In attempt to overcome the difficulty in shifting attention from one task to another or changes in a daily routine, I have designed a toy to help. Suri is a toy designed to be used during transitions for children in grade 2-3 with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
Observations
Classroom Layout
For this project, I had the opportunity to do observations in different classrooms to get a better understanding of the activities they do and the struggles they face. The illustration above is one of the classrooms I got the chance to visit and where my prototypes were tested.
Identifying the problem
Children with ASD are usually highly dependent on set routines and are strongly affected by disruptions which causes stress and anxiety for them. Therefore, it becomes harder for them to shift their attention from one task to another.
How can I design for children in grade 2-3 with asd who are constantly affected by disruptions to their daily routine while creating a positive experience during transitions?
EXISTING SOLUTIONS
Before I could move forward to ideating, I had to look into existing solutions to see what is already on the market and how they have tried to solve the problem.
The solutions that exist currently can be divided into two different categories: Physical and Strategic. Although all the physical products that are currently on the market are not specifically designed for children with ASD, the design has been able to relieve stress and even anxiety. However, some children may be extremely fascinated about a specific toy for one day and forget about it the next day. There is always room to take on different approaches for toy design and to see what form toys can take on.
