Inspiring design: the use of photo elicitation and lomography in gaining the child’s perspectiveLynne Hall, Susan Jones, Marc Hall, Joanne Richardson & John Hodgson
Overview
Designing with children in eCIRCUS Photography as design input Lomography and photo elicitation Design Context: Water Safety Gaining inspiration – our experience
Designing with children in eCIRCUS eCIRCUS: FP6 project – technology
enhanced personal, social and emotional learning
Aims to provide a classroom-based,
curriculum-focused participatory design approach
Increase and improve involvement of primary users and stakeholders
eCIRCUS approach
Participatory, child-centred, aims to reflect children’s interests and activities
Range of methods and techniques Child as informant Aims to reflect adult-child dynamic in
classroom context Takes into account curricular needs of
teachers and pupils Small group activities (best practice key
stage 2 and 3) Covers aspects of national curriculum
Photography
Powerful medium for documenting human experience Used to mark key events and remember the past Can generate concepts and ideas with visual methods
increasingly gaining attention Photography offers potential for analysis and dialogue
stimulation Photographic content can be fed into design process Use of photography matches increasing visual (digital)
communication approach Successfully used in cultural probes and diary
methods
Using photography for design input Typically structured experience with
photos required of specific artefacts or events
Our approach More in common with “probing”FlexibleChild chooses what to record and
presentLomography
Method
Using photography to support design with children Children keen to use personal technology Cameras high availability and increasing
sites and software aimed at supporting children’s sharing of photos
Provide a focal point rather than child themselves
Photographer has guaranteed knowledge about the photo
Helps children to express themselves and offer information
Lomography
Photography technique developed as a response to over arty and stylistic photographic approaches
Name and initial approach based on a small Russian camera Multiple frames of same photo Flexible, quick, unstructured photography
Nearly lost, but rediscovered by a group of students
Now very popular approach to photography
“Doing” Lomography
Meant to be fun Freedom - photo anything you want,
anytime, anywhere Aims to capture everyday experience Personal and free form of photography Ideally suited to the digital age Camera is always there and aims to
enhance the user experience
Photo Elicitation
Lomography used as basis for photo elicitation
Using photos as talking points stimulates discussion, memories and ideas (e.g. autodriving, photo voice)
Limited use but has been successful for stimulating dialogue with adults and children
Design Context
11-13 year olds Enhance “Water Safety Roadshow” held in
Sunderland schools Web-based application Serious issue - one of most common
causes of death for age group Children NOT aware of intended design
context No structure / focus pre-provided for photos
Approach
Ten 11-12 year olds Disposable cameras provided for one
school week Group based discussion,
categorisation and annotation of photos
Occurred in the classroom but after school
Results: main images
Technology, phones, computers Animals and pets Outdoor scenery, areas and activities People – friends, family
Lomo examples
Results: categorisation and discussion Children engaged with process Readily discussed own and other’s photo
contents Collaborative activity with turn taking and
happy dialogue Considerable agreement about allocation of
photos to categories and in annotation Provision of emotional and personal
information about photos
Results and design context
Children unaware of intended context BUT
Significant number of images with water (beach, fountains, pools, fish ponds, etc.)
Water images positively described Children strong fascination with water
and play near it
Design Inspiration from photos
Water movement• Waves which splash• Water rippling in
fountains / ponds Local landmarks and
scenery Fish in water Fun and engaging
aspects of water
Lomo used in design
Design Inspiration
Using lomography and photo elicitation with children Care-free style retains fun and excitement of taking
photos Photos ideal vehicles for discussion Small group, class-based activity that is fun and
enjoyable for all Links well to National Curriculum (Art & Design, ICT,
Literacy, etc.) Unplanned nature still produced valuable information
We had forgotten the fascination that water holds for children, but on reflection can all remember!
Summary
Lomography combined with photo elicitation and categorisation effective for gaining useful data from children
Fun, interesting and stimulating Can be used in the classroom and
links to curriculum Valuable and effective input for
designing with children