ABSTRACT A GARDEN SYMPHONY: THE CREATION OF A MULTIMEDIA MUSICAL COMPOSITION TOOL FOR CHILDREN By

Designing computer interfaces for children can sometimes require a very different method of design and production than designing an interface for adults. Collecting and considering feedback from children during the design process can significantly affect a program’s success. The purpose of this study is to provide children with an environment in which they are invited to think creatively about musical composition, in ways that they probably have not before. This purpose was achieved by creating a CD-ROM based multimedia application, targeted at children ages 6 to10, entitled A Garden Symphony. Design goals and ultimate choices were determined and met based on data collected from existing research on interface design, music in multimedia and the theory of multiple intelligences. Data was also collected from observations of user interactions with the garden application during two separate phases of pretesting, preliminary testing of a prototype and final testing of a full version of the application. The results of this study show that user testing during the early and final phases of production does provide useful information on the function and design of a program and its potential success at affecting the audience. Thorough user research and testing helped to insure that children wer