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Thinkathon · NYU Shanghai × Microsoft · 2020

K!nnected

The prompt: “How might we help people in quarantine?” Our answer: a screen-free smart toy for young kids stuck at home, with an app for parents and a site where anyone can make games for it.

Role
UX Designer & Team Lead
Team
4 students: Sonny Y, Katie L, Thomas Y and me
Scope
Research, toy, parent app, creator website
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Sketch, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro
K!nnected toy: a wooden 5x5 game board with colorful cubes
Winner Winning project of the 2020 NYU Shanghai × Microsoft Thinkathon
3 Connected products: the toy, a parent app, a creator website
2 Rounds of research: a parent survey, then family interviews

The pitch

Kids were stuck at home, and it showed

23%of primary school kids in lockdown in Hubei showed signs of depression; 19% showed anxiety.

Source: JAMA Pediatrics study of 1,784 students, spring 2020, via Contagion Live

Research

A survey first, then families face to face

Round 1

Parent questionnaire

What do kids play with? Any signs of low mood since lockdown? What worries parents most?

The parent questionnaire on preschool toys and play
Round 2

Interviews with parents and kids

We sat down with families to test what the survey suggested.

“My twins […] watch Peppa Pig […] for almost 5 hours a day.”Parent of 3-year-old twins
“… all these one time use toys that I would buy and my children won’t use.”Parent, on toy shopping
Asked for their favorite toy, the twins grabbed mom’s phone.From our interview

Who we designed for

Problem statement

How might we create a toy for kids that is re-playable, fun, educational, and easy on their eyes?

Competitors

Screen-free toys were built for older kids

Lego Mindstorms Tinkamo iPad apps K!nnected
EducationalHardwareCoding logicMany appsMatching & grouping
Easy on eyesFew screensFew screensScreen-basedNo screen
Re-playableRebuildableRebuildableApp StoreNew games anytime
Ages7–125+AnyPreschool and up

The only option that worked for a 3-year-old was a screen. That was our gap.

The design

One toy, three ways in

Board and cube configurations
For kids · The toy

A board and smart cubes

  • A 5×5 wooden board with lights and sound for feedback, and no screen.
  • Color-coded cubes with RFID tags, so each side can mean something different in a game.
  • Load a new game and the same toy plays differently. Built to play together, like chess.
  1. 13D model: processor, RFID readers, LED rings, speaker
  2. 2Cardboard, then laser-cut wood with working lights
Illustration: a parent loads a game onto the toy from their phone Parent app screens
For parents · The app

Pick the games, stay in control

  • Pairs with the toy from a parent’s phone.
  • Browse, buy and load games by genre, like education and music.
  • Parents decide what the toy plays, without handing kids a screen.
K!nnected Create: block-based game editor with a board preview
For creators · The website

Anyone can make a game

  • Block-based coding, so no programming experience needed.
  • Preview on a virtual board, then publish and earn when parents buy.
  • More creators means more games, which keeps the toy fresh.

Testing

We went back to the twins

Kids playing with the K!nnected prototype at home
Playtesting the prototype at home

What we built

A full ecosystem for kids, parents and creators, from two rounds of research to a working light-up prototype, and the winning pitch.

With more time

Build one complete game for the board, test with more kids, and study what amateur game makers need from the creator site.

Want the full walkthrough?

I’m happy to walk through the research, prototypes and team process in a conversation.

Get in touch Back to start: Measure Square →