The iPad may not seem like social tool, but the new games that Waag developed show us the opposite. You can play the games together on an iPad, and they are designed to encourage sharing personal stories. Away with those traditional board-games: from now on we gather around the iPad with our family for a nice evening!
Following research that was carried out within the European consortium Express to Connect, Waag developed three iPad games that help seniors to stay socially connected. The sharing of memories and the use of personal photos seems crucial for this. These elements are therefore key in all the games. The games are developed in collaboration with our target audience. Seniors and their (grand) children tested the game principles and prototypes of the games and gave their feedback, making the end product very easy to use.
You have the main role
The games are unique because the players themselves have the main role. Personal photos, images and stories are used to initiate conversations and bring back forgotten stories. Concept Developer Astrid van Roij-Lubsen (Waag) about the power of the games: "One of the test families consisted of a tight group of three generations. Although they had very good contact, it appeared that the pictures and questions in the game still triggered new stories. Memories that they had never shared before."
