Good Design Does Some Of The Work: Interviewing Nichole Rouillac, Designer, Mom, And CEO

The best kids tech experiences don't happen by accident. They follow from someone designing carefully for a specific situation.In this episode of Parent Tech, I sit down with Nichole Rouillac, CEO of industrial design studio level and mom of two, to hear how she thinks about technology for her kids. We cover what she's actually doing and why.Nichole has worked with Microsoft, Logitech, Tempo, and Nex, and has a thoughtful approach to kids tech. She's been thinking about this stuff for years from a different vantage point than most parents.We get into:- Her work with the team at Nex on the Playground — the cube shape, the colors, and the monocle camera cover- How audiobooks and Osmo helped her daughter become an avid reader- The Tonie Box, Yoto, Tin Can Phone, and Apple Watch — what she chose for each of her kids and why- Parental controls — what she actually does and why it still takes effort- How her 12-year-old uses Roblox, Minecraft, and coding as both social and creative outlets- Her device and app recommendations for different agesResources mentioned:My Nex Playground review: www.parent.tech/p/nex-playground-review-all-is-forgivenAsh Brandin's Power On (referenced in episode): www.parent.tech/p/book-review-power-onJoan Ganz Cooney Center family tech cycle report: joanganzcooneycenter.org/publication/the-family-tech-cycle📌 Subscribe for more interviews, insights, and stories from parents at www.parent.techLearn more about Nichole and level at www.leveldesignsf.com00:00 Introduction01:00 Nichole's background — designing for families as a mom and studio CEO01:28 The Nex Playground design story05:29 The monocle — designing a camera cover07:29 How Nichole thinks about kids and technology10:38 Screen time philosophy and her two kids12:24 Social screen time — Roblox, Minecraft, and staying connected with classmates13:29 Parental controls — what works and what still takes effort15:06 The Tin Can Phone16:30 The Apple Watch and giving her daughter independence18:02 How technology helped her daughter love reading20:49 Osmo — physical letter tiles and the iPad23:44 What to look for in education technology26:24 Independence and devices designed for kids to use on their own28:07 Her 12-year-old's interests — coding, robotics, writing her own video games33:53 YouTube as a starting point — balloon animals, cooking, crafts39:15 Device and app recommendations — Yoto, Osmo, Endless Reader, KiwiCo, Nex Playground41:01 Family favorites on the Nex Playground42:06 Closing