Send in the clowns? 1 Apr 2008

Research published by Dr. Penny Curtis at The University of Sheffield suggests that, contrary to the belief of grown-ups, children don't like clowns. Curtis and her team had been studying children's perceptions and experiences of hospital facilities:

"Interestingly, all children disliked the use of clowns in the [hospital] decor, with even the oldest children seeing them as scary. 'Given that children and young people do not find hospitals frightening per se - and only express fear about those spaces associated with needles and associated procedures - this finding is somewhat ironic,' Dr Curtis points out."

...Another great example of good intentions gone awry and the need to consult with real-life end users!

[via Improbable Research]