Colours in Motion
Project Overview
In Semester 1 of 2023, I took User Experience Design Studio (DECO2014) as part of my Interaction Design Degree. This project followed an iterative double diamond approach, beginning by understanding our target users to grasp their daily experiences on university campuses. These insights were then used to frame our idea development process.
Structure
Group task beginning from user-research of problem area to execution of high-fidelity prototype.
Team: Tanya, Serena, Iman
Timeframe
March - June 2023 (3 months)
Technology
Figma
Adobe After-Effects
Rhinoceros 7
Procreate
Design Brief
To intervene and transform urban environments [university campus] into dynamic and interactive spaces and installation to promote playfulness and creativity among people.
1.0 Conducting Primary Research to understand key user needs.
The objective of the research phase was to assess how university students and staff spend their time on the university campus.
Testing Methodology: Contextual Observations, questionnaires and Interviews.
The demographic of young adults (18-25 years old) were identified as key users of the university campus.
To carry out our main objective, we designed our research process with the following points in mind:
Understand how and to what extent the time spent during breaks can affect mental/physical well-being.
Identify the attributes of existing physical, spatial and digital environments that may help increase productivity, relieve stress, or create playful atmospheres.
Explore the conscious decisions individuals make when allocating free time spent on campus.
Our research began with "fly on the wall" observations across both indoor and outdoor campus spaces to understand user behaviour in natural settings. Following this, we administered a questionnaire to 107 global respondents, capturing both quantitative and qualitative data to offset observational biases. We then conducted 9 semi-structured interviews with university students to deepen our insights and resolve any data inconsistencies, ensuring the robustness of our findings. This methodical approach allowed us to comprehensively understand campus-related challenges.
Data Analysis and Synthesis Methodologies: Affinity Diagramming, Empathy Mapping, User Persona, User-Journey Mapping.
Affinity Diagram
Empathy map
User Journey Map
Persona
Key Insights from the data:
The lack of engaging and practical study environments on campus has caused reduced student morale and a decrease in productivity.
A decrease in overall mental health amongst student cohorts due to academic pressure has motivated students to look for distractions from current reality.
The limited facilities to promote socialisation and relaxation compared to academics have caused the inadequate work-life balance of student cohorts.
Physical and spatial considerations in the outdoor and indoor spaces on campus have neglected the importance of physical exercise.
2.0 How did we come up with our concept?
Mindmapping was used to brainstorm intiial ideas as group before we seperated to refine these potential ideas.
Rapid ideation through individual storyboarding was used to identify creative solutions to our defined problem and the design brief.
Of 3 storyboard ideas the clear winner (the Art Cart) was decided through a decision matrix.
Final Concept
The Art Cart: “Using art therapy to reconnect individuals with childhood experiences to inspire greater creativity on the University campus.”
Physical Element: Portable cart with art supplies to promote art therapy
Spatial Element: Artworks distributed alongside Abercrombie Business School staircase of a mural of the artworks
Digital Element: Prompt created and the scanning of artworks to create a produce a digital artwork
3.0 Iterating through 3 rounds of prototypes informed by user-testing.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
Iterations Made:
"Digital art gallery" for inclusion of an immersive digital and spatial experience.
Further Considerations:
Manage logistics for how the cart will run.
More individualised elements to spark creativity.
Mid-Fidelity Prototype
Iterations Made:
Individual physical prompts rather than shared prompts (indicated by the sticky notes)
Further Considerations:
How to prevent potential misuse to ensure safety.
General inefficiency of the app and navigation features of app UI.
Usability testing for Mid-Fidelity Prototype
Usability testing was used conducted with 12 participants, beginning with a think aloud as they interact along the experience. We then verbally asked them 10 questions from the System Usability Scale Test to gather a qualitative data. This verbal approach allowed them to ladder of their response through verbal communication.
Key Findings and Insights:
After conducting an analysis of our SUS survey data, we found our average satisfaction rate was 84.81%.
Greater instructional text was needed in the mobile app to guide users through the experience of uploading their work.
High-Fidelity Prototype
Iterations Made:
Refining design choices aesthetically, ensuring consistency throughout the entire experience..
Inclusion of a a Qr code which leads to a website rather than an mobile app to save the user time for downloading..
More simplistic UI and more effective instructional text has been implemented in the digital prototype.
Using Rhinoceros 7 3D to model the shape, texture and colour of the physical element.
4.0 Final Experience
The collaborative aspect of the portable Colours in Motion cart between students and staff fosters a greater connection and sense of community throughout the campus. Users feel the need to interact with others to improve their mental well-being.
The Colours and Motion cart promotes campus community, collaboration, and inclusivity.
It encourages interactions that improve mental well-being.
Introducing colourful murals and art in the ABS building boosts creativity and addresses the current dull atmosphere.
Campus experience is influenced by user-centered physical, digital, and spatial factors.
The initiative offers a chance to reconnect with childhood memories, enhancing nostalgia.
Art therapy is valued for its positive impact on mental health, highlighting the importance of professional guidance in the Colour and Motion experience.
5.0 What did I learn?
Serena Huang
Reflecting on the "Colours in Motion" project has been an helped me understand the significance of creative intuition and the power of simplicity in experience design. This project not only pushed the boundaries of my design capabilities but also deepened my understanding of the intrinsic connection between using multiple mediums to create emotional resonance in a user’s experience.
In hindsight, a notable challenge during user research was the tendency to seek validation for pre-existing assumptions. Reflecting on the initial insights, they closely mirrored our initial hypotheses without unveiling new perspectives. Further analysis of the collected data revealed moments where responses were accepted at surface level, missing opportunities to identify deeper trends.