Enchanted Shores
A Digital Exploration of Little Penguin Habitats Manly, Sydney
Time
Mar -Jun, 2021
Platform
Digital Installation
Area
Experience Design
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2021 Outstanding project for MIDEA USYD Mid-Year Showcase
A joyful conservation experience to everyone
The design aims to bring awareness and instil conservation ethics in an urban population. With 10 million people now living in Australian cities and that population set to grow further, we see this as a huge opportunity to harness the desire to conserve from a large number of people effectively and enjoyably.
Aim to design the right thing
Insights we took actions on
A wealth of research was done on little penguins but there are no digital solutions.
Pet owners and private property owners could be great target groups.
The majority of people are aware of and want to conserve the little penguin.
Most people are not aware of the true threats.
People show a strong interest in using digital technologies.
Opportunities we digged into
Over 40% of Australia’s population can be our target audience.
Other similar animal conservation projects provide good ideas, such as SharkSmart, How is the water?, 37 degrees from Pedigree, etc.
Treasure hunt game installation in public areas, along with digital interactions will likely engage family audiences.
VR experience with touching interaction can create an immersive experience without having physical contact with the animals.
Personas that represent our target users
Sketching
After mind-mapping and brainstorming, our team reviewed the ideas based on usability, creativity and interactivity. In the first design iteration, we selected and sketched four ideal concepts. Based on the feedback collected from the potential users, we chose two ideas with more possibilities.
Storyboarding
We used the crazy 8's method to come up with ideas for the design. Using scenarios and storyboards helped us develop the stages and components of the design that would help cater to each of our personas. The storyboards also helped convey the design ideas to people, who then gave us informal feedback. The feedback we received was valuable and guided us to refine and narrow down to the final design option.
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Low-fidelity Prototype
The surprise of the Manly Dollars as the reward at the end is very enlightening. Promoting the game through social media is a good way to reach a wider audience.
Some believe it would be more fun if it could be trickier to find. It would be helpful if the game clearly mentioned how many penguins to find and where to go after you find all the penguins.
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High-fidelity Prototype
The potential users believe it is attractive and informative. Some suggested incorporating local information so tourists could learn about the area and incorporate selfie points along the way.
They provided some insights into where we could advertise the AR experience in order to reach our target audiences. These included Broadsheet and Concrete Playground.
🐧 A fun game to learn Little Penguins
The final concept is a 1.3km treasure hunt that spans the renowned Manly to Shelly Walk, a popular coastal pathway from Manly to Shelly Beach. The flat, step-free terrain ensures accessibility for all. The event is planned for six weeks during the summer school holidays, coinciding with peak visitor activity in Manly to maximise user engagement and participation.
The design features an immersive augmented reality (AR) treasure hunt with adorable penguins, experienced through specialised AR glasses. This innovative approach bridges the virtual and natural realms, integrating social media to allow participants to engage in animal conservation by sharing their experiences and promoting awareness about little penguins.
Upon successful completion of the treasure hunt, participants will be rewarded with 'Manly dollars', which can be utilized within local establishments. This feature is designed to foster community engagement and integration. Additionally, strategically placed selfie points and a designated hashtag will introduce a social media aspect to the experience, amplifying its reach to a broader audience.
Given that little penguins inhabit the North Head National Park, we aspire to secure the endorsement of National Parks for our project. Our strategy involves collaborating with local news platforms to effectively communicate with our intended audience. This entails leveraging the Manly Observer for residents and tapping into outlets such as Broadsheet and Concrete Playground to attract inquisitive tourists seeking novel experiences.
