Mobile phone for kids

How to Design a Mobile Phone for 6-10-Year-Olds?

Earlier I explained a framework to follow to answer product design questions. In this post, let's apply that framework by answering the question “How would you design a mobile phone for 6-10 year olds?”

Let’s start with step one, Business Goals and Metrics.

Business Goal and Metrics

The primary business goal is to create and launch a new product, particularly, a mobile phone for 6-10-year-olds that allows children to communicate easily and securely with their parents. A successful product would achieve high levels of user satisfaction among both parents and their children, particularly those with special medical needs.

To measure success, we will look at:

1. User Retention Rates: Indicating how well the product retains its users over time.

2. User Satisfaction Scores: Measuring how satisfied parents and children are with the product.

3. Engagement Metrics: Tracking how frequently the device is used for its primary purpose—communication.

User Segments and Persona

When designing a product, it’s crucial to identify and focus on one specific set of end-users with one major pain point. For this mobile phone, our primary users are parents of children aged 6-10, and the key pain point is their need to communicate with their children. This need is especially critical for parents of children with special medical needs. We are focusing on parents as they will be the key decision-makers in buying decisions.

Primary Users:

• Parents of 6-10 old children

Secondary Users:

• Parents, particularly those of children with special medical needs

• School Teachers 

User Pain Points

To find our user segment’s underserved needs, we can follow a multi-pronged approach. Here, we’ll map the user journey with the current product and identify key pain points.

5Es for customer journey map for the children:

1. Entice: Currently, if users want to use a mobile phone, they need to navigate through a device designed for adults. This requires several steps and might encourage children to misuse the device. The pain point here is the need for a simplified onboarding process.

2. Enter: Once the device is powered on, navigating through menus and apps designed for adults can be confusing. We need to ensure the interface is intuitive for children.

3. Execute: The main task—communicating with parents—needs to be straightforward. Enhanced features like one-touch calling to parents can address this need.

4. Exit: Ensuring the device is easy to turn off and on, and that children understand how to end calls or use the device properly.

5. Extend: Allowing for future updates and additions without complicating the user experience.

Psychological Needs of the Parents:

1. Safety and Security

Trust in the Device: Parents need to feel confident that the device is safe for their children to use. This includes ensuring that the device is free from harmful materials and designed to prevent misuse.

Emergency Features: Quick access to emergency services or a panic button can offer an added layer of security, ensuring that children can reach out for help in critical situations.

2.  Peace of Mind

Reliable Communication: The ability to communicate with their child anytime offers parents peace of mind, especially for those with children who have special medical needs.

Consistency and Dependability: Parents need to trust that the device will work consistently without frequent malfunctions or connectivity issues.

Solutions Brainstorming

Based on the pain points identified, we can brainstorm potential solutions that are suitable for children aged 6-10. Here are some innovative ideas:

1. Arm Band (Like a Watch):

   • Design: A wearable device that fits snugly on the child’s wrist, featuring a simple interface with a few buttons for calling parents.

   • Feasibility: High. Wearable technology is widely available and can be adapted for children.

   • Cost: Moderate. Production costs for wearables are reasonable.

   • Time Factor: Short to medium term. Development and prototyping can be relatively quick.

2. Necklace:

   • Design: A lightweight, wearable necklace with an integrated communication device. The pendant includes a microphone and speaker, with easy-to-use buttons.

   • Feasibility: Medium. Less common than wrist wearables, but feasible with current technology.

   • Cost: Moderate. Similar to the cost of producing wearables.

   • Time Factor: Medium term. Requires more design and testing compared to wrist wearables.

3. Shoulder Band:

   • Design: A shoulder band that rests comfortably on the child’s shoulder, similar to a messenger bag strap but smaller and more secure.

   • Feasibility: Medium. Innovative but less common, may require more testing.

   • Cost: Moderate. Production costs could be higher due to unique design requirements.

   • Time Factor: Medium to long term. Requires more extensive prototyping and user testing.

Prioritization

To prioritize, we evaluate the feasibility, cost, and time factors of each solution.

• Arm Band (Like a Watch): High feasibility, moderate cost, and short to medium time factor make it a top priority.

• Necklace and Shoulder Band: Medium feasibility, moderate cost, and medium to long time factors make these solutions secondary priorities.

Metrics

To achieve our business goals, the main metrics we will track are:

1. User Retention Rates: This should increase as the feature is launched.

2. User Satisfaction Scores: Should be high among both children and their parents.

3. Engagement Metrics: Should show frequent use of the device for its primary purpose.

By focusing on these metrics, we can ensure that the product not only meets the communication needs of children aged 6-10 but also provides peace of mind to their parents, especially those with special medical needs. The armband solution stands out as the most feasible and effective option to address these needs, making them the top priorities for development and launch.

Risks

Health Concerns: Prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile devices can be a concern for young children.

• Mitigation: Ensure the device complies with all safety standards and regulations regarding radiation emissions. Educate parents on safe usage practices.

Physical Safety: Small parts or inappropriate materials could pose choking hazards or other physical risks.

• Mitigation: Design the device with child-safe materials and ensure it has no small, detachable parts.

Data Privacy: The collection and storage of personal data could be vulnerable to breaches.

• Mitigation: Implement strong encryption and data protection measures. Adhere to privacy laws and regulations such as GDPR and COPPA.

Compliance: Failing to comply with child safety and data privacy regulations could result in legal issues.

• Mitigation: Stay updated with relevant regulations and ensure the product complies with all legal requirements.

Created Date: July 21, 2024