Design for development: Geobility
A collaboration between Amber Oberholzer, Lean van den Berg & Nicole Sittig
Summary of the brief
This project is aligned with ideals pertaining to design not only as a commercial enterprise but also as an enterprise that serves society and encourages positive change. As such, the aim of the project is to design a digital, game-based intervention that harnesses the powerful act of playing as a means to encourage meaningful connection, which is premised on a particular prompt. The underpinning ethos of this project is the view that communication or information design can facilitate positive social change in a local context, specifically with regard to civic responsibility and, by extension, children’s development through play and experiential learning.
Deliverables and technical requirements
i. Process documentation: Click here to view
A. Initial research on the topic
B. Visual identity development
C. Game development and prototyping
D. Rationale
ii. Tangible information design solution (digital intervention): Click here to view
The final solution will take the form of a working prototype for an app. One user journey must be designed in its entirety to showcase your visual style; other features and elements that are necessary to illustrate the gameplay may be left ‘rougher’.
iii. Presentation: Click here to view
Each group must present their research, prototyping and user testing feedback, as well as the final digital intervention on the scheduled presentation day. This presentation will be formally assessed.
Design Strategy
Geobility is a profile-based narrative app promoting family connection, classroom-peer connection and connection to the community as a whole. Each family member creates a personal profile which falls under a master family profile. These profiles, track each other's progress and activity, while also receiving prompts for the whole family to participate in activities together. There are different interfaces. One for the grown-ups and one for the children. The grown-up interface will be much more simple whereas the kid's version will be much more playful with a character & “South-African-inspired” world.
In a similar way to the guardians/parents interface, the child profiles can connect to a master classroom profile with their teachers. This would be a classroom platform which would work similarly to the popular game “Kahoot” where a teacher logs into a class profile on her device and shares the challenges through a projector for the class to compete. A motivating factor will be an avatar, a character that forms part of their profile's narrative world. These characters are representative of South Africa’s wildlife and receive tools in order to adapt to their chosen environments.
Travel through rural deserts, leaf-filled jungles and fish-filled waters, together with your classmates or friends, in order to become your fittest self. Pick your characters and achieve success in the virtual as well as present world. Geobility grants young children and their families the opportunity to bond in a productive manner and allow themselves to get in touch with their imagination and physical body.
In a similar way to the guardians/parents interface, the child profiles can connect to a master classroom profile with their teachers. This would be a classroom platform which would work similarly to the popular game “Kahoot” where a teacher logs into a class profile on her device and shares the challenges through a projector for the class to compete. A motivating factor will be an avatar, a character that forms part of their profile's narrative world. These characters are representative of South Africa’s wildlife and receive tools in order to adapt to their chosen environments.
Travel through rural deserts, leaf-filled jungles and fish-filled waters, together with your classmates or friends, in order to become your fittest self. Pick your characters and achieve success in the virtual as well as present world. Geobility grants young children and their families the opportunity to bond in a productive manner and allow themselves to get in touch with their imagination and physical body.
i. Process documentation:
Beginning the process:
Our research began with the overarching topic of play through sports and exercises. We explored the benefits of different exercise types for kids to include in our app. In order to make exercise appealing to a younger audience we researched and based our app in a narrative setting through Biblio Play. By observing the kid's interactions with the app through play and user-testing we crafted our storyline to be an engaging way of fun movement.
Connection: Geobility encourages connection by prompting children to join in on adventures either with their siblings and families at home or with their friends at school.
Movement: By being a part of the narrative of going on adventures, Geobility motivates movement in children by prompting them to complete the narratives in each environment.
Healthy Lifestyle: Geobility helps children live a healthy, adventure-filled lifestyle where exercise is mixed with play in such a way that it doesn’t even feel like exercise or something that needs to be forced.
Play: The play aspect of Geobility is brought in from the very start of the game, where children are prompted to choose a companion which whom they can interact with through customisation, joining them on their adventures.
Movement: By being a part of the narrative of going on adventures, Geobility motivates movement in children by prompting them to complete the narratives in each environment.
Healthy Lifestyle: Geobility helps children live a healthy, adventure-filled lifestyle where exercise is mixed with play in such a way that it doesn’t even feel like exercise or something that needs to be forced.
Play: The play aspect of Geobility is brought in from the very start of the game, where children are prompted to choose a companion which whom they can interact with through customisation, joining them on their adventures.
Adding to the adventure:
Our colour palette is inspired by the different and vast environments South-Africa has to offer. There is a balance between warm and cold colours in order to create vibrant imagery perfect for grabbing little ones’ attention. Geobility’s colour echoes the playful, fun, and loving nature.
Our colour palette is inspired by the different and vast environments South-Africa has to offer. There is a balance between warm and cold colours in order to create vibrant imagery perfect for grabbing little ones’ attention. Geobility’s colour echoes the playful, fun, and loving nature.
Geobility: The name is derived from the words geography and mobility. This was inspired by the different landscapes of South Africa and the children's ability to complete adventures through fun movement.
The characters: Different character types were tested with the children and the most successful characters were the ones with big eyes and rounded features. These characteristics make them friendly and approachable. The characters are all South African animals to fit the narrative and theme.
ii. Tangible information design solution (digital intervention):
