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DAYDREAMS OF THE SHINKANSEN
About
Daydreams of The Shinkansen (2023) is an interactive museum installation prototype designed in response to a user experience design brief set by the National Railway Museum in York.
Users are encouraged to learn about the Shinkansen by completing a series of puzzles, relating to the thoughts and stories of the Shinkansen's passengers, depicted as floating thought bubbles.
This project followed a process of iterative design, beginning with wireframing and user testing. The final version was realised in Adobe XD, featuring 2D illustrated assets and pixel art.
DESIGN PROCESS
Process
I first gathered my own set of user demographic data by randomly sampling a series of documented visitor survey responses. Using thematic analysis, I was able to identify the key challenges of the existing visitor experience. To gain further insight into the target user's needs, I designed personas that reflected the results of my research. This allowed me to make informed design decisions and create a detailed list of design requirements.
Next, I constructed a storyboard to consolidate my perception of how the installation should work, as based on my user research, before beginning to visually conceptualise the design through paper sketches. This was followed by a series of digital wireframe sketches to illustrate the placement of UI and visual elements. I also began to decide on the application's colour scheme at this phase.
Using a low-fidelity paper prototype, I tested the usability of my design with a small sample group. This iteration of the prototype included more detailed illustrations as well as fully written thought bubbles, thought dialogue and puzzle descriptions. For testing purposes, I created three puzzles for users to complete and each interactive element was highlighted in green to compensate for the absence of colour in this version of the prototype. Following this, I conducted semi-structured interviews with each participant and iterated my design based on their feedback.
Finally, I created an interactive prototype in Adobe XD, which allowed me to bring my interaction designs to life. I used soft, pastel colours to depict dreamlike imagery and create a thematically consistent visual experience. Each puzzle is visually distinguishable due to their uniquely coloured backdrops.
GALLERY
Gallery
KEY SKILLS / SOFTWARE
Skills
I furthered my understanding of the target user through a process of storyboarding, constructing user journey maps and developing unique personas.
Interactions and UI elements were wireframed and designed in Adobe XD. I focused on developing a user-friendly experience with a consistent visual identity.
This project was designed based on collected target user data, and adapted in response to initial user testing from a small focus group.
All puzzle screens and UI assets were hand-drawn by me in Clip Studio Paint.
The start screen, depicting the Shinkansen, was illustrated and animated in Aseprite.
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