SP.778 Toy Product Design

Toys and PlayPlay and work are words used to describe the same activity under different circumstances. -mark twain

Play and Toy Design

• What is play? • Understanding Play • Play Classifications • Emotional Needs and

Successful Toys

• The Product Design Process

SP.778 Toy Product Design

First, The Sharpies.

• • •

Contrast Cleaning Post Processing

SP.778 Toy Product Design

What is Play? • play is notoriously difficult

to tightly define -Wikipedia

• play is a quality not anactivity-Sociologist David Reisman

• play and work are wordsused to describe the same activity under differentcircumstances -Mark Twain

SP.778 Toy Product Design

What is Play? • Describes an Activity • Amusing/Entertaining • Developmental

– Social – Cognitive – Creative – Emotional – Physical – Relaxation – Sensual

An amusing/entertaining activity thatinvolves an underlyingdevelopmental attribute

SP.778 Toy Product Design

What is Play?

Watching Television?

Sensory Experiences?

Reading Books?

SP.778 Toy Product Design

The Importance of Play

• Play for play sake • Cathartic experience • Express feeling • Gain Control -Freud

• Preparation for life/world • Understand oneself

leisure activities.

• Development • Fun

Convention on the Rights of the Child: Article 311. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities

appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and

shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Predicting play

Ceci n’est pas une toaster

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Predicting Play• A toaster is not a toy. • What if Play is the

Functional Requirement?

• Can we test if it will function as expected inpre-production models?

• Need a playclassification

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Classification • Organization • Tool for communication• Comparison • Holes/Opportunities

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Play Classifications• Piaget

– Sensory-motor – Preoperational – Concrete operations – Formal operations

• By Development – Social – Physical – Sensory – Cognitive – Etc

SP.778 Toy Product Design

The Play “Pyramid”by barry kudrowitz

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Scales of Play • Involvement • Social Involvement • Level of Restraint • Mental to Physical • Gender

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Play “Pyramid” Faces

Challenge-Sensory-Construction:

Play on this face does not involve role playing and fantasy worlds. This type of play involves challenging construction based in reality in which there is a strong sensory element. Example: Making sand sculptures

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Play “Pyramid” Faces

Fantasy-Construction-Sensory:

Play on this face is freeform. There are no rules or significant mental/physical challenges. This play involves sensory construction in a fantasy world. Example: Easy-Bake Oven

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Play “Pyramid” Faces

Construction-Challenge-Fantasy:

Play on this face does not involve strong sensory stimulation. The play value is related to a challenging construction in a fantasy world. This play tends to be more abstract/mental. Example: SimCity/Pokemon

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Play “Pyramid” Faces

Sensory-Fantasy-Challenge:

Play on this face does not involve construction. This play lends itself nicely to active games and some immersive video games. This play has elements of fantasy, sensory and challenge. Example: SuperSoaker/Laser Tag

SP.778 Toy Product Design

“Pyramid” Placement • Playing on the edge of

Challenge and Construction • Open the present, but keep it

in the box. • Analyze the toy using the

Play “Pyramid” and the PlayScales.

• How would you change theplay/toy to move itelsewhere in the Pyramidand/or Scales?

• In 5 minutes, repack and rotate

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Popular Play Types

SP.778 Toy Product Design

What makes a Toy Successful?

• Play Value • Parental appeal • On trend • Regenerative “evercool”

• MArketing

• Aesthetics • Novelty • Emotional Need

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Transforming the Child And connecting with deep emotional needsFrom Gene Del Veccio

• Master • Creator • Nurturer • Emulator • Friend • Collector • StoryLover • Experience Seeker

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Master

• Control • Building self-esteem • Master for Keeps • Master of Throw and

Catch • Master of Endurance • Intelligence Master

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Creator • Blank Slate • Creating inventors • Ultimate creators

– Mr. Potato Head – The Sims

• From the adult world! – Lincoln Logs – Resnick

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Nurturer

• Yearn to nurture • Emulate parents • Molding toy persona • Babies, Bears, and

Puppies • Outside the box

– Ant farms – Tamagotchi

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating an Emulator

• Trying on careers and lifestyles

• Barbie and G.I. Joe • Role Playing

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Friend

• Sense of Belonging • Bear Friends • Friends that Teach

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Collector • Accumulation vs.

Collection • Becoming enthusiasts • 1+1=3 • Competition • Katamari Damacy

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating a Story Lover • Walt Disney • Emulation extension • Rethinking Storytelling • Transmedia Properties • Toymakers are

storytellers

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Creating an Experience Seeker

• The 4th Dimension More than a story!

• Entering the Game • Controlling the Game • Realism heightens the

fantasy • Interactive

Entertainment

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Emotional Needs in the Play “Pyramid”

SP.778 Toy Product Design

Successful Toy Qualities? • Play Value • Parental appeal • On trend • Regenerative “evercool”

• MArketing

• Aesthetics • Novelty • Emotional Need

SP.778 Toy Product Design