top of page
IMG_3226_edited.jpg

UX Case Study Game

Created a design thinking game to increase awareness of the UXD program

Challenge

Students are transferring into Wilfrid Laurier’s User Experience Design (UXD) program from other programs rather than applying to the program from the start. UX as a practice needs to be more visible and understandable for prospective Laurier students.

Team

5 User Experience Design (UXD) students at Wilfrid Laurier University

Role

Generative Research, Visual/Graphic Design, Content Writing & Editing, Prototype Production

Toolkit

Figma, Canva

Research and Conceptual Design

A major constraint on this project was that we were not authorized to conduct any formal surveys/interviews through the university. To gain insight on why many students were transferring, we referenced past interviews/surveys team members had conducted with UX students, and discussed the topic with current UXD transfer students. Based on this research, we discovered:

  • Most non-transfer students came to Laurier for the UXD program and were aware of UX prior to applying.

  • Most transfer students were unaware of UX prior to attending the university and transferred after being introduced through an elective course or student/staff at the university.

We established two main goals for this project:

  • Educate prospective students about user experience roles.

  • Increase awareness of the UXD program at Wilfrid Laurier.

Ideation & Creation

We brainstormed ideas for products that could be used at Wilfrid Laurier's open house and campus tour events. These events attract a large number of prospective university students, and already often have both program heads and student volunteers present to market their program to applicants.

Our solution was a game for event attendees to play, which could function as an interactive and educational demonstration of user experience design. The game would be:

  • A round-based multiplayer game: it can be played with two or more people and the game can be stopped or continued for as long as needed.

  • An iterative design thinking game that guides players through designing a product and mimics an Agile design process to give a hand-on, simple view of what someone in a UX design role might do.

Production Timeline

CSG Production Timeline

Week One: Establishing foundations

Week Two: Research, Design, Iteration

Project Deadline

Establishing objectives, content ideas, and round structure for the game.

First Iteration Card Designs

Creating initial designs for cards and coins

Second Iteration Card Designs
Box/Branding Concept

Second iteration design for cards and game branding/packaging

Outcome

After constructing the prototype of our game we conducted a few playtesting sessions and found the game to mostly meet our goals and expectations. It allowed for a quick multiplayer experience lasting between 3-15 minutes with different results and challenges presented to players each time. First-time players adapted quickly and had no issues with understanding the game or instructions.

Prototype Playtesting

However, due to the set timeframe in which open house events occur, we were unable to actually use the game as a demo, and therefore are unable to say whether it would effectively increase awareness of the UX program.

​

Additionally, there were a few issues that were discovered during initial playtesting sessions:

  • User Needs and Company Needs cards are not always complimentary; some combinations can appear nonsensical or unrealistic.

  • Language and syntax between card decks is not completely cohesive.

  • Most design prompts are rooted in software design; a broader scope of content would be beneficial to educating players.

  • Domain-specific language is not always effectively explained or introduced for players who are unfamiliar with UX as a whole.

Learnings

Many of the issues we experienced while prototyping the project were due to team communication and a lack of standards. We did not establish effective guidelines for language, syntax, or content prior to creating the product. As we split content creation between different members of the team, we ended up with inconsistencies in card content and style. In the future, I would work with the team to:

​

  • Create a content guideline beforehand to ensure all content is complimentary and cohesive.

  • Establish more frequent check-in points to allow us to identify and address issues as they arise, instead of after we have finished the prototype.

bottom of page