Devika Patel, Claire Jacobson, Nina Ligon
One in 68 children in the US has been identified with autism spectrum disorders (CDC 2014). From interviewing individuals with autism and people who work with them, we learned that the ability to make and sustain relationships is a persistent challenge adults with autism face. During the transition to adulthood resources diminish greatly. Many tools for adults focus on professional skills while other resources are designed for children and can be infantilizing. MMY fills a gap in the market, addressing social interaction for adults with autism. Our solution is a board game that allows users to engage with peers while moving towards a common goal: to reach the end of the game. Players ask and answer questions, posed on four different kinds of cards, to advance their pieces through the game board. MMY aims to create a safe way for adults with autism to engage with each other and learn about their peers. The social scripts surrounding board gameplay is familiar to our users and gives them the confidence to engage with the questions and activities. The game cards prompt serious answers to questions like “What is your definition of love?”, and sillier responses to activities like “Show us how you would make scrambled eggs!” This range of cards helps users learn more about their peers to start and solidify friendships. All in all, MMY is an engaging way for adults with autism to interact, learn, and have fun with their peers.
Me, Myself, and You -Design Brief