Fossily
Fossil Identification app for Kids
INTRODUCTION
Upgrade quality time with curiosity
During family outings in nature, there is an opportunity for a special connection between parents and children. In addition, going out into nature stimulates children's curiosity.
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory” Dr. Seuss
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
Children as users
-
Driven by curiosity
-
Too many options can confuse them
-
They lack the ability to filter the main point from the noise, so we have to avoid distractions
-
Children under a certain age cannot read
-
Flexibility of use- they will try to do the same action in different ways
-
Looking for the on-screen instructions and voice support
USABILITY TESTING
4 main tasks:
-
Definition of a fossil process
-
My Fossils page- what information is shown there and how it is related to the next page of a specific fossil
-
Screens where help from parents will be required
-
Route finding process
THE SOLUTION
Home screen
Users expect that it will be possible to go back one screen by swiping to the opposite direction that the screen entered from.
A picturesque opening screen with animation and 3 main choices:
-
Take a picture of a fossil
-
Route search
-
My fossil collection
Definition of fossil
In this process the users take a picture of the fossil, the system identifies it and allows users to discover the fossil with a brush, like geologists.
In the screen with the brush where the fossil is revealed, after the users realized that they needed to click several times, they clicked too much and created an error in the next screen.
By adding feedback at the end of the exposure - confetti and "well done" problem solved. In addition, it created a sense of success among the users.
My fossils and collecting medals
For each fossil a user finds, they can get four medals by learning about and researching the fossil. Each medal is given after completing one of four categories: general information, area of the world where it lived, period it lived, and games related to a fossil and its definition.
Link between pages by the same element- on the "My Fossil" screen the medal is located next to the number of completed missions out of four. On the specific fossil screen, completed missions are marked with a medal.
The added value that parents bring
Parents are partners in using the app. They choose the most suitable route based on the family's preferences. In addition, while navigating to the fossil, parents have the opportunity to be a significant part of the experience and develop the navigation skills of their children.
CONCLUSION
Expect the unexpected
When designing for children, it's essential to consider that their mental models differ from those of adults. Children are curious and less likely to think in structured ways, but their ability to draw conclusions is weaker, so the information presented needs to be clear. I wouldn't have reached these conclusions without usability testing. Therefore, I recommend not skipping usability tests when designing products for children, and don't forget to bring juice and snacks to create a positive atmosphere that will help maximize the process :)
