3D Printing For Girls: An Idea

If you read yesterday's post, you'll know about the controversy regarding BfB's attempt to address the younger female market. We pondered this situation: how to get more children (including female) to learn about, experience, desire and grow into 3D makers as they get older? 

 

Discussing this with a friend who has both a 3D printer and young female offspring, we realized that the children don't care so much about the printer or the hardware. No, instead they are focused on the experience; the result from using the hardware.

 

At that age they just want to get cool stuff that they like - such as jewelry, buttons, pins, etc. Young girls have such a desire for these things you will find huge chain stores (e.g. Claire's with 3,000+ worldwide locations) dedicated to addressing that specific need.

 

That's what the girls want to make. They don't care that the printer is pink; they want the experience you get from using one. For the majority of girls, the experience is receiving an object they like, not building a printer. 

 

So we think an answer to attracting young girls to 3D Printing might be to create a repository of things they can print.

 

Things They Like. Not things that engineers like to print. 

 

Imagine a ten year old girl surfing through today's version of Thingiverse looking for something she might like. That's right, she'd have big trouble finding anything of interest, although she would find tons of sophisticated engineering items. Now instead imagine her surfing through a branded site specifically designed for young girls containing hundreds of appropriate items to print - perhaps more items than she would find in her local Claire's. 

 

This is not unlike the hundreds of websites offering similar visual services for young girls, where girls create different looks by selecting from options presented. It works for these sites; why not for 3D printing? If girls were attracted in this way they would become very familiar with the notion of printing things you need, and this concept would be carried with them forever. They will expect to print things.  

 

Which company will be first to make a targeted 3D print repository? How about this one? 

A Pink Controversy in 3D Printing

There are those of us who know about 3D printing, and those who don't. We've all seen the looks of awe from those transitioning to "those who know", and we want more people to come over and realize what can be done with this technology. 

 

Last week BfB made an attempt to bring 3D printing to more people by introducing the RapChick, a companion to their original RapMan kit. The RapChick was essentially identical, but included pink highlights and other features that attempted to attract a female audience. 

 

We're happy that BfB is trying to get more folks involved, but a controversy erupted over the validity of this approach. Female commenters didn't believe the approach would work and were even offended by the method. One reader, Ann Marie Shillito (maker of a pretty amazing haptic design tool) posted a well-written piece on her thoughts on this matter: 

 

Seriously, I do applaud what BfB are doing but to truly democatise 3D printing (as BfB say they are doing), they have to also appeal to all rapidly expanding, underserved audiences. For non technical groups Rapman and RapChick kits are not the way to do this.

 

Development must be on usability and understanding how to include people of all ages who have different learning styles, requirements and preferences who want to engage with this very exciting technology. So thank you, Shapeways, Sculpteo, and I am sure Ponoko – I haven’t experienced their 3D services yet – for making the route to 3D printing so straightforward.

 

We totally agree with this. The printer is not the issue; it's the experience.

 

We've been thinking a lot about this and have another idea. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it. Sorry! 

 

Via Ann Marie Shillito