GleeGrab

What’s the context

In densely populated high-rise urban residential areas, many families face significant challenges when it comes to their children engaging in physic activity at home.

The limitations of space and issues with noise pose substantial obstacles

that diminish their enjoyment. Furthermore, due to a lack of adequate space,

children's activities often become repetitive and monotonous, lacking interesting variations

, further diminishing children's motivation to participate in physical exercise.

Role

UX/UI Designer

Duration

15 weeks

My Responsibility

Tools

Figma
Miro
Fusion 360
C4D
Octane

Challenge

Making exercise more fun - “Physical activity has to be something we’re enjoying”
‍
The key challenge lies in ensuring that physical activities are enjoyable and motivating for children,

as fun is the primary factor that keeps them motivated and engaged.

At the same time, it is essential to consider about the factor constrain about limited space and controlled noise levels.

Solution - what is GleeGrab

I have designed Gleegrab an IoT-enabled ball launch machine that incorporates a wearable velcro pad and an interactive challenge level system. This allows children to experience a variety of movements and exciting challenges during play. With user-friendly movement techniques, children can effortlessly engage with the toy and feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence. Additionally, the interactive modes spark curiosity and sustain children's interest, providing ongoing motivation‍

Enjoy physical activity with challenge and fun

By catching the ball with different parts of their body, children can explore varying levels of difficulty, adding excitement to their physical activities. Additionally, GleeGrab provides a noise-free playing experience through an adhesive approach. Furthermore, the game offers different challenge levels, keeping children motivated and allowing them to progress and test their skills.

Multiplayer mode

GleeGrab also offers a multiplayer mode, allowing children to invite others, including their parents, to join the game. With a maximum of three players,families can bond and have fun together, adding an interactive and social aspect to the play experience.

Onboarding process

- Interacting with the Accessory：Instruct users on how to engage with the accessory during play or exercise
- Safety Examination: Prior to each use, advise users to conduct a safety examination of the accessory.

Challenges ranging from easy to difficult

- The varying challenge levels provide a diverse and exciting experience for everyone.
- The challenge level in GleeGrab adapts to different skill levels and the number of players participating in the game.

Research

Research Questions

By conducting qualitative and quantitative research on children's habits and needs regarding physical activity, I can discover and identify the areas of most significant interest and needs for users in order to design a product that can help young children increase their motivation and engagement in physical activity.

Umbrella Question

How might I enhance the in-home activity experience for children ?

Sub- Questions:

How might I define children, and what does the in-home physical activity experience mean to them?

What is the demography of children？ What is the appropriate age for children to exercise at home? What kind of exercise do children enjoy? In what ways does exercise benefit children? What kind of environment is suitable for children to exercise in? When will children need to do home physical activity

How might I define children's current in-home physical activities experience?

What are the current methods of activities for children at home? What activities products are frequently used at home? How does home exercise benefit children? Does exercising at home have any limitations? How frequently does the child exercise?

How might I define in-home physical activities experience for children?

what does the in-home activities experience mean to them? What is the children's opinion on in-house activities ? What products are available on the market that are designed for children to exercise at home? How do children become motivated to exercise at home? What activities are suitable for children to play at home?

My Research process and Methodology

Phase 1 : Discover insights into quantitative research

Literature review insights:

1

The optimal time for children to develop physical fitness through exercise is between the ages of 6 to 11.

The age range of 6 to 11 is particularly important because it's a time when children are developing motor skills, coordination, and habits that can set the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Children who Lack exercise have detrimental effects on their physical and mental health, including weight gain, stress, and increased cardiovascular risks.

2

Activities and programs must maintain a focus on fun, while keeping competition to a minimum.

- Children are more likely to participate in physical activities that they find enjoyable. Making physical activity fun encourages kids to get moving, which is beneficial for their physical health.
- Keeping competition minimal in physical activities can reduce pressure and stress, making the activity more enjoyable for children.
- Keeping competition minimal in physical activities can reduce pressure and stress, making the activity more enjoyable for children.

3

Incorporating coordination, balance, and control in physical activities is key to learning and perfecting basic movement skills.

4

By combining the elements of supportive guidance, acceptable goal setting, peer interactions can powerfully motivate children towards physical activities, nurturing lasting habits of physical health.

- Technology such as wearable devices or fitness apps can be used to offer guidance and feedback remotely to children
- Setting acceptable goals provides direction and a sense of purpose, gives a sense of accomplishment, and encourages continued participation.
- Technology such as wearable devices or fitness apps can be used to offer guidance and feedback remotely to children
- Games and sports that involve team play can be especially engaging.

Methodology 2 : Video Ethnography

I conducted video ethnography to observe how children engage in physical activity at home and compared physical activity environments in limited spaces. The observations focused on various aspects, including the types of physical activities children engaged in, the available space for movement and how the spatial limitations influenced their behaviors and choices.

Insights:

- The living room, with its average size ranging from 20-40 square meters, is a commonly utilized exercise area in limited spaces.
- Simpler physical activities that require minimal space are often more suitable. Examples of such activities include jumping rope, playing with a soft ball or beanbag, engaging in yoga or stretching exercises.
- It is important to ensure the living room is clear of any obstacles or fragile items to create a safe environment for physical activity.
- Coordination and balance exercises are beneficial as they can help control noise production during physical activity, making them suitable for noise-sensitive settings.

Therefore, the next step of the research will involve a focused examination of existing popular marketing products. This examination aims to understand their advantages and disadvantages while identifying design considerations that prioritize safety, noise control, and limited space.

Methodology 3 : Competitive Analysis

After understanding the physical activity environment, I conducted a competitive analysis of eight indoor exercise products available in the market. This analysis involved reviewing customer feedback and collecting reviews to assess the pros and cons of each product. though this i gained a better understanding of how these products are perceived and how well they meet the needs and expectations of users.

Exploring the Market

Analyzed the popular sports products available for children on the market in two aspects, interaction and motivation

Findings from competitive research

- lack of engagement and challenge in sports products lead to a decline in children's interest.
- the provision of feedback and incentives enhances children's motivation towards participating in sports.
- Fitness products designed for multiple players particularly appeal to children as they allow for teamwork

Design idea inspirations: Design products that incorporate challenges, goals, and opportunities for independent and group play to enhance children's motivation in physical activity. Provide positive feedback to increase confidence and reinforce engagement.

Phase 2: Discovering Insights through Qualitative Research

Methodology 1 : Survey

The author collected 182 responses to an online survey about home exercise for children ages 6-11. The goal of the survey is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the in-home physical activity environment for children. This includes exploring various aspects such as the available space, types of activities engaged in, and any challenges.Additionally, the survey aims to gather parents' opinions and perspectives on indoor physical activity. Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's behaviors and habits.

Key Results

Residential Space:

80.1% (121 responses)

living in residential spaces ranging from 70-120 square meters.

Exercise Location:

68.9% (104 responses)

living room was the most commonly used area for exercise at home.

Duration of Exercise:

70.2% (106 responses)

engaging in physical activity at home for 15-60 minutes per day.

Importance of Home Physical Activity:

86.9% (139 responses)

engaging in physical activity at home was quite important.

Preferred Activities:

53% (139 responses)

preference for coordination and flexibility exercises, such as catching games and kicking shuttlecocks.

Methodology 2 : Interviews

The goal of the interviews was to engage in close conversation with participants in order to understand their pain points, expectations regarding physical activity, and their journey process of engaging in physical activity. The researcher conducted interviews with a total of 12 individuals, consisting of seven children, four parents, and one expert in the field.

Design concept development

Design opportunity

How might I create an engaging physical activity product for children to use at home that

incorporates variation, interaction, and sustained motivation while reducing noise?

Ideation

To make a physical activity enjoyable and engaging for children, it should have three

key characteristics: diversity, interactivity, and sustained motivation.

During the ideation phase, my focus was primarily on these aspects, brainstorming to generate a wide range of ideas that incorporate variation, interaction, and long-term engagement.

To prioritize user needs, I utilized the MoSCoW prioritization research method. This helped me allocate more energy towards addressing the challenges encountered during the physical activity process and provide the most value while making a significant difference in the user experience.

Concept Development

Final Concept

After multiple discussions with the users and evaluating the concept using an evaluation matrix, it has been determined that Concept 6 aligns well with research insights and exhibits three key characteristics. Moreover, it effectively fosters sustained motivation and fun during physical activity for children.

Desirability Testing

Since this design is tailored for children, to further verify the feasibility of this scheme, I opted to conduct desirability testing. The aim of this test is to evaluate the challenge and engagement of the game from the perspective of both children and their parents.

Interface Design Development

Design testing and iteration

conducted two rounds of user testing involving five adults and five children to gather feedback on the design. These tests resulted in significant improvements to four key features.

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