This project was completed as a part of a graduate level HCI / Design experience prototyping course. The design problem posed to us was to develop an interactive museum exhibit that is educational, entertaining, and universally accessible. We were expected to specify the design concept.
We initially simulated several experiences of having a disability to better empathize with the needs of disabled visitors.
We began our process by considering a number of different topics to develop our exhibit concept from. We wanted to design an immersive experience that was capable of evoking emotions on both visceral and deeper cerebral levels. After several sketching and ideation sessions, we decided that a trip down the historic and holy River Ganga offered a compelling experience to focus on. To empathize with the needs of disabled visitors, we simulated several experiences of having a disability using a method known as bodystorming. Based on our disability experience, we designed an interactive prototype exhibit to simulate a spiritual journey down the holy River Ganga. After the installation was completed, we evaluated our prototype through a series of tests, interviews, and user reflections.
Our experience used physical and digital media and was evaluated through usability testing, interviews, and user experience reflections.
Our final prototype focuses on Hindu spirituality. We adopted the metaphor of water and implemented across our experience design. Our exhibit engages the participant in a boat journey down the holy river Ganga, stopping at educational sites along the way. The participant navigates to each additional stop by using an oar to row the boat down the river. Stairs are placed alongside the boat, which are modeled after actual stairs that ascend from temples down the shores of the holy river. These stairs hold offerings such as lit candles, burning incense, flower petals, and a small bowl of water. Each of these offerings facilitates separate interactions during the final stop of the journey, which engages participants in a traditional Hindu prayer ritual. Our overarching goal in this project was to use a combination of images, narration, music, scents, colors, and tactile objects to craft a rich, deeply textured experience that (i) educates users about the role of the holy river Ganga in Hindu spirituality and (ii) actualizes their newfound knowledge through taking part in the very ritual they learned about on their spiritual quest.
YouTube video links: (Disability | Prototype)
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