Toy Design Class Research (Week 2)

// February 11th, 2010 // No Comments » // College, Tisch, Toy Design, new york

Ages :  4 to 10 years

Behavior with age:

The major thing with age was that the kids transitioned from mechanical toys and board games toward video games. They swap games at school and use up all their free time playing video games at home or with friends.

Siblings:

The younger kid likes to play with the older kid but the older kid only plays with the younger kid when he/she has nothing else to do. This is true for most males and a few females.

There is a general protective instinct and a teaching instinct in the older kids. They use their younger siblings as “subjects” during their play. Essentially, a hierarchy of command is established.

Peers:

The older kids seem to be getting on well in games that REQUIRE collaboration. A few gravitate toward exploring other options.

Outdoor:

The types of games and methods of play is greatly affected by the immediate environment where they play. Be it the football field or the sandbox, when it snows, they HAVE to sled.

We observed constructive as well as destructive behavior. Kids seem to like to construct things and once they have finished with the particular venture, they seem to gravitate toward destroying it when in a group. This is not the case when they are alone, some like to admire their work when they are alone and often try to get an adult to notice and admire their work.

Indoor:

Amazingly, this is seasonal too. Seasonal in the sense that every time a new sensation, cartoon or movie comes out, they get totally engrossed in it. Action figures, dolls, board games, video games, even games they make up have rules made up from the present attraction.

We also noticed that kids don’t stick to the same toy for more than a weeks time, even though they go back to the old toys when they don’t have anything new to explore. This usually results in playing with a combination of toys (old and new).

Sex:

This was the most obvious fact in older kids. The concept of male and female is instilled early even though the kids themselves don’t realize until they cross the age of 6 or 7. Girls play with dolls, boys play with cars seemed a universal truth. This further goes on to everything from clothes they put on to the plates they eat from. The parents identify this in most cases and the room decor changes significantly based on the sex of the kids occupying the room.

Older boys liked to run and bounce while the girls preferred to sit tight and play with their dolls and kitchen sets. The preference of colors was evident though Black and at times white seemed to be a universal favorite.

Boys liked loud noises.

Parents:

We had some really interesting insight from parents as well. They was this general agreement that kids get bored easily. Also, they wanted toys that are easy to put back together once they are broken.

Some said the kids had one favorite toy which they wouldn’t part with. Be it the old train set or the teddy bear, there always is a favorite.

This is what we heard parents say most, “My kids usually just plays video games”. “They come straight from school and plop down in front of the PS3”

The “American” Diwali

// October 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog, Doodle

My cousin posted this on facebook, just couldnt resist posting it here!!!!

A young Indian in the US was asked by his mother to explain the significance of “Diwali” to his younger brother, this is how he went about it…

” So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him.

But, like, his step-mom, or something, was kind of a bitch, and she forced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to some national forest or something….

Since he was going, for like, something like more than 10 years or so…. he decided to get his wife and his bro

along…. you know…so that they could all chill out together. But Dude, the forest was reeeeal scary shit… really man…they had monkeys and devils and shit like that. But this dude, Ram, kicked with darts and

bows and arrows… so it was fine.

But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravan, picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, was our man, and also his bro, Laxman, pissed… all the gods were with him… So anyways, you

don’t mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get an army of monkeys…

Dude, don’t ask me how they trained the damn monkeys… just go along with me, ok…

So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta’s ass in his own hood…. Anyways, by this time, their time’s up in the forest… and anyways… it gets kinda boring, you know… no TV or malls or shit like that. So, they decided to hitch a ride back home… and when the people

realize that our dude, his bro and the wife are back home… they thought, well, you know, at least they deserve something nice… and they didn’t have any discos or clubs in those days… so they couldn’t take them

out for a drink, so they, like, decided to smoke and shit… and since they also had some lamps, they lit the lamps also…so it was pretty cooool… you know with all those fireworks…. Really, they even had some local band play along with the fireworks… and you know, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was the very first

music-synchronized fireworks…. you know, like the 4th of July stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, so dude, that was how, like, this festival started.”

The mother fainted

Tips to the new Entrepreneurs

// October 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog, Tips

There will be this one time in life where you get this brilliant idea, a business plan forms in your mind and you have a huge bright bulb glowing above your head. That is your “WOW” moment. Some people are gifted with a lot of these moments and some people are not gifted with them at all. What matters the most is not getting the idea but how well you execute it. Now that’s a Bummer, ain’t it?

I had a lot of those moments and I ve leart a great deal from executing them and not executing them. I have a feeling people need to understand the mistakes that are done commonly even though making an error is the best way to learn. So here are some pointers.

1. The IDEA

This is the most important of all. It defines what you want to do. You need to be clear on what you want to do. You can’t sell cars when you want to be selling spaceships.

2. The Market

You need to understand who your target audience. Not just who they are, but what they do and what they like and dislike. You cant sell chicken to a vegan, if you do – well you ve got great marketing skills. Which brings us to…

3. Marketing

This is not something you learn. This is an instinct. A right word at the right tome can make you a million dollars. You need to do your homework before you set out to market your idea or product. You shouldn’t have a problem if you the two things above right. You ll still require one other thing…

4. Pricing

This is one place you need to be clear about. You need to know at what prices to offer your servuces or products at. It’s not business if you end up making a loss even after you ve got the clients and finished the work on time. New entrepreneurs often find themselves in situations where they have to compromise on the price. This is where you need to get your marketing people to act smart. You need to set the minimum price for the work you will be doing. This should cover all the expenses involved for the whole team that might be involved in it. Everone has to eat, drink and sleep, that is the why they need to work.

5. Training

This is one of the most important part of a job well done. People can’t do something unless they are thaught how to do it. That is why there is so much demand for experienced people in any industry.

6. Satisfy your employees

The important part of getting a team to do their work is to keep the team moivated in all situations. It is okay to make a small investment if that means keeping your people happy and working. Seriously, buy that wii.

7. Keep your promises

Never promise the client that you can get the job done in 2 days if that is all it actually takes. Always leave time to correct errors and to make up for lost time. It’s always better totell the client you will get it done in 4 days and deliver the product early. It reflects on how fast you can get the job done. But this does not work at all times, it’s a risk but a calculated one. If it works you get a lot more business but it doesn’t well, you start all over again.

8. Always respond to your email

On some days, you will get hundreds of emails. On others, you will get none at all. You need to read everything and make intelligent replies to all of them. Be smart, always be nice. You never know when you will need one of them to help you out.

9. Be Organized

There is no alternative to this. You need to be organized at all times, keep your calender up to date. Attend all the events you are invited to. Attend all those breakfast things that people go to. Speak to people, get your brand out there.

10. ASK

You need something done, but you don’t know how to do it. You need to get someone to do something and you are trying to be polite. Well, before you know it, the person would be gone and you would have to go look for someone else who can do it. All it takes to get something done is to ask. There are endless things that can be accomplished by asking. People get huge deals by asking, people get stuff for free by asking. You might get that break you need by asking. SO, ASK.

11. Watch your step

You are your brand. Always watch what you say in public. Everything you say is attributed to your brand. Watch your language at all times, especially if your brand is related to kids in anyway. Watch what you post on the social networking sites.

12. NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING.

You need to tell people what you are doing, at the same time you need to know what others are doing. Its all about networking. You know someone who knows someone who knows someone who can get you a deal on something you’ve been searching for. And, before you know it you will be great friends with all those people.

13. Talk to people about your idea

One of the mistakes entrepreneurs do is to keep their idea a huge secret from their friends. You will find that if you tell people about the idea, you get a lot of critics that is very helpful in how you proceed with the plan. But be smart about who you tell it to or someone might just use the idea. Get a lot of views on how you will be executing the plan. Trust me, it helps. A lot of problems in your proposal will be uncovered along with possible solutions.

14. Get some goodies made

People love goodies and handouts. It is one of the most effective ways to market your brand. It might just be an awesome wall paper. It can be as cool as a gadget that you can giveaway. But there has to be something that they(your target audience) can relate to.

15. Have FUN

You are not going to make it big unless you  enjoy what you do. Have fun doing it and there is nothing better.