What do you get when you take a stuffed animal, shove a smartphone in it, download some nature apps and ask a bunch of kids to play with it for a couple weeks? Answer: Twelve big ideas for how to design for the future of smart toys and nature. In this presentation, we’ll describe how we used a diary study and co-design methods to uncover important design principles that sit at the unique intersection of technology, the outdoors, and nature for the 5-9 year old audience. You’ll walk away with inspiring ideas for designing the future of smart toys and learn strategies for connecting with a hard-to-reach audience of young people.
Nidhi believes that design is the act of attuning to observations and building empathy to create experiences that tell stories. She works as a UX Researcher at EY Intuitive to make sure that the user is an integral part of the equation. Nidhi has traveled and worked with different designers and artists in various communities and countries. Though her passion initially lied in science and engineering, her shift towards user experience allowed her to marry that love of design with her talent to connect with people. She also co-conceived a start-up, before moving to the United States where she attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her previous experience includes doing user experience research and co-facilitating workshops in nonprofit and healthcare space.
