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Check out the complete UX design process ⬇️

The User

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1. USER RESEARCH

Here’s what I discovered.

PRIMARY User Research

Being a parent myself (and a Montessori Guide), I couldn't help but wonder: are other parents with young kids facing similar challenges? To get to the heart of the matter, I jumped right in with interviews and empathy maps to truly understand what makes parents tick.

The results? Buckle up, because here's what the research revealed:

PASSIONATE EDUCATORS

A group of parents who prioritize equipping their children with high-quality learning materials to develop core skills like motor development, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving. They also understand the importance of their own continuous learning and actively seek out courses that delve into the depths of parenthood.

TIME CRUNCH

Significant obstacles related to time constraints.

  • Overwhelmed by daily obligations and additional commitments (e.g. children's sports activities)

  • Limited time for physical searches for educational toys (less than 30 minutes a week reported)

STRESS AND FRUSTRATION

The lack of time often leads to feelings of stress and frustration for parents who want to provide the best learning tools for their children.

SECONDARY User Research

My studies as a Montessori Guide has instilled in me a deep belief in the value of educational toys. This belief is supported by a wealth of research conducted by experts. Have a look!

Educational toys:

  • play a crucial role in enhancing cognitive development in children

  • aid in improving perception, attention, memory, and thinking processes, which are interconnected in human cognition

  • help children develop fundamental skills such as cognitive thinking (classification, comparison, understanding of concepts and spatial awareness), problem-solving and the ability to think in different ways

  • promote intelligence development, making them essential tools for cognitive growth in children

Pain Points

  • TIME

    Parents are too busy to spend time going to toy shops

  • SELECTION

    Toy platforms offer too much choice, and it is difficult to select the best solution in terms of engagement and educational experience

  • CONFIDENCE

    Confusion about the true benefits of toys and how to use them effectively

  • GUIDANCE

    There is no expert support to guide the choice towards the option that best meets the user's needs

Bibliography

Cankaya, O., Rohatyn-Martin, N., Leach, J., Taylor, K., & Bulut, O. (2023). Preschool children's loose parts play and the relationship to cognitive development: A review of the literature. Journal of Intelligence, 11(8), 151.

Abdul Kazem, M. M. (2022). The effects of educational games on the development of some cognitive skills in children aged 4-5 years. Journal of STEPS for humanities and social sciences.

Loka, N., & Diana, R. R. (2022). Improving cognitive ability through educational games in early childhood. JOYCED Journal of Early Childhood Education.

Saikia, H. (2023). Review of educational toy design elements and their importance in child development from a cognitive perspective. Pharma Innovation, 12(5), 1030-1033.

2. CRAFTING USER PERSONAS

Let's meet Iris.

  • Age: 41
    Education: Master’s degree
    Status: Partner, two kids
    Occupation: Online teacher
    Location: Olgiate Comasco
    Tech literacy: High

  • Iris is a 41-year-old online teacher who lives with their partner and two children. Iris loves to learn, knows all the best educational methodologies, including Montessori, and wants to offer the best to their kids. Iris left their full-time job to be more present in their kids' daily life, but still has to focus on their teaching job and all kids' activities throughout the day. Iris would appreciate some guidance to save the energy they have to put into researching the best toys. Being able to shop in a more focused way and receiving expert support in the selection process would get this worry off their mind.

Dedicated

•

Discerning

•

Time conscious

•

Tech-savvy

•

Dedicated • Discerning • Time conscious • Tech-savvy •

“In this tech-crazy world, I still love the simplicity of wooden toys!”

  • PROBLEM STATEMENT

    Iris, a busy freelance mom, wants to find the perfect educational toys for her kids but feels overwhelmed by choices due to limited time for research.

    This makes her feel frustrated and unsure.

  • CORE NEEDS

    • Offer their children engaging and educational experiences

    • Make informed decisions about toy purchases

    • Minimize the energy they have to put into researching the best toys, so they can focus on daily activities

  • FRUSTRATIONS

    • “Too many toy choices make it hard to pick the right ones”

    • “An expert online salesperson would help me to make more efficient and targeted purchases”

    • “It's a pity that there isn't a downloadable product guide”

3. USER JOURNEY MAPS

Iris's toy market experience? Frustrating!

Mapping Iris's user journey revealed that users would find it helpful to have access to a dedicated app where they could easily and efficiently purchase toys based on recognized learning approaches.

  • Sparking curiosity: Iris notices her baby's interest in threading and starts searching online for a learning toy.

  • Researching a specific toy: rings on peg

  • Making a decision and purchasing

  • Receiving the toy and engaging with child

  • Sustainable learning with a click: Piccoli Esploratori meets Iris' needs

DOING.

  • 1.

    Quickly scrolling through online stores, Iris searches for an engaging and educational toy that will support her 9-month-old's development.

  • 2.

    Dives into online research for wooden rings on peg: visiting websites, reading reviews and consulting parenting blogs for recommendations.

  • 3.

    Compares prices across different retailers, quickly reads return policies, and adds the chosen learning toy to her cart.

  • 4.

    Eagerly opens the package containing the rings on peg learning toy, inspects the quality, sets it up with her kid.

  • 5.

    Uses the Piccoli Esploratori app to research and purchase educational learning toys for her child. Filters by age and selects the preferred category within the app to find suitable toys. Reads reviews and recommendations from other parents directly on the platform.

THINKING.

  • 1.

    • Wow, so many options! But how do I know what's actually good for my kids' learning?

    • Ugh, I just don't have time to research every single toy. There must be a better way!

  • 2.

    • If only I knew more about my child's developmental stages!

    • Is this toy safe and well-made? Some reviews mention choking hazards, that worries me

    • This set is made of sustainable wood, which is important to me. But is the paint used safe and certified?

  • 3.

    • Just hope the return policy is easy in case the quality is not as expected

    • I wish there were some ideas on how to introduce this set to my child to maximize its learning potential

    • Will this set actually help my 9-month-old develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and color recognition?

  • 4.

    • Wow, the wood feels sturdy and smooth, perfect for little hands

    • If only finding the perfect toy hadn't been such a hassle! All that research took so much time...

    • There must be a better way to save me time and stress!

  • 5.

    • Wow, this Piccoli Esploratori app is amazing! It's so much easier to find high-quality educational toys now!

    • I can filter by my child's age and find the perfect learning materials to support their development

    • Love that this app prioritizes sustainable materials too, just like me

FEELING.

  • 1. 🤯

    • Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices on top of daily obligations

    • Discouraged that finding the right toys is an impossible task

  • 2. 🧐

    • Hopeful of finding perfect learning toy

    • Confused by conflicting information coming from negative reviews

    • Frustrated by the lack of clear information

  • 3. 😐

    • Relieved to have found a seemingly good option

    • Apprehensive about making the wrong choice

    • Doubtful about her ability to help her child engage with the toy effectively

  • 4. 😌

    • Eager to witness her child's engagement with the toy

    • Relieved that the quality is as expected

    • Hopeful that the toy will promote learning as intended

  • 5. 🤩

    • Empowered to make informed decisions about her children's toys

    • Relieved for no more overwhelming research

    • Confident the app helps her choose toys that support her children's development

4. HOW CAN I ENHANCE THE UX?

  • Homepage should allow immediate selection of a child's age range and desired learning areas

  • Toy recommendations based on experts research and past purchases + learning potential that can be developed

  • Examples of engaging learning activities using the toy

  • Downloadable play guides

  • Return policy details in a user-friendly format

  • Paid courses led by experienced childcare professionals

  • One-on-one online consultations with the experts

  • Loyalty program

Two stages, one goal

  • 1. First, I'll focus on designing a user-friendly app that allows parents to easily purchase high-quality learning toys and activities.

  • 2. Then, in the second phase, I'll expand the parental training section. This section could potentially include one-on-one consultations with experts, offering a comprehensive learning resource for parents.