Case Studies
Designing Physical-Digital Active Play
Most of my neighbors have young children, which makes our street in Evanston a kid-friendly play zone in warmer months. But for many, finding opportunities to play with others is difficult—a problem that grew worse during the 2020 global pandemic. Even teens and college students stand to benefit from active play, especially in problem-solving disciplines like engineering.
Many of my clients—from toy companies to children’s museums—have asked how to leverage technology to create new kinds of active play experiences that keep their customers engaged.
The Brief
Demonstrate new opportunities in digitally augmented physical play.
Prototype low-cost game concepts for clients.
Research and provide data-driven insights about how people engage in active play.
Identify tech-enabled enhancements that make players want to do more.
Conduct real-world play tests with prototypes with key audiences at schools and community spaces.
The Results
At ESI, I conducted community-engaged research for products and programs in both public and private sectors.
We prototyped mixed-reality play experiences in multiple spaces and contexts.
Our work led to a spinoff startup that created new products, including a multi-player video game theatre for theme parks, sports arenas, and retail centers.
My Role
Building strategic partnerships.
Leading design strategy and process.
Conducting design research across diverse communities.
Creating prototypes and conducting user tests.
Managing team processes and resource planning.
Writing design documents, scripts, and presentations.
Art direction and storyboarding.
Above: An exhibit prototype test video that my team created for a children’s museum in a planned mixed-use development in the Fort Totten neighborhood of Washington, DC.
