ALEXIS MILLER
INTERACTIVE GREENHOUSE APP
Immersive Learning Experience Design
Project Overview
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An app designed to allow visitors to easily learn about the different plant species while also offering a game experience.
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Created a two-part design solution➔ An app that offers visitors both an interactive learning experience as well as a scavenger hunt augmented reality gaming experience during their time at the greenhouse.
Results
Increased engagement with greenhouse content by combining educational plant information with a gamified experience that encouraged exploration and participation.
Enhanced plant knowledge and learning through interactive trivia that helped users discover facts about plant species, care requirements, and greenhouse collections.
Encouraged greenhouse visitation and repeat interaction by rewarding participation with the opportunity to win a plant, creating a memorable and motivating user experience.
Tools
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Qualtrics
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Figma
User Research
Surveys
The survey results showed that visitors were not getting the most out of their visits to the greenhouse.
Examples of survey responses:
visitors do not understand where to find information about the plants
visitors are overwhelmed by "poor labeling" and "unorganized plant setup"
visitors thought the greenhouse had "poor information managment"
visitors found it "difficult to view labels"
Personas
The survey was used to help the team reframe the problem of the greenhouse by orienting our solution toward:
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Plant lovers ➔ people who visit the greenhouse to interact with the plants
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Non-plant lovers➔ people who visit the greenhouse without having any interest in plants but would like to have fun
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Curious individuals➔ people who neither like or dislike plants but are interested to hear the benefits and significance of the plants
Storyboarding
We started the design process with low-fidelity sketches and storyboarding. Our sketches were based on survey results. This allowed us to identify different scenarios and users' motivations for using our application.
Mid-Fidelity Prototype
Learning Mode
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The learning mode allows users to browse through a plant list, search specific plants, and learn details about the plants in the greenhouse.
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Users can view the location of that plant on a map of the greenhouse along with being provided with directions to the locations of the plants.
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Users can can view an animated version of the plant to learn fun facts about the plant.
Game Mode
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The game mode allows users to participate in trivia questions about the plants found throughout the greenhouse.
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Through the game mode, users can also participate in a plant scavanger hunt.
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Users can earn virtual seeds from answering trivia questions correctly and can later redeem accumulated virtual seeds for a virtual plant sapling.
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Users must correctly answer each trivia question to move on to another trivia question.
Key Takeaways
Designed for different visitor needs: Developed game and learning modes to accommodate different ways visitors wanted to explore and interact with the greenhouse.
Simplified complex information: Translated plant and environmental information into an approachable, interactive experience.
Balanced education and engagement: Created an experience that encourages learning while keeping visitors actively engaged.
Applied user-centered design: Used research, information architecture, user flows, and prototyping to guide design decisions.