ADHD disrupts both academic performance and the shaping of social fabric in childhood, impacting attention, impulse control, and time management. This indicates a need for targeted interventions to reduce its prevalent effects.
Overview
Role: User Interface Designer (Team of 2)
Duration: 3 months (Aug - Dec, 2023)
Tools: Figma, Landbot, Adobe InDesign
Through fictional social interactive games and progress tracking, we aim to empower children with ADHD by supporting holistic development, enhancing cognitive skills, and managing emotions.
We explored this idea through diverse interface implementations, starting with an interactive SMS game, followed by an automated chatbot, and ultimately developing a final iPad app version.
Outcome
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Created a fictional storyline script for initial idea exploration.
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Conducted a Wizard of Oz experiment & designed a WhatsApp chatbot for interactive testing.
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Co-designed wireframes and wrote a comprehensive dossier for the iPad app.
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Presented the prototype and dossier to stakeholders for feedback.
My Contribution
PROCESS
Wizard of Oz
We created a birthday party themed storyline full of unexpected events and adaptable to players' choices, where each decision leads to a unique outcome.
In order to evaluate our concept, we developed a paper prototype and carried out a strictly SMS-based Wizard of Oz experiment with 4 individuals serving as players, while I assumed the role of the wizard.
Feedback indicated that texts were dry, needed more fun elements and while meaningful, they were too lengthy for children with attention deficits.
WhatsApp Chatbot
We automated our paper prototype into a WhatsApp chatbot using Landbot. For a more engaging experience, we added emojis, GIFs and made efforts to shorten the text.
We also added a strategically placed open-ended question to encourage reflection and journaling of thoughts.
Landbot chat flow - interconnected responses and pathways
Players recommended more concise texts and adjusting language to avoid sounding preachy. They also suggested adding more journaling-based questions and including a prompt asking players if they'd like to continue or end the game when the chat is left unattended.
A text-based approach wasn't optimal for our concept and the target age group of players. We needed to explore an image-based interaction, and creative integration of journaling, open-ended questions, and possibly audio inputs could enhance engagement.
Reflections
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Low-Fidelity Wireframes
We chose the iPad for its larger screen, ideal for interactive games and easy supervision by parents.
We also added audio feedback and text prompts throughout the game to encourage interactivity and reflection.
Suggestions were made to make reading levels easier, and complex emotions such as "jealousy" or "guilt" needed to be replaced with simpler alternatives like "feeling angry" for better comprehension.
FINAL DESIGNS
UpSwing - Key Features
We expanded the user interface to include screens for more functionalities such as a games directory, parent portal, progress report, journal entries, and more. Additionally, we made screens showing the app's monetization strategy and gamification aspect, aiming for a user-friendly experience for both children and parents.
Home Page & Onboarding
A personalized onboarding begins by guiding the parent through a questionnaire to understand their child's needs, fine-tuning the app. The homepage is a navigation hub with a hamburger menu for settings and bottom navigation for direct access to Games, Parent Portal, and Profile Page.
A banner carousel at the top invites exploration, with CTAs to unlock new games and tips for skill mastery, while other sections highlight trending stories and latest releases.
Games & Library
The Games page is the app's main entry point for children, providing easy access to ongoing storylines.
The Library houses all available storylines, categorized into "All," "Purchased," "In Progress," and "Completed" sections, enabling players to effortlessly discover, track, and enjoy narratives.
Completed storylines feature green tags on story tiles signifying achievements.
Interaction methods
during gameplay
The game includes a default voiceover, reducing the need for extensive on-screen reading. Players encounter pivotal moments with choices between two options that shape the game's direction.
They are also asked for audio inputs by tapping the mic icon on the screen to verbalize their responses. Additionally, mid-game, players are prompted to journal their thoughts, encouraging reflection on their decisions and potential outcomes within the game.
Unlocking new chapters
Upon selecting a story, players see the total number of chapters. The narrative unfolds sequentially, with the initial chapter accessible from the start.
Subsequent chapters remain locked until the player successfully completes the preceding ones. Any attempt to unlock locked chapters prompts the player to first complete the earlier segments.
This strategy maintains a smooth
storytelling experience and retains the narrative build-up.
Parent Portal, Progress Report & Journal Entries
This space for parents shows a wheel showing the player's dominant weekly emotions and their unlocked title. The "See Skill Development" button leads to skill-specific growth graphs analyzed by AI. The portal also offers progress reports, journals, screen time, and pro tips for a holistic view of the player's engagement.
The Journal screen features a color-coded calendar of emotional experiences during gameplay, with detailed entries upon clicking.
Purchases
When players click on a story title, they can access detailed information including the category, the skills it aids in development, difficulty level, and pricing.
A "Get Now" button guides players to payment, where stories can be purchased using Apple Pay, requiring parental involvement through Touch or Face ID.
After purchase, stories are added to the player's library under 'Purchased' in the Library section
Profile & Gamification
This page displays information about the number of completed and ongoing stories, offering a quick overview of the player's progress.
For added motivation, a visual element shows the remaining chapters needed to unlock the next title.
Players can also explore all titles, including both achieved and locked ones, to see their accomplishments.
A recommendation was made to add more audio interactions and to strengthen the gamification system by introducing additional features. It was also suggested to further develop the 'Pro Tips' section under the Parent Portal by including educational content
After incorporating all feedback, we will consider designing a community feature for parents to find support.
We will also begin the first round of usability testing to identify and address any potential usability issues, iterating as necessary for optimal user experience.
Next Steps
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Change is constant; projects often shift in direction and scope. I've learned to swiftly adapt to unexpected situations.
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Perfectionism isn’t realistic; it's okay to share unpolished work initially. What matters is making progress and starting things off.
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Participating in numerous critique sessions taught me constructive feedback exchange.
My Learnings