A Day at the Carnival
A haptic interface in the form of a multi-game application designed to bring a traditional carnival experience into the living room of residential care homes. Featuring classic mini-games, such as Hook a Duck, Ring Toss, Coconut Shy, Apple Bobbing, Balloon Pop and Whac-a-Mole, to encourage engagement, entertainment and socialisation.
CLIENT
Concept / Self-Initiated Project (Targeting adults in residential care, adults with cognitive disabilities, and individuals isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
ROLE
UX/UI Designer, Concept Ideation, Interaction Design, Application Design
TOOLS
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Premiere Pro, Figma, Procreate
Context
A project heavily inspired by my own experience of my father who was living in a residential care home during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Social isolation in care homes heavily contributes to low mood, accelerates cognitive decline, and reduces function well-being amongst residents.
The project was created during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to combat loneliness, boredom, and lack of community access for vulnerable groups.
Primary research into adult disabilities and age-related conditions highlighted the need for simple, low-barrier interfaces that encourage motor movement, hand-eye co-ordination and mental stimulation, without causing overstimulation.
Ideation & Process
Mapped out user needs, emotional states and physical accessibility requirements (such as accommodating for wheelchair users and those with cognitive delays)
Sketched branding concepts, logo interactions, and a streamlined, single-page navigation flow to ensure users could select games within a single click.
Sketched and refined wireframes and UI screens for both the mobile app and the physical product, incorporating custom icons and calming pastel visual language.
Designed a clean interface featuring muted carnival colour palettes, classic 'Carnival'-esque titles, legible sans-serif instructional typography, and adjustable sound/music controls to accommodate users with visual or auditory sensitivities.
Outcomes
Delivered e a cohesive, accessible and nostalgia-inducing digital carnival experience complete with six interactive mini-games.
Created a simplified user interface with clear keyboard and mouse instructions sets designed to boost confidence, self-awareness and cognitive engagement.
Promoted physical activity, hand-eye co-ordination, and social interaction between residents and care staff within a safe environment.
