Each of these metaphors used for repackaging bits to make them humanly usable, has lead to a history of successive designs. Each design metaphor has strengths and weaknesses and implications-for how we think about and use information, what the informational space offers to us, and what kind of interactional future the interface facilitates. Johnston explores these, as we have experienced them both before the publication of the book and as they were unfolding at the time of publication. Many of the particulars he presents as the coming thing have already found their place or have vanished, but the fundamental issues he presents remain. The Design of Children's Technology, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1999.
Children are among the most enthusiastic users of interactive media and technology.
The home and school markets for children's media products are burgeoning and the array of technologies targeted to kids is constantly expanding. The Design of Children's Technology is a rare and welcome resource for producers who want to create appealing and effective interactive products for young people. Its chapters, authored by top academics and practitioners, explain how to do usability research with youngsters, how to include children in the design process, and how researchers can contribute to product design and evaluation. Several chapters present overviews of exemplary interactive products and cover curriculum goals, design strategies, content, implementation success stories, and results of field studies evaluating impacts on learning and behavior. Many of these products enable children to engage in collaborative learning or to produce their own computer programs, interactive games, and multimedia presentations.