Problem to be solved:
This was a capstone project for my IDEO U Advanced Design Thinking certification program, which I completed during the Covid lockdown.
The challenge combined two of IDEO’s project prompts at once:
1) how to alleviate social isolation among people over 70, and
2) how to boost membership for zoos
Research, prototype testing and iteration:
I designed and conducted mixed-method surveys and interviews (1:1 via Zoom) with grandparents, parents, and children. Then I designed prototype testing via Zoom that incorporated a Likert scale and Russell Affect Grid, to measure efficacy and inform iteration in development of the game.
Solution:
A remote AR game that grandparents can play from home, with grandchildren who are visiting the zoo with their parents. The Zookeeper’s Apprentice is an educational game with extended online engagement for grandparents and children long after each zoo visit. Kids and grandparents learn about the care of zoo animals, and how best to support conservation efforts in the natural habitats where the animals are from.
