Game On: Inspiring a Healthy L.A. for 2028

Project brief

ArtCenter students where challenged to develop digital ecosystems, including apps and low-tech solutions, to engage Angelenos in a city-wide health initiative to increase their physical activity and participate in their communities, while assisting Cedars-Sinai researchers in gathering health data in a way that is not burdensome to participants. Students also considered how their design could integrate additional project stakeholders partnering on the initiative: the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), Discovery Science Cube Los Angeles and Garmin International.

Research and Project Development

Prior to start of the studio, students examined their own personal connections to physical movement and scrutinized factors that have motivated them to be physically active as well as what inhibits them from participation. Students also researched existing technologies and programs that promote health and fitness activities across a wide range of socio-economic communities.

Drawing upon these personal observations and research, students created mind maps that presented common insights, topics and 20 “Big Ideas” of potential solutions.

At the kickoff, students shared their mind maps and some “Big Ideas” with classmates and stakeholder representatives; this lively presentation set the stage for the studio which would emphasize strategic vision, conceptual opportunities, co-working sessions and different methods of brainstorming to achieve ideas with the most promise.

Representatives from Cedars-Sinai Research Center for Health Equality presented an overview of the importance of physical activities and active play. Students learned the challenge of the studio, which involved Cedars-Sinai researchers wanting to track and monitor physical activities (leveraging the Garmin partnership) as they engaged families and youth throughout the Los Angeles region, with special emphasis on programming at Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) and Discovery Science Cube Los Angeles.

Using the instructor’s recently published books as reference – Castella’s Designing for Kids: Creating Playing, Learning and Growing and Boyl’s Interactions for Designers – students delved into the dynamics of the importance of physical movement for childhood development and the design nature of interaction.

A personal journal became a necessary and important item for each student; it became a method to sketch ideas, jot down concepts and record observations. Students were required to ideate two two-page spreads a day for five days a week during the course of the studio; journals were brought to each class for instructors to gauge a student’s progression.

The transdisciplinary students – from product, graphic and interaction – were divided into five teams during the first class. Groups chose an initial concept to explore. Teams conducted analysis of relevant trends, examined the competitive landscape and honed in on a potential target market. They conducted research and reached out to stakeholders who generously shared their own research findings.

Teams identified an intended audience and revealed possible pain points for those users. Developing a positioning statement, they created a set of design criteria along with a text scenario and personas. The teams defined the problem they were trying to solve and created smaller goals and objectives that would lead bring them closer to a workable solution.

Field Trips, On-Site Discoveries, Active Stakeholders

As a class – and later as teams – students visited RAP city parks and recreational centers in three diverse areas of Los Angeles. They interviewed park personnel, families who use the programs and youth who participate in sponsored events. Students observed the landscape of these parks, noting how the public interacts with the surroundings and the role the recreation center plays in connecting community members.

To augment their thinking, students attended an evening panel discussion on designing for children hosted by faculty Krystina Castella at the ArtCenter campus. Teams also learned about xD at a hands-on session with Adobe officials who demonstrated how to iterate and design using the program.

A field trip to the Discovery Science Cube Los Angeles provided students with a deeper understanding of how exhibit design produces valuable user experiences as well as the overall mission of the family-friendly destination.

While onsite, students presented their initial concepts to stakeholders. Through mood board posters, guidewords, a “day in the life” user’s journey, personas, and possible product names, students shared the results of their research findings, brainstorming sessions and design ideation.

Additionally, teams presented three approaches for their concept: a solution that could be implemented immediately – the “now” solution –, an advanced vision for five years out and a final strategy that could be rolled out in 2028 timed to correspond to the upcoming Summer Olympic Games that are being held in Los Angeles. Teams clearly communicated how each stakeholder would be involved in the project and outcomes.

Stakeholders asked questions, offered feedback and provided suggestions on how teams could move forward in their thinking and synthesizing.

As teams updated their strategic vision and roll-out approaches, they expanded their target audience to youth and families involved in the RAP programs. Research was ongoing, with teams forging deep connections to community, church groups and schools that already interface with RAP.

Since one goal of the design brief was to track specific active minutes that boost heartrate using accelerometers (in addition to tracking sedentary time periods), student teams researched wearable devices and other environmental design elements while diagraming the ecosystem for their device solution system. Incorporating gamification and/or making the experience fun and lively would present a friendlier and more accessible system to their target audience.

Teams sought how to leverage Garmin for the “now” solution, while exploring how their solution would scale up with different product runs of 5,000, 10,000 and the ultimate goal of 500,000.

Students explored materials and crafted rough mockups depicting form, function and physical consideration of their proposed wearable device. Teams shared testable prototypes with each other during class which further invigorated the students to press forward.

With an overreaching goal to attract 500,000 individuals to become more active, students realized their project needed to be a modular system that could be customizable – as well as adapting to a larger inclusive audience of different ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and abilities. Additionally, students had to consider how to attract and inspire users – especially tweens and teens – and keep them from participating once and then quitting.

The students realized that an engaged experience needed to be center front of their team’s design thinking; the stakeholder’s goal of collecting data would naturally follow.

Understanding that when system “nudges” an activity, it will have long-lasting success with users, students considered elements of pop-up promotions at regular locations (park gatherings, street fairs, etc.) as well as surprise events. Teams explored how to connect users at different locations with one another, offering award tokens, creating encouragement groups and other enticements.

At the official midterm, student teams presented an updated synopsis of their research along with inspirational boards, user scenarios, project rollout phases, and how each solution would scale up from the “now” to final overall strategy. Possible market messaging, refined guide words, and product names were also presented.

Once again, stakeholders offered constructive and supportive critique which pointed the way for students throughout the second half of the studio. Teams expanded on ideas that were working while jettisoning those that weren’t catching fire.

Stakeholders were deeply involved in the studio and design process; many participated in a co-design session where they worked side-by-side with the students to consider the possibilities of the “now” solution. Throughout the project, stakeholders were generous with their time and expertise, responding to questions, concerns, and allowing students access to their networks and proprietary research.

Various solutions were considered throughout the studio, but as deadlines approached, teams realized that to reach their intended audience of underserved communities, the simpler approach – a free mobile app – offered the best possibility. Additionally, students realized that easy low-tech, non-digital interventions could deepen the connection between physical exercise and the outside experience.

Teams created simple product prototypes for testing as well as paper-based wireframes of the interface with sketched-out context. Students engaged outside participants to interact with the prototype to observe how users responded to material, ergonomics, the wearability of their device and the overall aesthetics.

Later, teams would develop a click through prototype using a digital tool to incorporate a screen, sound and/or haptic user interface.

Students provided sketches of the product name along with logos, logotype/color explorations and iconography needed to reflect the identity and the team’s guideword descriptions.

Finally, students re-imagined their user scenario that employed good cinematic language and storytelling – all in preparation for final presentation with all stakeholders.