Category: Design

Posted in Design, Playtesting, Tech

Week 8: Teens’ Interests, Prototypes, and Platform Building

Posted on by Novelty Admin

Last week we visited Edgewood High School in Ashtabula to meet some of our target age teens and asked them what their interests were. Of course, we didn’t go straight ahead and interviewed them one-by-one. Rather, the information was gathered through a series of improv mini games. We did this to encourage them to feel more comfortable and to open up. The kids wrote down on stick notes things, topics, or characters that they relate to, and we enjoyed some other activities such as making a short cartoon in groups then sharing with everyone. The information we gathered would be instrumental in helping to designing the puzzle. We spent a lot of efforts organizing this list and trying to understand some of the things even we never heard of. Video games and Youtube seemed to be two of the biggest sources of fun and entertainment. Naturally, they also wrote down other “interesting stuff” such as their friends’ names. It’s like our point: teens will be teens.

Since last week, we have started to develop our ARG(Alternative Reality Game) puzzle prototypes. The first prototype was built around a fictional mystery surrounding ETC. The player will be required to break some color coded messages, binary/ASCII puzzles, and some word puzzles which pointed to different locations in ETC’s building where you could find further clues. We tested this with some faculty and students. The reactions were uneven. The level of challenge and engagement felt varied from person to person. But harder puzzles generally produced more satisfaction once solved. Based on the feedback, we tweaked the difficulty and subject matter of the puzzles, removing the ones people failed to grasp, and ensuring the challenge curve start low.

Our second prototype started with a relatively simple cryptogram as the first puzzle. Then it led to a QR code which brought the player to another location based puzzle. The final puzzle implemented some topics of interests we learned from the teens, such as pop music and make-up. Unfortunately we experienced several unforeseen technical glitches. This mishap alerted us that we needed to be more thorough in testing the puzzle on different platforms.

Speaking of platforms, we are moving towards a web-based system, where each puzzle in the whole narrative will require typing in the solution online in order to advance to the next puzzle. This makes it easier to control the check points in the puzzle progression and monitor how users are doing in regards to success rate, time consumed, etc.

The digital part of our deliverables include the website that hosts the puzzles and a customization tool that allows librarians to control and remake puzzles. The aim is to make our puzzle system extensible for future usage. In recent weeks, our programming team have been investigating potential tech solutions for our digital platform. For the back end, we settled on Google Cloud Platform to host our server and store our database. For the front end, we looked at jsPlum – a JavaScript library for web, as well as Unity3D. After comparing their respective advantages/disadvantages and our programmers’ personal strength, we decided on going with Unity3D to build our front end.

Posted in Design, Project Milestones

Week 7: The Pivot

Posted on by Novelty Admin

This week, we made an important pivot in the direction of the project. The feedback from the faculty promoted us careful reflect upon our scope and priorities. Here is a list of the key changes:

  1. Redefining objective: Previously, our objective is to teach teens how to use library resources. After realizing that doing so will not guarantee sustainable motivation for teens to keep coming back to the libraries, we knew the old objective was not sufficient. The redefined object is to help libraries attract and retain teen patrons. It is broader umbrella definition, but it more accurately reflect our real purpose. This shift also means that we need to be more comprehensive in our problem-solving approach, instead of hoping the Alternate Reality Game to do the heavy lifting.
  2. Elevate research effort to 50% of project: We realized that we needed a lot more data than what we had to provide substantial grounds for our deliverables. There is also a considerable amount of existing works out there which, if properly compiled, can be very informative and helpful to our clients. It is our acknowledgement that the scope of our project is inherently limited in its long-term impacts. In order to truly build a meaningful, lasting relationship between the libraries and teens, a lot of the changes need to happen over time, in location, with continued efforts from the library staff. In light of this, our research’s aim is precisely to supply our clients with the information and ideas they need to implement these long-term changes.
  3. No long using micro:bit: The decision to let go out this technology came down to two reasons. For one, we were unfamiliar with this technology, and while we could look into how to meaningfully, effectively incorporate this technology into our experience, finding that answer was not really the goal of our project. The feeling among the team and our instructors was that we shouldn’t be “designing for the technology”. The second reason was that incorporating micro:bit would add an extra layer of design complexity that our designer deem unnecessary. Once again, we were grateful for the help and support from ETC Educational Network Coordinator John Balash. But unfortunately, sometimes we have to let a cool idea go due to the demands of the project.

So what is the structure of our project now? It will be 50% Alternate Reality Game and 50% Research + Paper.

Posted in Design, Playtesting

Week 6: Meeting Target Audience, Playtest, Facing Our Challenges

Posted on by Novelty Admin
BY MAI AO

This week we finally got to meet with some of our target audience, a group of 12-15 year old library users. The 2-hour driving distance and scheduling difficulty did not make it easy for this meeting to happen. But here we were, at Kingsville Library, one of our six client libraries.

 

After some ice-breakers, we did a drawing exercise with the kids. “NASA has a new initiative to build a library on Mars. Because it is going to be on Mars, the people that will be able to use it will be your age when it is ready. Help us design the Martian Library as the coolest, most fun place that you would come to.” They came up with a very modern and accommodating floor plan design that featured everything from historical artifacts room to 3D printing center, a mini build-your-own garden to “a happy place”. Do not dismiss this as mere doodles! This fun-filled drawing actually could tell us a lot about what kids really wanted from a library. After the drawing exercise, we also did an word association game to see what 12-15 year olds thought of when they heard the word library.

This week we also had the 1/4 sit-downs with three members of our faculty: Jessica Hammer, Dave Culyba, Ruth Comley. They each spent an hour in our project room to give us in-depth feedback based on our needs. Addressing our needs to attract teens to the library, Jess immediately pointed out the core of the issue was building a relationship between teens and the adults and staff at libraries. We must make the teens feel welcome there and not judged upon. This meant revolutionizing the expectations of that space for both the young and the adults. She suggested that we should strive to understand teens’ aspirations and emotional needs. They will want to feel a sense of recognition and accomplishment from their participation. They have values they could offer to the library. Maybe there are even a way to develop their leadership role from this?

Dave emphasized the importance of research and data. As the problem we are dealing with is a nationwide issue, and the need of our client is likely not an unique case, we must discover what the most plausible strategy is based on the data. There must be continuing efforts to seek expert advice, existing researches, in order to build our decisions on solid grounds, and not our own imagination. The fruit of this extensive research would be very valuable to our client librarians.

Ruth charted out some interesting ways we could implement our ARG. She highlighted the idea of building a persistent link from game play to real life. The effectiveness of the game play would rest on its ability to mimic real life while being self-contained in the game narrative. We should consider what kind of subjects would attract the kids, and then wrap an intriguing story around it. Mysteries and spy stories, as narrative formats, have high likelihood of success. We could even potentially have branching narratives to accommodate diverse interests.

On February 22, we brought one of our micro:bit prototype games to Carnegie Science Center’s Engineer the Future event. Our prototype was a puzzle game that required the player to press a Left and a Right button on the micro:bit 8 times in the correct sequence to unlock a heart shape. The players were given one of many clues that would point them to the correct sequence. However, deciphering the clue was not so easy. Would you like to give it a try? This is one of the clues: CXEUMNBO.

We found the puzzle having a wide appeal to both children and adults, but it could be a bit difficult to younger kids. The replayability was also extendable as each different clue would make you want to try it all over again. It seemed that micro:bit could indeed be a fun game puzzle piece to have. But should we or should we not keep investing into this device? Could we actually avoid shoehorning a technology into an experience design? Would doing so lead us to deviate from our real objective? We ended this week with mounting pressure to answer these questions.

 

 

The answer to the puzzle above is: LLRRLLLR.
Posted in Design, Project Milestones

Week 5: micro:bit and 1/4-Semester Feedback

Posted on by Novelty Admin
BY MAI AO

At the end of the previous week, ETC’s Educational Network Coordinator John Balash presented us with a potentially game-changing device: micro:bit. This small chip is a programmable “micro computer” developed by BBC for educational purposes, particularly teaching children programming. It has been deployed around the world and has seen great many successes. John suggested that we could possibly tapping into the scaleable nature of this platform due to its relative low-cost. We could make a micro:bit based experience and deliver the chip into the hands of hundreds of students. It was a very exciting opportunity, so we immediately started to investigate what we could build with micro:bit.


Our programmers discovered a plethora of mini games one could easily build into this chip, confirming the plan’s viability. Therefore, in the 1/4 presentations in front of all faculty, our team brought forth the proposal of integrating micro:bit into an ARG (alternate reality game) experience. The experience would be aimed at teaching the teens library resources. Our designer Jacob drafted an example game to illustrate how our micro:bit ARG could look like.

The feedback we received was mixed. More optimistic voices showed excitement about the potential of this relatively unexplored (at least in US) device. Some suggested that we could build puzzles involving micro:bit, but in order to understand certain clues, students need to attend some library programs that would expand their knowledge related to the given clue. For instance, the clue could require basic knowledge of Morse code, or a history event, or astrological facts, providing a good springboard to learning.

On the other hand, the more cautious opinions pointed out several looming questions, which our plan did not necessarily address. What is in it for the teens? Why would they want to come to play the game in the first place if they don’t like to show up at the library? Even if the micro:bit idea was a successful, how would teaching teens library resources guarantee that they would keep coming back to the libraries?

There seemed to be a substantial feeling among the faculty that we could not sufficiently answer how our plan would solve the real problem of the library. Some were not entirely convinced that we had enough data to clearly explain the real problem and its causes. However, most of the faculty acknowledged the inherent ambiguity and challenge of our problem space. Their feedback singled out the most important question we should keep in mind as we started developing prototypes.

Posted in Design

Week 4: Field Trips, Research and Brainstorming

Posted on by Novelty Admin
BY MAI AO

After our clients conveyed their wish-list priorities, we shifted our focus from general library services to teen engagement and programs. A library can be a great public space to meet the unique needs of teens. The challenge is how to engage them and sustain their interest in coming back. For that, we consulted expert opinions online and in-person. Our online research identified quite many success stories of library teen outreach from across the country.

Some of the highlights include: The Mix from San Francisco Public Library, a space designed and built from the scratch involving teens every step of the way; Learning Labs, a nationwide initiative for crafting library spaces dedicated to teen learning, interest, and skill development; Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of American Library Association with incredible amount of resources and documentations on building meaningful teen engagement.

Five Youth Development Best Practices:

  1. Safety, so young people feel:
    •Physically and emotionally secure.
  2. Supportive Relationships, so young people can experience:
    •Guidance, emotional and practical support
    •Adults and peers knowing who they are and what’s important to them.
  3. Meaningful Youth Involvement, so that young people can:
    •Be involved in meaningful roles with responsibility,
    •Have input into decision-making,
    •Have opportunities for leadership, and
    •Feel a sense of belonging.
  4. Skill Building, so that young people can have:
    •Challenging and interesting learning experiences which help them build a wide array of skills, and
    •Experience a sense of growth and progress.
  5. Community Involvement, so that young people gain:
    •An understanding of the greater community, and
    •A sense of being able to make an impact in their community.

— Excerpt from Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums: Transformative Spaces for Teens

Our team spread out and visited four different locations of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. We observed how their library spaces were organized, paying special attention to their Teen Space (they have special branding for their youth program). We also personally experienced using their their digital platform, studying their website layout, promotional method, and information accessibility. Later, we revisited and had the pleasure of speaking directly to their teen program director and coordinator. We were impressed by the rich resources and activities they offer, as well as the attention they gave to their young patrons. CLP’s Teen Spaces primarily serve the teens through their drop-in activities, and the term for this, as we learned from YALSA, was passive programming. “Nailing down certain days and times for young adult programs can be difficult and result in low in program attendance numbers. Being flexible and open to other program possibilities is always a good way of getting higher numbers to your programs.” (Getting Young Adults to Stop & Participate @ Your Library, by Antoinette Giamalva) As we spoke with the staff, teens were walking around us, checking out video equipment, recording music, playing board-games, or just hanging around and having fun with their friends.

It seemed that our field trip revealed the same truth as our online research. At the heart of the mission, to bring teens to the library, is a “space” that is dedicated to them. A space is somewhere they can belong, somewhere they can have and learn while acting like teenagers. Their curiosity for knowledge cannot be decoupled with their desire for self-expression and peer recognition. It is also equally important to let the design of teen space and teen programs be driven by teens. They know what they want. And they know what they don’t want! What better way to keep them interested than having themselves be part of the initiators?

As we concluded our major research efforts, the team began several rounds of internal brainstorming, with “teen space” and “teen-driven” in mind. We thought about online platforms for teens to take ownership and initiate programs. There was the idea of building an Alternative Reality Game (akin to a scavenger hunt, with a more immersive plot) to show teens the resources of the library. Some form of interactive, customizable physical installation was also a hot idea. Of course, we being ETCers, VR gaming was not left out. As we were moving towards hunting down the most implementable, valuable idea, we also had to face many limitations. Time, funds, availability of physical space, to name a few.

We are in constant communication with our clients to look for a solution that best suits their needs and our specialties. The scope and complexity of the subject make for a challenging design task. It will surely test what we have learned in the past year and half at ETC. But like the true ETC spirit, we are up to the challenge.

 

Posted in Design, Project Milestones

Week 3: Meeting Everyone at Ashtabula

Posted on by Novelty Admin
BY MAI AO

It was a long drive. Two hours up north to the edge of the Great Lakes. There we were warmly greeted by our clients, the directors from Ashtabula County’s ICAN libraries. We sat down for a brief snack while being interviewed by a kind old lady who avidly took notes of who we were and where we came from. The enthusiasm was palpable from both sides. Waiting for us was other board members and around twenty patrons. They were all invited into participate in our first co-design session. The activities were called “co-design” because it wasn’t just a way for us to survey the information we wanted. It was a collaborative approach that deemed the inputs and involvement of the target audience integral to the design. Jacob was our team’s expert in facilitated discussions. Through a series of carefully calibrated activities, he led the librarians and patrons to open up about their relationship with the library, their experience using its services. People voiced their thoughts on libraries’ values to the community, while also addressing the changes brought by technology. It was a fruitful and candid conversation that I think surprised both parties to some extend.

We noted that libraries play an crucial role in the communities there. It is the place people come to meet others, to make friends, to discover what other people reading, and even better, to engage in a variety of fun programs that enrich people’s lives. People also visit libraries for civic information, personal assistance, or training programs. Those who frequent the library adore it. But it is their concern that still many neighbors, even civic leaders, do not even have a library card. The younger generation apparently do not have the same experience with libraries as their parents or grandparents’ generations. The library leaders want children nowadays to still understand how to build a relationship with their local libraries. It would be a terrible shame, as they pointed to us, if younger people of our time were to grow up without knowing how to benefit from libraries’ rich resources.

 

The center of our later discussions moved on to the concrete steps we could take, to improve libraries’ bond with its community. We highlighted several key topics for patrons to brainstorm ideas together with the librarians: library and community, personable service, digital resources, and library programs. It became clear to us, as the talks went on, that a lot of the improvements could be implemented in a low-cost way by simply doing things differently: for instance, librarians could try to have more floor presence; information about the libraries’ resources could be printed on the back of the library cards, etc. Then, there was how we came in. Five students, four months. We could direct our efforts to a specific task with high priority and a certain degree of technical challenge. So we asked our clients: What would it be? Their answer: Teens!

No problem. Let’s get this started.

Posted in Design

Week 2: Preparing for Co-Design

Posted on by Novelty Admin
By JACOB ROSENBLOOM

This week has been particularly good for beginning to brainstorm. It has been quite enjoyable to be leveraging some techniques I picked up from projects with HCI students. Before our client meeting on Tuesday, we sat together and discussed what we needed to find out or what information we thought would be useful for us to know about the libraries. We all took notes during the meeting, and after going over the notes, we were able to develop a list of what we saw as the library’s needs. This was a bit overwhelming because the library wanted a lot of different things. They wanted to have the younger patrons help the older patrons with tech support, to increase the visibility and accessibility of their resources, to have the library serve as a community center, to allow patrons easier search functionality of their databases, to bring in patrons that were between 5 and 18 that they lose to schools and other social venues, to improve the experience of their online component, and to make the library a more autonomous experience for their patrons to free up librarian time.

 

They wanted a lot, but we were able to use an affinity diagram to help sort all of their desires and give ourselves more clear objectives. This yielded three high-level categories into which all of the library’s requests fell. They were getting patrons to engage with the library space, getting patrons to engage with the library services, and getting patrons to engage with each other. Having these high-level goals for our project definitely showed us that not all of the library’s desires can be filled by this project; it would just be out of scope. We decided we could focus on one of these areas and hopefully create something that could be used as scaffolding for future projects to try and support the other two categories we did not pursue. We could now pick a direction for our project, but we were still lacking in crucial information — information that would determine the direction and form of our project.

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