Should Your Child Learn Shapes and Colors? Austin Childrens Academy.
http://austinchildrensacademy.org/aca-blog/children-learning-shapes-and-colors/
Arnav Arun. (2021, August 3). 10 BEST TOYS FOR 2-3 YEAR OLD TODDLERS 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU6u4N0Tcrw
Cameron, C. E., Brock, L. L., Murrah, W. M., Bell, L. H., Worzalla, S. L., Grissmer, D., & Morrison, F. J. (2012). Fine Motor Skills and Executive
Function Both Contribute to Kindergarten Achievement. Child
Development, 83(4), 1229–1244. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01768.x
CDC. (2022a, March 31). What developmental milestones is your 2-year-old reaching? Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html
CDC. (2022b, March 31). What developmental milestones is your 3-year-old reaching? Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-3yr.html
Hakkarainen, P., Bredikyte, M., Jakkula, K., & Munter, H. (2013). Adult play guidance and children’s play development in a narrative
play-world. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21(2), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2013.789189
Hudson’s Playground. (2019, February 15). Kids playing with blocks building | Having fun playing with mega bloks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jME3M5nw2lI
Lee-Valkov, P. M., Aaron, D. H., Eladoumikdachi, F., Thornby, J., & Netscher, D. T. (2003). Measuring normal hand dexterity values in
normal 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children and their relationship with grip and pinch strength. Journal of Hand Therapy, 16(1), 22–28.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0894-1130(03)80020-0
References

Mama Mica. (2020, May 27). MY 2 YEAR OLD’S TOP 10 TOYS | TODDLER TOYS 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac2NP77Ypj8
Montana State Library. Stages in Block Play [Pamphlet].
https://docs.msl.mt.gov/librariesweb/documents/Ready2Read/PlaySpace/pg_rrps_stagesinblockplay.pdf
Montessori Motherhood. (2022, March 3). Three Year Olds Montessori Shelf. #montessoritoddler #montessorishelf
#montessoriathome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l-iAfa3p3o
My Jewish Mommy Life. (2021, April 18). THE ULTIMATE BEST TOYS FOR (3) THREE YEAR OLDS!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68vg5JpSvfw
Oberer, N., Gashaj, V., & Roebers, C. M. (2017). Motor skills in kindergarten: Internal structure, cognitive correlates and
relationships to background variables. Human Movement Science, 52, 170–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2017.02.002
Play & Build. (2020, February 9). Kids wooden Building blocks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrsBPr8uH2c
Purdue Extension. (2013, November 6). Block Party: The Importance of Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olV5Cla-j_g
Roebers, C. M., Röthlisberger, M., Neuenschwander, R., Cimeli, P., Michel, E., & Jäger, K. (2014). The relation between cognitive and
motor performance and their relevance for children’s transition to school: A latent variable approach. Human Movement
Science, 33, 284–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2013.08.011
The Confused Mom. (2020, November 15). GIFT GUIDE FOR TODDLERS | Montessori Toys 1-2 Years Old We Own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMo-j3YjRMQ
The Confused Mom. (2021, November 11). GIFT GUIDE 2 TO 3 YEARS OLD | Montessori Toys We Actually Own!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrRMx1PugQ
This Family Thing. (2020, July 26). Montessori For 1-2 year olds | PART 1 | Activities, Toys & Resources.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCAFTWJgl4
Tinmannsvik, L., & Bjelland, H. V. (2009). Children and aesthetics: Exploring toddlers’ aesthetic experience of everyday products.
International Journal of Product Development, 9(4), 370–388. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPD.2009.027471
References

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