Children in the information technology design process: A review of theories and their applications <s> A children's digital library <s> This paper describes preliminary work carried out to design a children's digital library of stories and poems with and for children aged 11-14 years old. We describe our experience in engaging children as design partners, and propose a digital library environment and design features to provide an engaging, successful learning experience for children using it for collaborative writing. <s> BIB001 </s> Children in the information technology design process: A review of theories and their applications <s> A children's digital library <s> ABSTRACT As more information resources become accessible using computers, our digital interfaces to those resources need to be appropriate for all people. However when it comes to digital libraries, the interfaces have typically been designed for older children or adults. Therefore, we have begun to develop a digital library interface developmentally appropriate for young children (ages 5–10 years old). Our prototype system we now call “SearchKids” offers a graphical interface for querying, browsing and reviewing search results. This paper describes our motivation for the research, the design partnership we established between children and adults, our design process, the technology outcomes of our current work, and the lessons we have learned. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.5.2 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: User Interfaces - graphical user interfaces, interaction styles, screen design, user-centered design. H.3.7 [Information Storage and Retrieval]: Digital Libraries - user issues. H.3.3 [Information Storage and Retrieval]: Information Search and Retrieval - query formulation. D.2.1 [Software Engineering]: Requirements/Specifications - elicitation methods. General Terms Design, Human Factors. <s> BIB002
A few more brainstorming sessions followed with periodic drawing by the children in their journals, another technique used in cooperative inquiry. This led to some critical ideas regarding how the query software should be structured BIB002 ). The resulting lowtech prototypes then were tried out in a school where the students' behavior while searching for information was observed. After more prototyping and informant testing, SearchKids was developed on the KidPad architecture. This system offers the search options of a virtual zoo with a map and images of animals that can be zoomed in on and then used as a means to access media, a world area where the children can browse the animal database using geographical criteria, and a search area that provides the ability to ''visually specify and manipulate queries'' (Druin et al., 2001 p. 403) . From this research, Druin surmises that if the children were restricted to the role of informant, they could only offer feedback and would not have the opportunity to elaborate or build upon ideas like they could as design partners. She also found that children want a concrete reason to look for information so that they can actually use the information they find. Druin is planning future research that will build upon the KidPad and SearchKids projects. A children's digital library design project in England applied Druin's cooperative inquiry approach in an English Literature class of 23 children (11-year-olds) divided into teams of five or six. At the beginning of the project, the groups browsed sample digital libraries and various children's Web sites. The children were then encouraged to make suggestions. Some of the suggestions were that the digital library be divided into different areas; a study area for reading and/or browsing; a librarian area for asking questions; a games area; an online dictionary; and a traditional library area to search for books BIB001 . Rather than the design partners of cooperative inquiry, this study really used the children in the role of informants; although they were present from the beginning, their input was sporadic and there were few sessions involving the children. Nevertheless, the study's findings reinforce those of Druin, demonstrating that children want fun, easy-to-use interfaces, and that any system that is designed should empower them as both authors and readers.