Pen stand finally stands!

My first big step

With the illustrations done and the content ready, I started doodling layouts, drafting and sketching layouts. I wanted the overall feel to be informative, implementable (as in easy to apply), as well as memorable. Moreover keeping the target audience which are parents and relatives of children, I tried to have a blend in playfulness and subtlety.

The proposed kit 

The facade of pen stand

Information about the product and the instructions

Inside leaflet

After printing and constructing the stand, it was felt that the height of the leaflet would seem better if it is shortened a bit. The colors also didn't appear as intended. The paper strip that keeps the kit together could be used as a space to provide instructions for assembling the stand.

Content Writing and Illustrations

CONTENT

Once you have gathered and collected it all, you know you have done a lot! But then it sinks in that bulk of the work still remains. Yes my content structure has been drafted and now while reading "WORDS that SELL" by Richard Bayan the way one writes content plays a very big role.
When we deal with such sensitive issues where the mental and physical well being of a child is studied and parents are the takers of the message, I felt the voice could be kept in first person. This method could be:

1. assuring
2. empathizing
3. open parents to discussion
4. suggestive
5. not dictative
6. conversational

When parents read the information, it shouldn't alarm them. They should not only be informed of what are the problems which a child faces while beginning school but also how parents can address such problems. That is why I have tried to take care of the tone, trying to make it sound very positive, happy, full of possibilities.

A small passage from the content:

Many of us who are parents and are sending our children to school for the first time face a lot of difficulties.  School is an important milestone in our child’s education.  Every child goes through a phase of confusion where it is unable to understand what is happening around. They need to be explained in advance, made to be prepared for the wonderful years a school has in store for them.  Every parent can be a part of this phase and it is certainly possible for them to ease out their children’s problems by making them feel good. As Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish have written in their book, “When kids feel right, they’ll behave right.” Let’s take a look at some of the issues commonly faced by our children while beginning school:

EMOTIONAL PROBLEM

Refuse to sleep alone

Each of these children react differently but the cause lies in  fear of being physically away from someone or something important to the child, which is why sometimes they have difficulty in sleeping by themselves. In such cases as parents we could try the following:

1. “Yes dear I will keep coming to see that no one troubles you in your sleep.”- The child is assured that it’s parents will keep a check on it while it is asleep.

2. A bedtime routine can be created.

3. Books that interest the child can be read out before they fall asleep.

Nail biting

There are various means through which children seek comfort. Nail biting, hair twirling, thumb sucking are all methods to pacify themselves. The reasons could be boredom, an aid to stress relief or curiosity in some cases.  But how can this be resolved before the child destroys his cuticles and becomes a subject of mockery.

1. Child should be given reasons as to why it should not bite its nails.
2. “You know what happened once” We could share our stories from childhood right?”
3. Child’s nails should be kept trimmed and clean.
4.“I know dear it is hard to give it up but a very sure you will soon get rid of that habit.”- Keep encouraging him positively!
5.We could ask the child his causes of trouble.

While travelling homewards, I met a young couple on train. They have a three year old daughter and two months old son. I showed them a printout of the content I had written. They appeared to be very happy that such an initiative is being taken and they said they could relate to many incidents which I had mentioned. They also felt the suggestions were helpful and could be implemented. Their daughter is yet to begin her school but they claim to already face some of the problems mentioned such as throwing tantrums. They said it would be a valuable kit for parents of children about to begin their school.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Once the content was roughly phrased, I felt I could start exploring the illustrations. I also spoke to my senior Dhwani, after which I geared up to doodle and sketch keeping the following in mind:

1. Illustration style to be kept simple.

2. Simple color coding,avoid using too many colors.

I started by taking each problem and picking out various scenes I could imagine. Then I began to doodle the ones which parents could easily relate to and would find it easy to follow.

The initial doodles:

Some fair versions:

Stammering
How about hearing your child read a paragraph daily

Nightmares
Checking on the child while it is asleep

 

Nausea

Throwing tantrums

Children could be explained that there are 

better ways of asking what they want.

Bedwetting
Child needs to be told that bedwetting is not its fault

Anxious thoughts

Provide opportunities to communicate 

and name the feelings for child while it expresses. 

Anxious thoughts

Engage them in activities which they enjoy.

Some rendered styles:

1

2

3

4A

4B

COLOURS

Since the kit is aimed for parents, I felt a fresh and soothing color palette could be used. It should be suggestive of the brimming energy of a child and at the same time considering the seriousness of issue. So the colours picked ranged from subtle shades of orange, cream to navy blue.

Analysis of various design alternatives

After a thorough analysis of the information collected and research done during visits to school, the following parameters were derived:


The design would cater to lower-middle income group of parents.
1. The parents and family members are not aware of the reasons as to why their child behaves in a particular way while beginning school and commonly associate it with child's lack of interest in studies.


2. In lower middle income families, the parents do not have the opportunity to send them to such schools where there is frequent interaction between parents and teachers.
3. Moreover they do not have an exposure to get materials regarding parenting.


Keeping all the above factors in mind, I drafted a content, structuring it and approximating the quantity of content. This would not only give me a brief idea of how much content needs to be generated but it would also validate the existing options of prototype. It would help in ascertaining :
The feasibility of using a particular option for that information.
The space on prototype being sufficient enough to contain the content.

The briefly estimated quantum of content
























Analysis of the options


Rise above anxiety The form is appealing. However the quantity of information is too huge to fit in.
























The Phone Cover The case is slightly fragile and can hinder the easy use of mobile phone. Moreover the space is too less.



































Pencil Stand The pencil stand has adequate space for the information. Moreover the metaphor with which I tried this exploration "Look within your Child" could aptly be conveyed. The container cover can contain the introduction and a brief description of anxiety. Whereas the inside leaflet can have the problems and their solutions.

















Calendar The calendar will also be an apt medium as there are 12 major problems which have been identified with children at the beginning of school. These 12 problems aptly fit with the 12 months. More over there could be breathers where further information can be given.

Defining Content Structure

Based on our last discussion, it was recommended that I categorize my information according to the symptoms so that it helps in defining a narrative for my final design. While re-looking at the gathered information so far I realized there was a larger problem at the base of school starting problems—Separation Anxiety. It is normal for children to sometimes feel anxious or insecure when separated from their parents or other important caregivers. Usually, such separation anxiety fades as they grow up and become more confident. However if parents intervene at the school beginning phase children grow up more healthily as it is a major transitional period in their lives. The chart below enumerates the source and the consequences of separation anxiety.

The chart helped me clarify the causes and symptoms. After that when I look in the context of SCHOOL BEGINNING phase there are many things which parents should consider such as the time period before they send the children to school, while they are in school and gradually as the time rolls. That is why I worked out an information model which if read by a parent will take him through the chronological phase for a child during his school beginning period. I have divided the content in three categories. 

1. The first one talks about how to know that the child is capable of going to school.
2. Second part is about how each child is different and forms of anxiety will be discussed. The causes of each symptom of anxiety will be defined and how parents can intervene and overcome them. This will form the major portion of content. 
3. Then comes the section where parents will be given tips as to how they should be during the first day of the school.  

It basically goes about by asking parents how much they know about the school readiness to actually giving them tips on school readiness.

There will be more content for both "while beginning in School"and "Here's what to do on the first day of school". 

As I kept reading and began to classify the symptoms, ideas also began to emerge. These actually stemmed from thoughts- Rise above School Anxiety, Look within the child. Since I aim to communicate with the parents, I decided to come up with objects used by parents who are in the 28-32 age category. Prior to this I had visited various schools and got circulars to understand the kind of information they give and then I came up with this scenario.

The ideas are as follows:

1. Pen Stand

A daily usable product for every parent and child. Since I am catering to lower middle and middle income users, many parents may not feel the necessity of buying a pen stand immediately. The school can provide the parents this which could be used by parents and/or the child. 

a. Collapsible Stand

This concept arises from "Rise above school anxiety". The series of collapsible compartments rise up enacting the metaphor. The function of this structure is as you pull it, it will stand up to form a series of steps and the hand moves up to unfold each compartment. When all the steps open up it forms a pencil stand. For every parent comes a phase when they feel the child needs to be sent to school. This phase comes with its own set of challenges which both parents and children need to overcome. The action of pulling the compartment up symbolizes the fact that parents need to rise above anxiety and also prepare their children for the same. Every face of the structure will speak of day to day problems which children face while beginning school and how can they be tackled with parents intervention. 

THE CONTENT STRUCTURE AS APPLIED IN THE DESIGN

The material used could be a box paper that provides smoothness to open the compartments as well as has friction to stop it from collapsing. Alternatively it could be made out of silicon rubber. The illustrations in the form of comic strips can be screen printed on each of the compartment.

Parents might find the form interesting and be curious to open it. Once they do that they will find valuable information. The collapsible quality makes the users interact with it as they are required to physically lift each step.However its construction is challenging and the form might limit the quantity of information. It is actually a multipurpose stand as it can be used for various tasks. The hexagons which were cut out from each compartment could be riveted together and used to give additional information. 

b. Look Within!

As the name suggests this pencil stand is created with the purpose of depicting the problems in the outer area and the solutions to each of those problems lies inside in the folded hexagon paper inside. The whole concept revolves around the fact that beginning school has a psychological impact on children for which parents should try to understand them and their needs. This can only happen if they give time and look within their children's heart to find out the problems which children face while beginning their school. Every child is different and their problems are also unique. It is up to parents how they communicate with their children and try to understand them. This stand consists of two parts. One is the main holder and the other is the divider fitted in the holder. This divider actually segregates the holder into compartments so that the user can group objects and place it accordingly. It not only eases out work but also makes your work faster. However these dividers can be removed and once they come out they can be opened and have information printed in it. From time to time users especially mothers can remove the divider, read it and place it back.

This can be sold through stationery shops and book shops such as Crosswords, Starmark etc and even be provided through school. Parents will find it useful as the divisions in the compartment can be used to categorize objects and it also has information useful to children. The stand not only performs its function it also communicates. Since the structure is very simple  and the divider can easily be removed, read and replaced the whole act will be exciting. The construction of the box is very simple with minimum material wastage. There is also an adequate scope of explaining information with both the surface of the holder as well as the inner part that folds into compartments.

2. Mobile Covers

In the age group of 28-32 when most parents are working and are so caught up in their lifestyle that they barely have time to read or flip through parenting books. In such scenario they could do with a mobile cover that not only provides their handset protection but also gives them information which could be easily read while commuting. It does not require them to carry an additional book and read,  as the information is in the cover of mobile itself. When not in use to keep the handset, it can be opened and kept as display.

The cover can also be removed and kept separately like an exhibit on the table and again folded back once the handset is done with charging.

Alternatively a desk calendar can also be a good source of information and a timely reminder for parents.

I have explored on handsets and pencil stands as I kept getting insights for them.