ARtifact is an app that encourages users to get outside and discover new areas of interest or “artifacts” in their area.
Role
Research, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Prototyping, User Testing, Animation
Timeline
September–December 2021
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, poor mental health has emerged as a critical issue affecting individuals worldwide.
Social isolation, financial instability, illness, and grief have all contributed to an overwhelming situation which has been difficult to cope with for some. There is a pressing need for new ways to address and mitigate these adverse effects.
0
How might we encourage physical activity and social interaction in order to mitigate the mental health impacts the pandemic has had?
ARtifact is an app that helps you discover new points of interest, or “ARtifacts,” around you and connect with others in your area.
Users can find new “ARtifacts,” both near and far, on the interactive map. Through an augmented reality experience, they are encouraged to interact with their environment in new ways, learn about different aspects of their surroundings, and connect with others through the forum. Past activity is also documented in their profile so they can look back on their adventures.
1
Understanding the problem space and empathizing with our users
1.1
When we began the design process for this app, we started with a much broader design challenge:
How might we mitigate the mental health impacts the pandemic has had?
Beginning with this general problem we wanted to solve, we conducted research in order to learn more about the problem space and narrow down our project’s scope. We gained with three main takeaways:
COVID-19 has been detrimental to mental well-being.1
Anxiety and depression symptoms became more prevalent during the pandemic, and some experts speculate that it may have a lasting effect.2
“The aftermath of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is likely to be a wave of psychiatric illnesses, stemming from normal people being exposed to extraordinary situations.”3
— Ana Carla dos Santos Costa et al., in a review of the present and future of COVID & mental health.
Exercise is an evidence-backed means of promoting mental health.4
In particular, a 2016 study shows that regular walking, or “ambulation,” systematically improves an individual's mental state.
“Incidental ambulation systematically promotes positive affect ... and it can override the effects of other emotionally relevant events such as boredom and dread.”5
— Jeffrey Miller and Zlatan Krizan, researchers studying walking and its effect on mood
Social interaction is crucial for mental well-being.
Loneliness and social isolation have been linked with adverse outcomes, such as depression, poor sleep quality, and impaired executive function.6
“Social contact is a biological need like eating, drinking or sleeping. And our bodies react to the loss of that interaction ... it's physically painful. It's damaging.”7
— Susan Pinker, developmental psychologist studying loneliness
revised design challenge:
How might we encourage physical activity and social interaction in order to mitigate the mental health impacts the pandemic has had?
1.2
We decided to conduct interviews with three prospective users to gain insight on their specific pain points and how we might address them.
With this new question in mind, we wanted to further investigate what was keeping individuals from utilizing these coping strategies.
Lack of social motivation
Respondents reported a lack of desire to leave the home. Specifically, two of three respondents stated that social activity was previously a motivator for leading an active lifestyle.
An online community which urges users to engage in social interaction and physical activity by positioning them as working together towards common goals.
Lack of accountability
In a similar vein, the interviewees mentioned struggling with self-discipline in general, and felt that having a supportive community which kept each other accountable was crucial.
Outside of the previously mentioned community (which would aid in accountability), the ability to track past activity, allowing users to keep themselves accountable.
Monotony and boredom
They felt they had exhausted the activities they could do in the home, or even in their neighbourhoods. The repetition associated with their attempts at exercise made it feel like a mundane chore.
Features that facilitate incidental exercise alongside exploration, giving users the freedom to discover things in their surroundings which appeal to their interests.
Safety concerns
One respondent suffered from worsened health anxiety and was concerned about the risk of COVID. Both in private spaces with friends and in public spaces, this became a significant barrier to going outside or interacting with others in any capacity.
Since safety concerns would be difficult to assuage, the app will focus on allowing users to feel like they are participating in something larger and connect with others without having to physically see them.
1.3
We conducted market research to understand the current products being offered and what made them valuable to their users.
1.4
We synthesized our research into 2 user personas, which were used to brainstorm possible scenarios that would eventually shape the app's features.
2
Developing tangible solutions through consolidated research
2.1
With a rough idea of the app's main functionalities, we brainstormed different ways they could be translated onto a screen. We explored the possibility of a web app or tablet experience, but ultimately decided that a mobile application made the most sense.
2.2
We consolidated the features that ARtifact would have, then developed an IA diagram to clearly communicate how these features would be structured.
2.3
Taking the finalized IA, we refined our sketches, with a focus on tying together disparate ideas established during the exploration phase.
3
Implementing ideas into a tangible experience with a clear design system
3.1
We created two distinct style tiles to determine the eventual visual direction of ARtifact. These two approaches were exemplified with the following adjectives:
We ultimately decided to base our user interface on the second style tile, while borrowing elements of the first such as the AR grid.
3.2
We then created a UI kit, allowing us to finalize the design language and consistently employ components throughout our prototype.
3.3
We digitized our wireframes, applied the visual design, and created a functioning prototype that emulates a user's real experience. These screens are shown below, organized into 6 distinct user flows.
4
Discover new points of interests around you and connect with others in your area.
Create an account by completing the simple sign-up process
Find ARtifacts right in your neighbourhood, or explore the wider world
Interact with your surroundings in new and fascinating ways
Talk to others about their experiences and find your community
Track your activity and look back on your past adventures
try the interactive prototype here:
