The speaker describes Playtime as an app based on the CBeebies world where children personalise a hot-air balloon, navigate to games and win items to customise their world. The speaker describes Storytime as an interactive pop-up-book experience with swipeable pages, folding assets and small interactive games. The speaker describes brainwriting as silently writing stories for five minutes, passing papers around, growing ideas and pulling out themes, especially for people uncomfortable drawing. The speaker says the BBC gathers feedback through formal research and informal guerrilla testing in schools and nurseries while developing the Playtime app.
People
Leanne Sherwood
Methods
Usability TestingUsability testing reveals where people struggle while attempting realistic tasks with a prototype or service. In a moderated session, a researcher observes the participant and may ask them to explain their thinking. Use it to investigate confusing language, layouts or interactions and identify improvements. Agree research questions, recruit likely users and prepare believable tasks that do not reveal the solution. Explain that the service is being tested, then mostly watch and listen rather than guiding participants. Record observations and follow up on unclear behaviour. Plan accessible sessions, including participants’ own assistive technology when appropriate.
Workshop FacilitationWorkshop facilitation guides a group towards a shared outcome without imposing the facilitator’s preferred answer. Define the purpose, prepare activities and materials, and create opportunities for everyone to contribute. Combine individual thinking with discussion when helpful, listen for different perspectives and adjust the plan to the group’s needs. Record decisions and clarify who will take the next steps. Use facilitation when a team must explore a problem, generate ideas or agree actions together; successful participation matters as much as the visible workshop outputs.