Experiential Design / Task 2

Shim Yi Xun || 0363292

Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
  Experiential Design - MMD60204  

Experiential Design - Task 2

  Overview  

> Module Information Booklet

> Class Activities

> Task Instruction

• Recap
• Project Process
• Final Proposal Document
• Presentation Slides
• Presentation Video
• Final Submission

> Reflection

  Module Information Booklet  

  Class Activities  

Activity 3 (Continuous): Marker-based AR experience

This time, we explored how to display video content in conjunction with image tracking. One of our key learning is that when the target image moves out of view and then reappears, the video does not start playing from the beginning, but seamlessly resumes from the moment it was paused.

In addition, we also tried to add explosion effect to make the video content appear "destroyed" and display "KABOOOM" in the Console. However, for me, the explosion effect was too small to be displayed because I set the image scale to 50 when I first imported the Vuforia package (sorry that Mr. Razif already said that we can only set the scale to 1-3, but it was just out of my curiosity, haha... fun failure to unlock?)

Activity 4: Multiple Scenes & String Function

Based on the same project file, we started adding more AR scenes. To manage that, we added buttons that let users switch between scenes easily. This feature is super helpful to learn, especially when we need to develop our AR app for the final project in the future.

After creating the Credit Page and Menu Page, we also wrote a new script to handle the button functionality, so that each page could be connected and accessed just by tapping a button.

We even added an Info Panel to the AR page.

  Task Instruction - Experience Design Project Proposal  

Based on initial idea discussions, students are required to come up with an experience design project from a subject/topic of their choice. This can be anything from screen experience to physical space experience. They are required to create a professional experience design proposal document that explains their project idea and how the experience will be for the user. The proposal should include an analysis of current experience, a comparison with similar solutions, and an explanation of how it can be improved. It should also include sketches to visualise the experience and a mock design of how the final outcome should appear from the user’s perspective.

  Recap  

We have developed three preliminary ideas in Task 1, after discussing with my partner, Huey Yee, we decided to work with one of my ideas, which is Nature Journey:

Problem Statement:
Urban lifestyles often isolate people from nature, which will lead to increased stress. Many people lack opportunities to connect with natural environments and experience tranquillity in their daily lives.

Proposed Solution:
Nature Journey offers a nature experience where users can simulate the feeling of being in a natural environment by scanning themed cards (e.g., forest, beach). The app provides immersive visuals and ambient sounds to help users relax and reconnect with nature anytime and anywhere.

Click HERE to review Task 1.

  Project Process  

1.0 Overview

Of Mr Razif's feedback, we revised our idea and renamed it WanderBloom AR, which means: “Wander freely. Watch nature bloom in AR.”

WanderBloom is an immersive AR experience that brings nature to life through the simple action of scanning themed physical cards. Designed to be both calming and interactive, WanderBloom allows users to wander through different natural environments — such as forests, snowy landscapes, or coastal scenes — enriched with ambient sounds and interactive elements. Users can even combine two or more cards (e.g., Forest + Water = Jungle) to unlock new hybrid environments, enhancing the element of discovery and creativity.

Through activities like catching butterflies, picking flowers, or building a snowman, WanderBloom offers more than just visual scenery — it creates an engaging experience that connects users with the natural world in a magical and meaningful way. Built with Unity, this project aims to explore how augmented reality can enrich everyday experiences and provide moments of calm, joy, and wonder.

2.0 Problem Statement

While many AR applications offer visual nature experiences, they often lack meaningful interaction, creativity, and emotional connection with the environment. These apps tend to focus on static visuals or soundscapes without encouraging users to explore, combine, or engage with nature in imaginative ways. This results in reduced user engagement and missed opportunities for both entertainment and educational value, especially among younger audiences and creative minds.  

3.0 Objectives

1. To encourage engagement and exploration by enabling users to combine cards and unlock new nature-themed settings.

2. To incorporate interactive activities (e.g., catching butterflies, picking flowers, building snowmen) to enhance immersion.

3. To explore and demonstrate the potential of AR as a tool for entertainment, education, and mindfulness.

4.0 Target Audiences

1. Young Learners (Ages 8–14)

Curious and eager to explore, children in this age group are ideal for immersive and interactive educational content. They enjoy learning through play and can benefit from nature-themed AR to develop curiosity and appreciation for the environment.

2. Creative Hobbyists & Nature Lovers (Ages 15–30)
Individuals who love art, photography, nature, or journaling. These users appreciate relaxing, aesthetically pleasing apps and enjoy engaging with content that lets them personalize their experience.

3. Educators & Parents
Teachers and parents are looking for tools that combine fun and education. They often seek applications that can keep children engaged while teaching real-world knowledge or environmental awareness.

5.0 User Personas

User Persona 1: Emily Tan

User Persona 2: Daniel Lim

User Persona 3: Aisyah Rahman

6.0 User Journey Map

We created two user journey maps where we compared the pain points of the current user journey map and how we solved them and turned to gain points.

Click HERE to view the User Journey Maps in Miro.

7.0 Visualization Concepts

7.1 About Nature Cards
We designed the nature cards that we will print in future stages, allowing users to scan them and experience each unique interactive exploration of the provided Nature Cards.

i) Forest Card
A dense, green woodland filled with tall trees, gentle breezes, rustling leaves, and chirping birds. Users can explore, catch butterflies, or pick flowers.

ii) Stream Card
A peaceful, shallow stream winding through rocks and plants. Enjoy the gentle sound of flowing water and spot small fish or insects nearby.

7.2 Card Combinations
WanderBloom not only allows users to scan each card individually, but also encourages them to explore the potential combinations of different cards.

For example:
Forest (Card 1) + Stream (Card 2) = Jungle (Resulting Combo)
A vibrant and humid rainforest emerges, filled with dense greenery, flowing streams, and exotic wildlife. Users can interact by catching tropical butterflies, listening to frogs and birds, and collecting rare virtual plants hidden among the thick foliage.

7.4 Sketches of WanderBloom AR
The sketches, that guide us during the mockups.

7.4 UI Kits
To create our visual identity, we selected dark green as the primary colour, which embodies the richness and tranquillity of the natural environment. And we introduced bright pink as an accent colour – used sparingly to draw attention to key interactive elements like buttons or highlights, ensuring they stand out but don’t detract from the overall design.

For the fonts, especially the logo and heading, are slightly playful with clean, modern touches—capturing the spirit of creativity and exploration that WanderBloom encourages.

To keep the UI elements consistent, we used Stratis UI as the icon set. Its minimalistic and friendly style blends perfectly with the overall aesthetic, ensuring that the icons are clear and easy to use, and visually harmonious with the rest of the design.

7.5 Mockups

Loading Page & Login Page
These pages are designed to give users a calm and welcoming first impression, using the nature-inspired theme of WanderBloom.

Main Page & View History Page
The Card Scanner feature allows users to activate nature cards in real time and experiment with different combinations to unlock new environments. Meanwhile, the View History page lets users revisit the environments they’ve previously explored, along with a summary recap of their discoveries and progress.

Scanning Page & AR Environment Page

When a user scans a nature card—such as the Forest card—the AR app will detect it and project a corresponding 3D environment into the real world. Once the scan is successful, the digital scene appears overlaid through the device’s camera, creating an immersive augmented reality experience.

Below the 3D model, there are two main control buttons:
- Play: Starts the animated movements of the environment, such as trees swaying gently or butterflies flying across the screen.
- End: Stops the animation and exits the AR view, returning the user to the main page.

In addition to these controls, the AR page also includes two functional features:
- Ambience Sounds, which allow users to adjust or experience natural background audio like flowing water or chirping birds.
- Quests, which provide simple interactive challenges to encourage user engagement and exploration within the AR scene.

Features: Ambience Sound Panel & Quest Panel

The Ambience Sound Panel allows users to adjust and experience natural background sounds—such as birds chirping or leaves rustling—to enhance the sense of immersion within the AR environment.

At the same time, the Quest Panel introduces a light layer of gamification, encouraging users to engage more deeply by completing small exploration tasks, like catching a butterfly or collecting three mushrooms within the scene.

End Page

Finally, when the user taps the ‘End’ button, a summary achievement screen appears. This screen provides an overview of what the user accomplished during their exploration—such as the number of quests completed, the total time spent, and a special ‘What’s New’ section.

The ‘What’s New’ section is designed to spark curiosity and motivate users to return for future sessions by highlighting new environments or interactions they haven’t explored yet.

At the bottom of the screen, two buttons are provided: one to continue exploring, and another to return to the Main Page, giving users the freedom to decide their next step.

8.0 Analysis of Current Experience

Current AR nature apps primarily focus on passive viewing, offering limited user interaction and minimal environmental variety, which reduces user engagement and creative exploration.

Key Points:
- Limited Interactivity: Most apps only allow users to view static nature scenes or listen to ambient sounds, without the ability to interact meaningfully with the environment.
- Lack of Environment Fusion: Existing experiences rarely support combining different nature elements (e.g., forest + stream), which restricts imaginative storytelling or scene-building.
- Short Engagement Time: Due to the absence of dynamic elements or game-like tasks, users tend to lose interest quickly and do not revisit the app regularly.

9.0 Comparison with Similar Solutions

Compared apps:

1. Seek by iNaturalist
Strengths: Great for plant identification
Limitations: Limited interactivity, no immersive environments

2. Civilisations AR
Strengths: Detailed 3D models of artefacts
Limitations: Not nature-focused, mostly museum objects

3. Wonderscope
Strengths: Story-based  AR for kids
Limitations: Fictional themes, not based on real nature

How WanderBloom AR is better:

- Combines learning and creativity with interactive AR elements. No pressure to “study” – it’s like a virtual nature walk.

- Allows environmental blending through card combos, which encourages imagination and observation skills

- Provides enjoyment and exploration with ambient design.

  Final Proposal Document  

  Presentation Slides  

Click HERE to view the presentation slides in full screen

  Presentation Video  

Click HERE to view the presentation video on YouTube

  Final Submission:  

Click HERE to view the submission in Google Drive.

  Reflection  

Throughout this module, I’ve learned how immersive technologies like AR can be designed not only for visual impact but also for meaningful interaction and emotional connection. Working on WanderBloom AR gave me the opportunity to explore how nature and technology can blend to create calming, creative experiences. I especially enjoyed experimenting with different cards and combinations, and thinking about how even small interactive elements — like catching butterflies or adjusting ambient sounds — can deeply affect how users feel during the experience.

The hands-on class activities were also a huge part of my learning journey. From trying out image tracking and video integration to building multi-scene navigation with Unity, I started to understand the technical side of AR more clearly. Although I did run into some funny setbacks — like the tiny explosion effect due to the wrong scale setting — these moments helped me learn through trial and error and made the process even more memorable. It also reminded me that curiosity is just as important as following instructions, as long as we learn from the results.

Overall, this project helped me grow not just in my technical skills, but in how I think about user experience. I began to see AR not just as a novelty, but as a tool that can offer relaxation, inspiration, and even mindfulness. Designing with intention — especially for specific users like children, hobbyists, and educators — taught me to balance function with emotion. I’m proud of how far we’ve come with WanderBloom AR, and I’m excited to keep learning how to craft experiences that spark joy and exploration.