Childish vs. Childlike: Web Design for Children’s Hospitals
Written October 24th, 2007 by Thomas Ames
The design of a Web site is often seen by its visitors as a reflection of the organization. This is perhaps most noticeable in the design of children’s hospitals: in general they are bright, colorful designs with, in some cases, header fonts that might resemble a child’s handwriting. But this poses a conundrum: while it’s obviously an organization geared towards the service of children’s health, the Web site seems to appeal more to children than to adults, and that misses the Web audience entirely.
But while the design is obviously focused on establishing the organization as kid-friendly, I wonder what effect this has on the visitors, almost all of whom are adults. After all, if I’m a parent, I’m not necessarily interested in the childish, bright branding of a Web site, and instead I want to focus on the information, services, and perhaps interactivity provided. This doesn’t mean I neglect the design of the Web site; after all, branding is important. But the extent that some organizations go to establish their kid-friendliness can be overwhelming. This is where the distinction between childish vs. childlike is important.
Childish
- Many bright colors
- Many headers with child handwriting fonts
- Moving or flashing objects (not to be confused with Flash objects!)
Obviously, you might find many of the above aspects on a Web site whose audience is children, like those for gaming.
Childlike
- Soft, complementary colors
- Interactive objects that aren’t obtrusive
- Few child handwriting banners or logos
These aspects appeal much more to adults: not too much automatic movement such as flashing or things zipping around the screen, colors that don’t overwhelm the visitor and instead allow her to find the information she wants, and fonts that are easy to read.
That isn’t to say that the line between childish and childlike isn’t thin; occasionally you might find very childish things presented appropriately on an otherwise childlike site. Children’s Web sites that offer games and print-outs of coloring sheets come to mind. But those sections expect child audiences; service lines do not. And therefore it’s important for us to not forget that while we are a children’s hospital, our audience isn’t children but their parents.
What are some other qualities of children’s Web sites you find important? What are some ways children’s Web sites could better present their information?
October 24th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Interesting topic, Thomas.
I think that many children’s hospitals, or pediatric portions of hospital websites are designed to brighten up an otherwise cheerless topic – children who are sick and in many cases, fighting very tough diseases. It’s the same reason that these actual sections of hospitals are always the most colorful and fun that you’ll find, despite the very sad things they’re treating.
October 25th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Thanks, Michael!
That’s very true: it certainly does attempt to brighten up a pretty dreary situation. I think in some cases the colors — as long as they aren’t overwhelming — can have a nice effect on your visitors.
That does beg the question, then, why so many non-pediatric hospitals’ Web sites are somewhat bland. I’m not saying they need bright colors all over the place, but if they were bit more colorful and perhaps made a good use of shades of different, soothing colors, it would enhance the attitudes of their visitors. I don’t have a clue, but it would make for some interesting research for any academics out there.