Formosa: The Lost Secret
Impact with usability testing insights
Collaborated with the Ministry of Education and the Science Museum to test prototypes with 50+ elementary students and teachers, gathering insights to design engaging and effective learning experiences.
Positive User Feedback
85% of users expressed high satisfaction with the design of AR interactions integrated with exhibits and the overall experience flow, finding it both enjoyable and engaging.
Improved Learning Experience
80% of users believed that the design of AR experiences improved their learning and expressed a heightened interest in visiting the National Museum of Natural Science for educational purposes.
Visitors
After opening up AR experiences, an average of 5,000 people per day engaged in these interactions.
Immersive learning experiences
The final design integrates gamified learning with AR technology, creating an interactive and engaging experience that captivates students and enhances their understanding of educational content.
How to address lack of interactivity and navigation challenges?
This project began to address the challenge of keeping students engaged in traditional museum exhibits. Many displays lacked interactivity and navigation challenges, making it harder for students to learn effectively. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the National Museum of Natural Science, the goal was to make the museum experience more engaging for students and families.
UX research
Conducted research to understand the needs of students, teachers, and families.
Ideate experience paths
Developed concepts for interactive learning journeys.
Design AR interactions
Created AR-based interactions that integrate with real-world exhibits.
Test with students and teachers
Prototyped and tested the designs with over 50 students and teachers to gather feedback.
Iteration to final design
Refined the design based on feedback, improving functionality and user experience.
Uncovering user needs through user interview
I interviewed 20 elementary school students, parents, and teachers who visited the National Museum of Natural Science. My goal was to understand their experiences with digital learning and expectations regarding Augmented Reality (AR).
85% value gamified learning
85% of participates said gamified learning helps students absorb knowledge and stay motivated.
80% want interactive characters
80% of participates loved interactive virtual characters or animals to appear in the space, similar to games like Pokémon Go.
75% embrace digital learning
75% of participates shared that their schools encourage digital learning, often utilizing tablets as teaching devices.
Pain Points
Too much complex information
“The exhibit descriptions are hard to understand and have too much information.”
Boring and repetitive exhibits
“The exhibits are boring, not interactive, and rarely updated.”
Hard to navigate the museum
“The museum is too big, and it’s hard to know where to go or what to see.”
Lack of interactivity and engagement in museum exhibits
How might we create an engaging and interactive museum experience that motivates students to learn independently and navigate exhibits with ease?
Bringing learning to life with interactive missions
To visualize the potential experience, I developed a thematic mission route, allowing users to effortlessly engage in self-directed immersive AR learning. Users have the freedom to select stages for interactive experiences. Upon completing all stages, they can attain certification for self-directed learning and unlock a hidden mystery interaction.
Crafting user-centric solutions
To make learning fun and boost motivation, Our solution combines AR games, a learning map, a reward system, AR quizzes, and conversational avatars, available on both phone and tablet. The experience is tailored by grade level to ensure engaging and personalized learning.
AR games
Engaging games that blend augmented reality with educational content to enhance learning through interactive play.
Reward system
A motivational system where students earn rewards for completing tasks and progressing through levels, encouraging continued learning.
Learning map
A visual map that guides students through various levels, helping them track progress and navigate the learning journey.
Conversational avatar
Dr.Co, Bear, and Lai guide students through tasks and answers questions, providing a personalized and supportive learning experience.
AR quiz
Interactive quizzes that test students’ knowledge, using AR elements to create a more engaging and memorable learning experience.
Grade-based levels
Content and challenges tailored to different grade levels, ensuring the learning experience is appropriate and engaging for each age group.
Defining users paths
To create an intuitive experience, I designed a user flow that maps out the steps users take while engaging with AR interactions, ensuring seamless navigation throughout the experience.
Collaborative design for AR experiences
I worked closely with a UI designer, 3D artist, and visual designer to ensure that the UX for AR interactions met users' needs and integrated with the real environment.
Refining experience through user feedback
In our usability testing, over 50 elementary students, teachers, field experts, and museum guides participated to evaluate the AR design. Their feedback helped us identify critical issues and make improvements to ensure a engaging and educational experience.
Guiding users to stabilize AR elements
Some 3D elements wobbled due to improper scanning. I introduced prompt text to guide users back to properly scan the images for better stability.
Ensuring active learning with interaction controls
Students quickly skipped content to compete with peers. To address this, I required interaction with AR elements before progressing to ensure they engaged with the content.
Adding a clear exit option
Users struggled to exit during the experience. We added a "Back" button with a confirmation popup to enhance navigation and prevent accidental exits.
Enhancing understanding with bilingual text
Proper nouns were hard to understand for users. I added bilingual text (English and Mandarin) to make the content more accessible and clear.
Improving AR visibility with directional arrows
Some AR content was hard to locate immediately after scanning. I added directional arrows to guide users to the correct location for a smoother experience.
Revising for accuracy based on expert feedback
Field experts pointed out inaccuracies in the 3D models and content. I revised and corrected these elements to provide accurate educational information.
Let’s learn with AR
The final design combines gamified learning with AR technology to enhance engagement and knowledge retention.
Takeaways from this project
