This document outlines a design challenge for creating an experience similar to "Netflix for children's books." It begins by describing the problem that many parents struggle to find books that match their children's interests and abilities. The proposed solution would allow children to choose books based on age and theme, with parental approval. Key aspects include sorting books by age and theme, letting children choose topics of interest, a parental approval process, and supporting tools to continue the learning experience after reading. Implementation would start with a web application and expand to mobile. Benefits include helping children succeed in school by developing a relationship with reading. The document includes research sources and a sample persona profile of a potential user. It then provides several concept generation ideas that could extend

1. ReadMeABookEveryDay
Designing An Experience For
“The Netflix of Children’s Books”
HUGE Design Challenge
By Raphael Feinstein
http://megfish.com/2010/03/march-childrens-book-giveaway/

2. Problem
Most parents have trouble finding
books that match their children’s
interests, comprehension level and
attention level
Kids are usually curious, looking to
explore and understand the world
Books are a great way to explore a
child’s curiosity because they can
take a child deep into the jungle,
over the moon or to a kind, talking
tree

3. Reading any book with a child
does not foster a love of reading
Problem
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Empty_book.jpg

4. Creates a smarter,
literate youth
Gets parents involved in
children’s lives
Keeps the lights on at
ReadMeABookEveryDay
Problem

5. Lenses
Intrinsic Motivation and Simplicity

6. The Experience

7. Insights
A child is more likely to learn and retain information
when s/he believes that s/he is pleasing his/herself
It is difficult for parents to help find an appropriate
challenge while still allowing the choice to be the
child's
When children can see the result of their actions as a
reward they are motivated to continue those actions
- National Association of School Psychologists

8. Insights
Children approximately as young as 10 months are
able to understand directions and can choose books
they like
Some parents just want their child to read, it does not
matter what the content is.
- Interview with mother of 19 month old child

9. Stakeholders
The Child The Parent The Business
Children between 3-6
years old.
Curious about the
world.
Working parents that may
not have the time to go
searching for books but are
willing to sit down at night
and read a few books with
their child.
Create a user base and
retain families as children
grow up

10. Solution
Sort by Age and Theme
Keeps the challenge of finding the right
book on the business
Removes cognitive load from Parents
Themes create an encompassing lesson,
moral or idea for the child to explore
Age determines the approximate
development stage, setting criteria for book
types

11. Solution
Child Chooses Interest
The child is more interested in reading if
s/he chooses the topic
The wide range of interests allow children
to explore and discover
The child has set their own challenge, so
they are reading for themselves

12. Solution
Parent Approval Process
Parent can pre-screen the
themed book selection
If they do not like a book,
it can be replaced
Reduces parent effort but
keeps them involved and
in control

13. Solution
Supporting Tools
Creates a collaborative learning
experience after the reading is
complete
Children can see object or activity as a
reward that will come with the books,
but it is an extension of what they read
that can be taken into the world for
continued learning
Forms culminating experience of their
own actions, motivating them to
continue these actions

14. Strategies
Technical: Web and Phone Application
So busy parents can keep the books coming for their
knowledge hungry children

15. Strategies
Business: If it needed to be broken down into implementation phases
Web application for
parents to set age and
browse themes
Add functionality for
book approval and child
interest
Expand into phone
application,
incorporating the
supporting tools
30%
60%
100%

16. Strategies
Social:
Children do better in
school
They go farther Seek out and solve harder
problems in the world

17. The Experience
Kids Choose Parents ApproveBusiness Works Extend the Experience
Kids Incentivized
&
Parents at Ease
Kids Form Relationship
with Reading
Business Continues to
Iterate on Process
Stakeholders are
Happier

18. Pictures:
Allorge, Lionel. Empty Book. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., 25 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Empty_book.jpg>.
Fish, Meg. Children's Books Collage. Digital image. Meg Fish & Co. N.p., 29 Mar. 2010. Web. 7 Feb. 2015.
<http://megfish.com/2010/03/march-childrens-book-giveaway/>.
Westover, Rebekah. Andrea and Her Boys. Digital image. Pinterest, 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<https://www.pinterest.com/libbymtaylor/photography/>.
Research:
Braun, Effie. "Children's Interaction with Books." Online interview. 6 Feb. 2015.
"Browse the Oyster Library." Oyster. N.p., 2015. Web. 07 Feb. 2015. <https://www.oysterbooks.com/library>.
"DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF CHILDREN (0-6 YEARS)." Superior Court of California County of Placer. N.p., 2013. Web.
6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/family/family_op_0-6.html>.
"Motivating Learning in Young Children." Motivating Learning in Young Children. NASP, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/earlychildmotiv_ho.aspx>.
Perez, Sarah. "Sproutkin Launches A “Netflix For Children’s Books”." TechCrunch. Livefyre, 7 Mar. 2013. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
<http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/07/sproutkin-launches-a-netflix-for-childrens-books/>.
Perry, Jack W. "Time for Ebook Subscriptions for Children’s Titles." Digital Book World. N.p., 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/time-for-ebook-subscriptions-for-childrens-titles/>.
Research & References

19. Thank you
Questions?

20. Persona
Name: Jackie
Age: 31
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Background: Jackie is from Illinois but moved
to Indianapolis when she got married to her
husband. Her husband works as a manager
in a construction business.
She is a working mother, so she does not
spend as much time as she would like to
with her child. She works in a bank. She has
a 4 year old boy with her husband. They are
always trying to save because they know
that the world is becoming more expensive.
They want to give their child the best
chance to succeed and so they have
already worked to make sure he is in a good
pre-school. He goes to daycare when he is
not at school and while Jackie and her
husband are at work.
They try to read at least one book to him
each night and are working on his reading
abilities. Unfortunately, they did not start
reading consistently with him until about a
year and a half ago because they did not
understand the benefits.
https://www.pinterest.com/libbymtaylor/photography/

21. Interview Report
The participant is female, 29 years old and works in finance. She lives in Studio City, California in a condo with her
husband who is 30 years old and a lawyer. They have a 19 month old male child with another child on the way. They
have a nanny read books to their child every day and the participant reads a book or two each night before putting the
child to sleep. The child was able to identify books he liked from 10 months old, but did not do it himself until 12 month,
around the time he could walk to the bookshelf. They have been reading to him from the time he was 2-3 months old
but has not yet started to read words himself just yet.
The questions asked during the interview are as follows:
• What reading activities do you partake in with your child?
• How do you choose the books?
• How did you get him interested in books?
• Where did you get the books? How did you find them?
• What is the frequency at which you introduce new books?
• Do you try to push the level of the books when you buy new ones?
• At what age did he start choosing books for himself?
• If you could get 1-5 new books each week (not considering money) that would be of interest to your child, would
that be something you would consider?
• Is there anything you do not want him to read?
Answers to these questions may be released if necessary.
Research & References

22. Concept Generation
Plus One Seed Book: This concept utilized the idea that the reward for reading should be more reading. The
concept was to add in another book on top of the 1, 3 or 5 books ordered that would be in some way different from
the books ordered. That way the service would be giving the child an opportunity to read something else taking the
child outside of their usually genres.

23. Concept Generation
Challenge Books: This concept
played on the idea of different
levels of reading in a single order.
When the parents ordered 1, 3 or
5 books, each book would be a
specified difficulty so the parents
could push the limits of each
child’s reading ability, but start
with something easy

24. Concept Generation
Follow Up Cards: This concept was inspired by the real company SproutKin. It is a card that comes with the box
of books that has a list of questions and activities that parents and children can do together. This continues the
learning past the book and keeps the parents involved in the child’s reading, as long as the card is used.

25. Concept Generation
Parent Crowdsourcing Approved Books: The idea is to bring parents onto the website and approve of books
that they have read and liked. This way other parents know if the book has been read and if they should or should
not ask for it to be part of their order. By crowdsourcing, parents can help other parents. Books can be filtered by
amount of approvals and feel comfortable that their child is reading quality content.

26. Concept Generation
Recommendations Based on Past Purchases: Like Amazon, this idea would show parents books based in past
orders. Books would be recommended using an algorithm to get the parent to order familiar books as well as
books that they would not consider regularly.

27. Concept Generation
See What Other Parents are Choosing: This concept is exactly what it sounds like. Parents would be able to
see what other parents are ordering, giving them an idea of different kinds of books and removing the cognitive
effort necessary to sort through books. This idea is good for trying to find new books but requires some parents to
do all the work and others can freeload.