Learning to recognise without reading

One of the biggest barriers to acceptance of a digital web based product for children under 12 years is language, or labelling. Just like adults, children are quick to scan and dismiss text. This is exaggerated when it comes to children who are just learning to read.

To turn this around, offering information via meaningful and useful graphics and icons can increase the usability of a product aimed at children. A site I found recently that successfully combines words with images and appeals to both those who read and those who may not, is the Lego website.

The key here is to ensure icons or graphics chosen convey meaning to as many children as possible.
For example, if 7 year olds were asked to ’save’ a document in Microsoft Word, would the floppy disk icon mean anything to them?     Perhaps offering a default icon of a DVD, a memory stick or even a piggy bank (one of the alternative icons you can choose in Word) would surely convey the meaning to children more easily. Adult conventions are learnt, yes, but this shouldn’t kerb designing for a specific age group.