Module_03.

week_11

Workshop Challenge:

The Challenge

How can you ensure a business / creative idea is targeted and researched to maximise potential?

Select one of your ideas from the previous week and develop a clear business outline of your intended audience outlets for distribution or purchase.

You may need to evolve aspects of the proposition, and ensure there is a clear objective for the next stages of development.

Your output will include product development, research insights and production challenges; all of which will come together in the final week of this module.

Upload the artefact and evidence of any development undertaken (this might also include brand names and approach to the product’s story), and include a one page report outlining research, insights and development challenges.

Selected Idea: Gamification in the treatment of mental health disorders, in children and young people, in the UK.

Gamification, and how this could be deployed to aide in the educating of young children and teenagers, on the subject of mental health. The outcome of this proposal would endeavour to establish a product or service, that is designed to engage, educate, and encourage best practice, in the identifying and treatment of mental health disorders, in the chosen demographic.

In elaborating on the positioning of the outcome, I would like to reaffirm the that this is a subject that is broad in definition and considerable in scale, therefore, my strategy will be designed to accommodate one, targeted section of the target audience. Aside from the aforementioned considerations, I am also factoring-in the disparity in diagnosis and reported experiences, in relation to age and gender. With this considered, it would be fool-hardy to attempt to develop a solution that addresses all of the needs, of the user. In this endeavour, I will continue to examine the possible points of entry, into the selected segment and how I may best position any future product or service, in relation to the findings.

So, why Gamification? The catalyst for this approach was a consequence of my experience of having worked with my local primary school in the past, and through those experiences having observed the changes in classroom procedure in regards to learning and classroom based interactions between the teacher and student. The most striking innovation being the replacement of the blackboard with a digital, touch-screen interface, that could be used to distribute learning materials to tablets, that were used by the children, throughout their various lessons. The streamlining of the teacher-student interaction was a progression, that I found fascinating, as it opened-up the conversation around the subject of education, and how best to provide that right, using the innovations in technology.

Similarly, when observing my niece and nephew in completing their homework for the week, I was once again intrigued to see the use of digital technology being integrated into the learning experience. This time, in the guise of a Micro-Kingdom, that made use of a gamification feature in the delivery of the children’s weekly assignments: With the gaming element serving to provide rewards for the completion of set tasks, thereby providing the student with a sense of satisfaction, and a fun learning experience.

Growing-up with a mental health condition, in the UK.

Current Trends and Insights into Mental Health among children and teenagers:

Prior to 2017, the last comprehensive survey on the subject of mental health in children was conducted in 2004. This survey found that 1-10 children aged between 5-15 had at least one diagnosable mental health disorder. This range of diagnosis included: Behavioural, Emotional, or Hyperactive disorders.

As of 2017, this has risen to 1-9.

If we include all children and young people between 5-19, the number of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health disorder is 1-8. That amounts to 12.8%.

This change was largely due to an increase in emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression. The number of 5-15yr olds that could be diagnosed as having such a disorder in 2004 was 3.9%, whereas in 2017 this number had risen to 5.8%.

One of the more intriguing trends is in the disparity between genders, with emotional disorders being more common in males at a younger age, whereas the same disorders are more common in females at a later age. In the 2017 survey, 1-4 females between the ages of 17-19 had a diagnosable disorder, with emotional disorders being the most common.

Despite the commonality of such mental health disorders among children, only 1-4 of those diagnosed reported having accessed professional mental health services, in 2016.

The same group are far more likely to seek help from sources outside of the professional services. For example: Online; Teachers; Or Primary care services.

The findings also confirmed several, long-held theories that proposed that mental health disorders in children were more common among low-income households and families that had experienced disruptive changes, such as the separation of the parents. The survey also found that the child is likely to have been bullied and partaken in the bullying of other children.

In similar findings, the study found that a child whose parent, or parents, had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, was more at risk of developing a mental health disorder, than a child whose parents did not qualify as having a mental health related condition.

Of these children, 14.9% of them would develop a mental health disorder by the age of 4.

The study also found that certain behaviours could be linked to mental health, and in 11-16yr olds this was evident in their willingness to engage with activities such as: Trying a cigarette; Smoking; And engaging with illicit drug use.

95.1% of 11-19yr olds reported using social media, with 79.1% of them using it daily.

The relationship between Social Media and mental health is largely predicated on whether or not you have an existing mental health disorder, and how you choose to use Social Media. Those with a diagnosed disorder were more at risk, with the time they spent on Social Media being far higher than those without a mental health disorder. The impact on their well-being was also a factor, with many of those surveyed reporting that using Social Media had resulted in them feeling low, depressed, and inadequate, when compared to those around them.

The factors associated with mental health disorders in these statistics point toward environmental and social influences that can act as important risk and protective factors for young people’s mental health. Capitalising on opportunities to provide children with supportive environments early may be key for ensuring good mental health for all children and young people.

Victoria Zamperoni

Senior Research Officer, Quantitative.

Market Research:

Initial Thoughts, based on the findings and insights discovered during my research into mental health disorders, in children and young people, in the UK:

The key insight that I have discovered, and that has confirmed my suspicions, was that it would be difficult to develop a product or service that could accommodate the full range of users, and that in order for such a proposal to work effectively, I will need to deploy precision-targeting, in order to identify the area of the selected segment, that is most compatible with my intentions, for the project.

I was also intrigued to learn of the disparities between gender and age, in relation to the development of a mental health disorder, specifically, how females tend to develop a mental health disorder later than males, and that of those surveyed in the 17-19yr old segment, half of the female participants had also reported wanting to self-harm or having had thoughts of suicide. This revelation prompted me to reflect on my approach in engaging such individuals, and I had concluded that the provision of a tool, such as the one I intend to develop may not have value for a user that is so severely effected. In such extreme cases, the priority should always be the provision of medical care. With this considered, my thoughts on positioning are then re-directed to accommodating a younger audience, one that is less severely effected, and could benefit from engaging with such a tool.

Victoria Zamperoni, Senior Research Officer, asserts the importance of secure environments and healthy social influences, in the treating of cases pertaining to mental health disorders, in children and young teenagers. Therefore, the environmental factors within the game itself, stand to play a significant role in the delivery of the design strategy. Chief among the considerations would be Art Direction, and how this could be adapted to incorporate behavioural triggers, seeking to act as the catalyst for the altering of an emotional, or psychological state. In considering the role of visual therapeutics further, I would endeavour to incorporate appropriately selected colour-palettes and imagery that is both in-keeping with current trends within the gaming industry and likely to provide a calming, yet visually-stimulating visual experience.

The Nintendo amiibo:

The Nintendo amiibo is a toys-to-life platform, created for use on the Nintendo WII, 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. The most current iteration, for the Nintendo Switch, allows the player to scan a figurine or card using the Nintendo Switch hand-set, this action will then result in new content being unlocked, within the relevant game. Each scannable item contains unique, in-game content and provides the player with a much broader, and richer, gaming experience.

Marketing strategy:

The primary challenge for the successful delivery of the artefact would be in relation to market penetration and logistics. In launching a product that seeks to operate in a highly competitive market, the project runs the risk of failing to gain the attention of the gaming community, many of whom cross-over into the targeted audience for this product. Therefore, it is essential to gain traction in the gaming landscape.

For any new product, key to their success is the establishment of an audience, and in this instance the most effective approach to achieving this objective would be to partner with an existing entity, within the gaming industry. Through the acquisition of a partnership with an industry body such as Nintendo: Whose own audience and sensibilities lend themselves to the marketing strategy created to deliver the Buddy Hero Saga platform, the project could tap into the existing markets that are most aligned to the product, proposed. A second point of consideration in the partnering with Nintendo, would be their position as a market leader in the mobile gaming, sector. A factor certainly worth considering when launching a mobile platform. In recent years, the company has also been experimenting more with scannable-toys and how build-it-yourself model kits can be incorporated into the digital gaming experience. All of which, aligns with the functions of the Buddy Hero Saga, platform.

In summation, I propose partnering with Nintendo, with an advisory role being played by the NHS services for mental health, to develop and deliver a unique, customisable, and pioneering gaming platform that is designed to engage and educate children and young teenagers, on the such of mental health.

Financing and Distribution:

The financing of the project would be accrued by pitching the project to potential investors and offering them a percentage of the Net Profit from units sold, in exchange for a portion of the start-up costs. This could also include investment from Nintendo itself, or any other relevant parties, pertaining to the development of the project.

Distribution would be handled by the selected partner, and initially restricted to the UK and European markets. In order to maximise exposure, a pre-release strategy would seek to provide industry commentators with early access to the game, in exchange for endorsements and promotion: This would primarily aim to include all relevant streamers with a large following, as such channels are popular with younger audiences.

In attempting to capitalise on the trends within viral marketing, the marketing campaign would also include a series of TikTok promotions, targeting viewers that had demonstrated an interest in relevant subjects, such as: Mental Health; Gaming; And Social Media. Working with the relevant algorithms the campaign would seek to establish which members of the user-base of such platforms as TikTok; Instagram; And Facebook, would benefit from engaging with the Buddy Hero Saga, platform.

Product Overview:

The tool that I propose to develop is one that is comprised of two elements. The first of these components is an App, with gamification at its core. This App would be a 2D platformer, compatible with all contemporary mobile platforms, and available through distribution channels such as: ITunes; Appstore; And the Brands website. The second component would be physical, and realised in the form of ready-to-print model-kits, that would allow the user to customise their in-game experience.

The kits themselves would feature basic shapes, presented in bold colours, and in-keeping with contemporary visual-narratives. Each kit would comprise of a single character and a series of accessories, relevant to that character. These models, along with the customisable kits, can then be scanned into the App, and will subsequently take-on a digital form, thereby allowing the user to customise the content of the game, itself.

The thinking behind this approach is to provide the user with a means through which to express their emotions, and to project those anxieties and undesired feelings into an arena, that they can control. This will be an important feature of my strategy, as it is common for many of those whom are under-going a course of Cognitive Therapy Treatment, to be instructed in techniques that allows the patient to dissociate themselves from the intrusive thoughts that are the catalyst, for their respective anxieties. By allowing my user to process those emotions through play, and to then encourage them to view those anxieties through an objective lens, that being the physical representations of their emotions in the form of the models: Which themselves will then be scanned into the App and become part of the user’s gaming experience. The tool is providing a new approach to Cognitive Therapy Treatment.

The model-kits act as the vessel for the emotional unrest, the App allows the user to control those emotions, and if possible, defeat them.

Branding:

Moodboard:

Ideation & Design Development:

Brand Name:

Group Survey:

Having selected a number of titles to be considered for the name of the brand, I had decided to pose the question to the study-group. I did so, using a digital tool, and have posted the link, below:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9V6NHMT

Selected Brand Name: Monsters and Critters.

Logo creation:

Packaging Design:

Marketing strategy:

Concept & Strategy:

Target Audience:

Marketing Channels & Forms of Advertising & Promotion:

Distribution Channels: Nintendo; Stream; ITunes.

Financial Report:

Implement & Test:

Outcome:

Group Discussion:

Bibliography:

Victoria, Z, (2018). What new statistics show about children’s mental health. [online] MentalHealth.org. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/what-new-statistics-show-about-childrens-mental-health [Accessed 8 August. 2020].

Poulain, D, (2009). Totem 49′ sculptures. [online] DamienPoulain.com. Available at: http://damienpoulain.com/totem-49/#/image-1 [Accessed 9 August. 2020].

Rigaud, L, (2016). Workshop. [online] ludocube.fr. Available at: https://ludocube.fr/portfolio/atelier/namur [Accessed 9 August. 2020].

Invisible Creature, (2014). Stack and Scare. [online] invisiblecreature.com. Available at: https://www.invisiblecreature.com/work/stack-and-scare-sets [Accessed 9 August. 2020].