Designing Collaborative Technology for Intergenerational Social Play over Distance

DOI

Collaborative social play not only offers entertainment but also acts as a powerful catalyst in nurturing intergenerational relationships and strengthening community ties. In order to explore user preferences and interaction dynamics within this context, we investigated remote intergenerational communication through an analysis of 15 groups of parents and children from 16 families. Given the importance of collaborative activities in family and intergenerational connections, we aim to understand how these interactions and practices can adapt to remote environments. Our findings highlight both similarities and notable differences in the use of communication methods, workspace, and objects between parents and children. Particularly, we observed distinct patterns in gestural and verbal communication and identified specific challenges encountered by children in remote settings. Our findings also revealed the dynamics of play sessions, especially when co-located participants are involved, shedding light on the complexities of remote intergenerational communication. Our work offers valuable empirical insights on designing more effective and engaging remote collaborative platforms for families.