Context analysis, needs assessment and persona development: towards a digital game-like intervention for high functioning children with ASD to train social skills

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often face challenges in social situations. Although designers and researchers explore the potential of digital (game-like) interventions, most interventions lack evidence in efficacy or proper design. The aim of this study is to explore the worldview and needs of the target users in their daily life context and convert them into authentic and lifelike personas and guidelines for design. To get insight in the user group's worldview and needs we conducted focus groups with children with ASD (n = 8), focus groups with parents (n = 6) and stakeholder interviews (n = 7). Different generative and exploratory methods were used during the interviews. We present the findings on the three main topics: everyday life, social skill training, and video games. The findings resulted in three authentic and lifelike personas. To develop a successful new game-like intervention the children's needs must be more explicitly addressed in the design. The user-centered approach makes clear that children with ASD have different goals to pursue then their parents and professionals.