DESIGNING GOOD TECH FOR YOUTH
Exploring emerging technologies, youth-focused design, and regulatory and rights frameworks, the aim is to address these challenges and develop product and service solutions that deliver maximum positive impact
Exploring emerging technologies, youth-focused design, and regulatory and rights frameworks, the aim is to address these challenges and develop product and service solutions that deliver maximum positive impact
How young people use technology is a topic surrounded by controversy. Emerging tech offers invaluable communication, creative, and educational opportunities, but the way much of it is currently designed and used brings detrimental effects for young people: socially, emotionally, psychologically, and even physically. In this workshop, we will work with emerging tech, youth-centred design and regulatory and rights frameworks, to face these challenges and create product and service interventions that maximise positive impact, while addressing concerns for the safety, privacy and well-being of young people.
Prerequisites
This workshop is designed to be open and accessible to everyone, so no specific experience working with young people or developing products or services is necessary.
How you’ll learn
You will learn through hands-on practice. Each day, you'll take part in facilitated group discussions and exercises to break topics apart and explore, followed by short lectures providing an overview of the industry's best (and worst) practices, frameworks, and resources. Much of the course consists of small-group project work, where we’ll tackle the challenges discussed, in the context of edtech, digital play, parenting, and digital and mental wellbeing. You'll continuously build on your chosen topic through people-centred service mapping, research sense-making and interactive prototype creation.
What you’ll learn
What to bring
Sara is an independent designer and researcher, helping organisations discover opportunities for purposeful products and services. Sara founded Therewith, a solo studio exploring ways for digital products and services to have a positive social impact, and is currently focusing on technologies that make or help to make automated decisions on behalf of children and young people. Because young people should have a say over the technologies that will radically shape the society in which they live.
Sara has been part of the teams at Nesta, The Behavioural Insights Team, Normally and BBC and as a hybrid practitioner, she intentionally applies diverse people-centred design processes, such as interaction, UX, research and service design. She tackles challenges from many different perspectives, helping teams transform deep research into actionable insights, concepts and prototypes that people can relate to. Her experience is centred around purposefully and responsibly using data and emerging technologies to fulfil users' needs, goals and ambitions.
Rina Shumylo is Interaction Designer with mixed background, who specializes in crafting compelling experiences that blend digital innovation, physical design, and cutting-edge technology. Rina believes that every choice—whether in form, function, or technology—is an opportunity to contribute to a world that is kinder, more resilient, and more beautiful for future generations. In essence, design is not just about solving problems but about imagining and shaping a better tomorrow.
Currently Rina is working at LEGO Group in the innovation department to create immersive and engaging play experiences. By blending imagination with purposeful design, she crafts opportunities for kids to explore, learn, and develop skills to be builders of tomorrow.
Before pursuing a career in Interaction Design, Rina co-founded ILL&MATES, an illustration studio that evolved into a thriving image production studio renowned for its high-quality work in Ukraine. Under Rina’s leadership, the studio brought together a team of talented creatives and earned a remarkable reputation, collaborating with prominent clients such as BBDO, Y&R, Pepsi, Esquire, Carlsberg, and Viasat. As an entrepreneur in the creative industry, Rina also launched Graphite, an educational platform designed to support illustrators by fostering connections within the creative community, sharing industry insights, and encouraging the exchange of personal experiences.
