An experience for the senses
When I think of interactivity I think of
the senses, all five of them: sight,
sound, touch, smell, taste.
In the digital sphere, interactivity can really
only cover the first three, for now. Until
there are scratch and sniff screens or taste-o-vision websites the other two
will have to be provided by the user.
So, why are we talking about
interactivity? Well, the Little c
project is chugging along and interactivity is top of mind. Questions are flowing, how, why and when will
interactions be incorporated? Focusing
on the why will lead to answers for the how and the when. I like
to break things down into manageable chunks, let’s break interactivity down
using the senses.
Sight
Created for children aged 3-7, Little c
needs to be accessible to both pre-readers and readers. Infographics,
illustrations, photographs and videos will allow children to see what is
happening and increase the impact of the stories. Animated characters will grab
the attention of children and offer cancer facts if they are curious. Most importantly, the graphics and illustrations
need to be visually appealing for both children and adults.
Sound
Optional voice over narration will support
pre-readers and provide guidance for those who desire it. Music, narration and sound effects will set
the tone and provide an immersive experience. Cancer is a big word and
treatment is a scary topic. Soothing sounds
will help to evoke a sense of calm.
Allowing users to opt in or out of the sounds will give them the ability
to shape their own experience.
Touch
Touch is where things get busy.
The current plan for the stories within
Little c is to have long scrolling story pages with parallax effects for added
visual excitement. Scrolling will allow
the stories to be read and enjoyed in one fluid experience without having to
pause for page reload. Families will be
able to explore the stories at their own speed.
As the users scroll through the stories ‘Little
c’ will show up and alert users when further exploration is available.
At any point during their journey families will
be able to click and tap their way through games and activities. Children crave physical interaction with digital
technology. The interactive elements
will allow children to feel empowerment and give them a space to express their
feelings and emotions.
Games will give children the
chance to click and tap cancer cells into oblivion. Colour therapy will let children tap colours
into their drawings in a mesmerizing and calming, repetitive motion. 
The story writing space will let children
write down their thoughts and feelings.
Little c will provide multiples layers of
interactions; scrolling, clicking, tapping, drawing, playing, and colouring. The interaction can even continue beyond the
screen as children print and colour story pages.
Building Little c for
children means building interactivity into the website. Children are very tech savvy, if I want to
keep their attention, interactivity better be a part of the plan.
Illustration credits: Melissa Frew
