Expert Advisory Board information for parents and guardians

What is Xploro?

Xploro is an app designed for kids who are being treated for a medical condition.

It helps them understand what’s happening, what to expect, and who they’re going to meet, and in doing so, helps to reduce anxiety associated with the unknown during a difficult period for them and their family. It does all that in a fun way, using games, storybooks, AR and a chatbot.

Have a look around the website to find out more.

What is the Expert Advisory Board

Xploro’s Expert Advisory Board is a group of youngsters who tell us what they think of the content in the Xploro app and share ideas for new features and games.

Who takes part?

The Expert Advisory Board is made up of children between the ages of 7 and 16, though there are no hard and fast rules on the age of participants.

How often do you meet?

We meet a few times a year and aim for three or four annual get-togethers.

Where do you meet?

We meet online using Zoom. Before the 2020/21 pandemic, we used to meet in person and we might do that again in the future.

Do members have to be undergoing treatment for a medical condition?

No. The Expert Advisors have a range of healthcare experiences. Some are currently having treatment for a health condition, some have completed their treatment and have been discharged, and some have never been seriously ill or even visited a hospital.

Can any child join the Expert Advisory Board?

Yes, everyone’s welcome. We have neurodivergent members, and members with a physical disability; some of the kids are very outgoing and outspoken whilst others prefer not to use the camera in meetings and instead communicate through Zoom’s chat feature. We think there’s real value in having input from many points of view and we do whatever we can to accommodate everyone.

Can parents come along?

Yes. Most of our members are there with a parent or guardian and it’s great to get feedback from an adult’s perspective too.

How do I know it’s safe?

Xploro’s staff have had an enhanced DBS check. All communication is done via email through you, their parent, unless you tell us it’s okay to email them directly about meetings. And you will be with your child throughout the meetings.

Who from Xploro attends the meetings?

Dom Raban, Xploro’s founder and CEO hosts most meetings. He is usually joined by Richard Douglas, Xploro’s scriptwriter and Expert Advisory Board administrator.

In addition, other Xploro colleagues might attend meetings from time to time, depending on what we’re going to be talking about. They might be game designers, artists, or app developers. We’re really conscious not to have too many of our team there and there’s usually no more than four of the Xploro team in attendance.

What happens at the meetings?

A few days before we get together, we’ll ask the kids to play with the app, focusing on a specific game or section. Then, during the meeting, we’ll ask them what they thought of it. We want to find out whether they liked it, if it was easy to use, what they think could be done better and what they would change completely.

Sometimes we get them involved in ideas for new features. We let their imaginations run wild and ask them to come up with characters, scenarios, baddies, collectibles and all sorts of things you’d usually find in a game.

All this is done in a well thought out workshop environment which we make sure is as fun and engaging as possible.

What happens between meetings?

Sometimes we’ll get in touch to ask the gang to play test parts of the Xploro app and let us know what they think via email.

How will my child play with new things on the app?

If your child has an Apple device, we’ll get them set up with a testing app called TestFlight. If they use an Android device, we’ll set them up with a Beta version of Xploro.

What equipment will my child need?

They’ll need a laptop or desktop computer for the meetings, with a camera if they’re happy to appear in person. If they don’t feel comfortable using the camera, they can switch it off and use the chat feature. If the computer doesn’t already have it, we’ll ask you to download Zoom.

They’ll also need a tablet or mobile phone to use Xploro on.

Can Xploro provide a tablet or mobile?

Unfortunately we’re quite a new company and we just can’t afford to do that right now. Sorry.

How do I sign my up child to Xploro’s Expert Advisory Board?

Click the Get in touch button at the top of this page and send us a message. We’ll reply as soon as possible and let you know what to expect.