The Coin Clock

Rebecca is six years old and has just received her allowance. She wants to save her money for a new toy she wants so she goes to put it in her piggy bank, which is designed to look like an old fashioned alarm clock. The slot on the top affords that is is where the coins must be inserted and is the interface where the interaction with the toy begins. The shape and size of the slot also acts as a constraint to suggest that each coin will only fit through the slot in a certain way and one at a time. As Rebecca pushes each coin into the slot they bounce off a metal spring underneath that has bells and plastic rings attached to it. This creates a gentle tinkling sound and causes the bells on top of the clock to shake back and forth. The use of audio and visual feedback lets Rebecca know that the interaction was successful. It is familiar as well because it acts as a metaphor for the actions of a real alarm clock, which may degrade over time but are still recognizable. Having a piggy bank that resembled a clock could also be seen as a metaphor for the concept that 'time is money' and the idea of putting money away for another time. With these metaphors incorporated into her toy Rebecca learns the importance of saving her money in a fun and easy way.