Week 3 marked an important transition for the SoKids team: we moved from conceptual framing and research synthesis into tangible design exploration. After refining our transformational framework and clarifying our assessment goals in previous weeks, we began translating theory into interaction through a paper prototype and presented our progress at Quarters.
Paper Prototype: Testing Interaction Before Technology
Rather than immediately building a digital prototype, we chose to begin with a paper-based version of the game. This allowed us to focus on interaction structure, decision flow, and assessment logic without being constrained by technical implementation.
The prototype included:
- Avatar customization through visual selection
- A narrative entry point framed around everyday environments
- Structured decision points embedded inside playful scenarios
- Early explorations of proximity-based “feeling” measures
By walking through the experience physically, we were able to evaluate whether:
- The level of structure felt guiding or leading
- Decision points were clear but not overly directive
- Narrative context introduced unintended cues
- The balance between freedom and constraint felt appropriate
The paper format also surfaced important design tensions—particularly around how visually representing race could influence attention and salience.
Quarters Presentation
At Quarters, we presented:
- Our transformational framing (assessment, not intervention)
- Prior work analysis, including TGDS examples like Super Storybook
- Paper prototype ideas
- Ethical considerations grounded in children’s rights
- Early assessment plans and data logging strategy
Feedback from faculty and peers focused on interpretability and measurement clarity. Key questions included:
- How can we ensure children’s choices reflect perception rather than aesthetic preference or randomness?
- Could narrative framing shape responses rather than reveal them?
- How do we separate affect (feeling) from instrumental action in measurable ways?
- How do we validate that the game functions as a research instrument rather than influencing beliefs?
These discussions sharpened our direction and reinforced the importance of alignment between design mechanics and research constructs.
Looking Forward
Following Quarters, our next steps include:
- Refining the separation between “feeling” and “action” scenes
- Clarifying which behavioral signals map to which research constructs
- Iterating on the paper prototype while starting to implement Angie’s idea into Unity
- Continuing to align with our clients
Week 3 helped us move from abstract research goals to concrete system design. The challenge ahead is to preserve the playfulness of the experience while increasing measurement precision—ensuring that the game remains both engaging for children and rigorous as a research tool.