KIMO is an innovative online streaming tablet application designed specifically for children and their parents. Tasked with developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), the project unfolded over an extended timeline of 10 days, initially planned for 6. As the sole designer on this endeavor, my role encompassed the entire design process.
The core objective of KIMO is to provide a curated and engaging platform for children, offering a secure and enjoyable streaming experience. The application's user-friendly interface caters to the unique needs of both children and parents, ensuring a seamless and interactive viewing environment. This project not only underscores my ability to navigate tight timelines and deliver results but also showcases my proficiency in crafting designs that prioritize user experience, safety, and entertainment for the target audience.
In this phase, I developed a 4x4 Mini-Design Brief. I had certain assumptions about the target audience, identifying conscious parents and their kids as the ideal users. Recognizing the substantial size of the 6-12 age group, I proactively planned for target segmentation, distinguishing between older and younger children to better tailor the product to their specific needs.
This framework helps articulate project goals, understand the target audience, visualize the desired outcome, and clarify the overarching purpose of the design endeavor. By providing a clear and focused snapshot of critical project aspects, the 4x4 Mini-Design Brief serves as a practical guide for designers, fostering efficient decision-making and ensuring alignment with project objectives.
For the initial phase, I established a Spring Schedule to effectively manage my time and tasks, accompanied by a basic outline outlining the planned processes and tools. Initially, the client allocated a 6-day timeline for the entire process and MVP delivery. Subsequently, we extended it to 10 days.
In the Business Case, my research revealed an extremely limited number of movie and TV show streaming apps designed for kids aged 12 and older. This scarcity extends to kids over 8 as well. I was curious about the reasons behind the lack of such apps for older kids in the market.
For the Competitor Analysis, I compiled a table summarizing various applications and their features. I personally tested all of them on my iPad and gathered information about them. Notably, Netflix stands out by offering a more extensive range of features compared to other software. Despite not being specifically designed for kids, Netflix includes a Kid Mode.
There are very few apps for streaming movies or TV shows tailored for kids aged 6-14, and the number is even lower for those over 12.
Many of these apps, especially servers like Nickelodeon, are not reachable from European IP addresses.
Kids in the U.S. between 2 and 10 years old spend an average of 18.6 hours per week engaged in screen-based play.
On average, 38% of parents use home-network filters, while 31% use parental control software.
Parents of younger teens (ages 13-14) are more likely to restrict the time or specific times when their teens can go online compared to parents of 15 to 17-year-olds.
During this phase, I encountered both failures and successes, which is part of the nature of UX and creative work. I initiated with a survey for Hungarian parents, followed by a pilot survey for international parents. The final survey was then conducted for an international audience, aiming to gain a basic understanding of the target's behavior.
In the pilot phase, I found it beneficial for testing my questions, especially across Hungarian and international parents. However, I decided to only present the results of the the third survey here. The quantitative research results revealed several insights:
Parents and kids enjoy watching TV shows and movies together.
A notable percentage of kids use their parents' digital devices without permission, while only 33% of parents use parental controls.
About 22% of parents set limits on movie-watching.
Password protection is favored, as 72% of kids don't know the passcode to their parents' mobile phones.
Regarding parental control, 50% use it on tablets, but overall satisfaction with existing systems is low.
By the end of this phase, it became clear to me that the surveys conducted were insufficient for accurately gauging the needs and pain points of parents. Additionally, the results lacked statistical significance. To delve deeper and gain a more profound understanding of the target audience, I decided to collect more data. This led to the recording of user interviews, focusing on the participants' personal experiences, problems, and needs.
As part of my usual process, I transcribed the questions and answers into an Excel file for comprehensive analysis.
Visualizing the interview results, I created an affinity diagram highlighting the participant's most common fears. It emerged that the participant maintains a cautious distance from technology, despite acknowledging its utility. The participant expressed concerns about encountering negative and inappropriate online content, particularly fearing the kid's exposure to sexual content. The participant also shared worries about potential technology addiction. They believed that a combination of education, well-defined boundaries, and parental controls could collectively address these concerns, fostering the development of the kid's self-control.
James
34 years old, father of a 10 years old boy
Mark
28 years old, father of a 6 years old girl
Thomas
37 years old, father of a 7 years old boy
Sarah
34 years old, mother of a 9 years old girl
James
34 years old, father of a 10 years old boy
Thomas
37 years old, father of a 7 years old boy
Tanya
27 years old, mother of 2 kids
At this point, I recognized that the existing data might be insufficient, prompting me to gather additional information.
I opted not to conduct interviews with kids for specific reasons, primarily due to tight project deadlines. Additional considerations include the substantial variability among kids in terms of needs, motivations, and fears, considering cultural differences and age groups as vital variables. Recording interviews with kids is time-consuming, involving ethical problem resolution, statement creation, and signing procedures, which exceeds the time required for testing with adults.
Questions about potential changes in kids' behavior under different conditions, the necessity of parental presence during interviews, and the reliability of their responses also factored into this decision, with literature review and optimal conditions formation as potential solutions.
To enhance the context and validate or challenge assumptions, I conducted third-party research, focusing on academic studies and articles from reputable research institutions. Rigorous scrutiny was applied to the institutions and study objectives. The outcome involved the identification of three crucial topics, wherein I delved into the most pertinent and significant information.
The table on Media Consumption by Age provides valuable insights, revealing that many kids own tablets and particularly enjoy using them. Notably, YouTube emerges as the favorite app for video consumption among kids, showcasing a diverse interest beyond cartoons and movies.
Recognizing the substantial variability among kids in different age groups is pivotal for effective target segmentation.
Delving into kids' physical and mental health risks associated with digital devices and the internet, the research uncovers three primary concerns: eyesight and posture problems due to excessive screen time, the risk of addiction with some kids exceeding 6 hours of device use daily, and the potential for mental disorders. UNICEF's time-limitation guideline serves as a reference for defining appropriate limits for kids.
Excessive screen time can be detrimental to children's eyesight, and the use of tablets and mobile devices may elevate the risk of developing poor posture.
According to UNICEF guidelines, children aged 2-10 years are recommended a maximum of 1 hour of screen time per day. For those aged 10 and above, the suggestion is 2 hours per day, to be engaged in after completing homework. A strict limit of 3 hours is set, emphasizing that exceeding this timeframe may have adverse effects on kids.
Children can become easily "addicted" to excessive screen time, and surpassing 6 hours per day may lead to depression in children. Guidelines to identify if your child is addicted include observing changes in behavior, increased irritability when not using screens, neglect of other activities, and a noticeable impact on their social interactions.
Informed by the findings from the research phase, I developed three personas: Peter and Patricia, representing parents. Peter is the conscious and protective archetype. Rachel is depicted as Peter's child. Additionally, Patricia is portrayed as a busy mom eager to transform her habits.
On this map, numerous elements stand out. One notable aspect is that parents invest a significant amount of time in research and creating an environment, setting up devices for movies, and TV shows. Additionally, they diligently observe their kids while watching movies, which demands considerable energy. They also encounter various negative aspects of the internet and digital devices.
I formulated these principles based on suggestions from the Nielsen Norman Group, with a strong emphasis on flexibility. I specifically considered the diverse needs of children across different age groups, taking into account variations in habits, motor skills, cognitive abilities, and more.
Minimizing navigation elements such as scrolling and back buttons while emphasizing swiping, tapping, and dragging interactions.
Parental control settings should be exclusively managed by parents, with the provision for older kids' parents to toggle parental controls on and off as needed.
Implementing large and conspicuous buttons to facilitate one-handed interactions.
The styling should cater to all age groups and avoid appearing overly childish.
To begin with, I established the personality aspects of the app named KIMO, derived from "Kids" and "Movies," and also echoing the German word "kino," meaning movie theater. The primary and essential characteristics of the app revolve around being exceptionally friendly and trustworthy.
As the initial step, we brainstormed key features for the app using Design Studio, and the outcomes were synthesized into a mind map. Features marked with a green dot in the right bottom corner signify action items (todos).
Prior to initiating the wireframing process, I generated sketches and presented them to the client for feedback.
Following the preceding phase, I engaged in brainstorming sessions for the UI design, adhering to the previously established principles. Initially considering a unicorn theme for its fun and friendly appeal, I later reconsidered, realizing that it might not be entirely gender-neutral, given the target audience of children.
Subsequently, I crafted the next version featuring an astronaut bear, maintaining a humorous and amicable character while addressing concerns about gender neutrality.
