Research methods
Three research methods were used in this thesis project. I sent out a survey, conducted interviews and worked on a comparative analysis of existing AR storybooks.
The survey
I created an anonymous, mixed method survey titled “How are parents/caretakers doing storytelling with children?” I sent it out to parents and caretakers of children. For the purposes of the survey, the word “caretaker” is defined as anyone 18 or older who has done storytelling with a child or children (i.e. older siblings, grandparents, teachers). I kept this survey broad in order to gain an understanding of the openness, if any, to technology in storytelling. I did not lead toward AR storytelling specifically. Stigma around AR technology could have played a factor in the way the survey questions were perceived. I wanted as unbiased an answer as possible. The language of the survey is key. For that reason the questions generalize storytelling through multiple technology driven methods. The survey yielded 52 responses total. The table below shows each question.
1.In one or two words, please describe what you use to tell or read stories to your children (or younger siblings). (i.e. a book, kindle, tablet, etc.)
2. Do you allow your children (or younger siblings) to use your mobile phone or tablet? (or to use their own?)
3. If you chose "Yes", please describe what your child uses the mobile/tablet device for. If you chose "No" please describe why not.
4. On a scale of 1 to 5, how open are you to storytelling through technology? (For example, storytelling using Alexa or Google devices, Siri, virtual reality, augmented reality, etc.)
5. Please describe in a few words why you chose your number on the previous question.
6. Storytelling is valuable for the learning experience, especially for children. During the 2020 Pandemic shutdown, many families had to use technology in ways that they hadn't before. Certain jobs became remote and classes for schools were held online. As a parent or caretaker, can you describe in a few sentences your experience with children (or siblings) using technologies such as e-learning, Zoom classes, more time spent on computers/tablets, etc. (i.e. What worked well? What didn't?)
For an in depth review of the responses to each question, you can find the link to the thesis paper in the Thesis paper on AR Storybook Experiences section.
The interviews
The stakeholders for this research are primarily the parents or caretakers who interact with children in storytelling. I had the opportunity to speak with 5 parents/caretakers to ask the following questions:
1. How are you doing storytelling with children?
2. What is working well?
3. What is not working well?
I wanted these interactions with the interviewee’s to be more like conversations than interviews so I didn't ask too many questions. The reason for interviewing parents and caretakers for this research is because along with children, they are the end users. We as designers and developers can ideate, prototype and create what we perceive as the best possible product but without user feedback, there is a likelihood that it will be flawed and not solve any problems for the user.
For an in depth review of the interview responses, you can find the link to the thesis paper in the Thesis paper on AR Storybook Experiences section.
The comparative analysis
In order to get a sense of what AR storytelling products parents and caretakers may have already been exposed to, I conducted a comparative analysis of four children’s AR storybooks. I put together documentation including user flows, images and recordings of the AR storybook experiences. I compiled all findings into a list of pain points under two categories: user experience and accessibility. You can click the Miro board below to see a visual representation of the comparative analysis, along with screenshots and user flows of the AR books.
For an in depth review of the comparative analysis, you can find the link to the thesis paper in the Thesis paper on AR Storybook Experiences section.
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