EcoQuest
GAMIFYING GREEN HABITS: MICRO-QUESTS FOR ECO-STUDENTS
INTRODUCTION
Development of a mobile app for EcoQuest, as part of General Assembly’s pro-bono client project:
Encouraging students to adopt eco-friendly habits when in school, through micro-quests
MY ROLE
I wore many hats in the design process, contributing to product scoping, user research, design studios, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
App Design
Education
Gaming
Mobile App
TIMELINE
3 weeks | Jan 2024
THE TEAM
Daphne Goh (myself), Jamie Lee, Shereen Koh
TOOLS
Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Slack, Canva
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
While students are passionate about protecting the environment, the lack of perceived impact from their individual actions hinders their participation in sustainable activities
We conducted guerrilla interviews on the streets and in schools, and got a good mix of secondary, polytechnic and junior college students. Many of them mentioned that schools are responsible for their education in sustainability and they learn better through interactive game-like experiences. This was a common problem which both EcoQuest and ourselves wanted to solve through a mobile app for students.
These led us to some perspectives which we undertook on how we can address them:
HMW educate students to make changes in their lifestyles that will save the environment?
HMW keep students engaged and incentivize students to participate in quests?
HMW motivate students to save the environment as a class?
HMW let students feel like their efforts matter?
The Process
ANALYSING MARKET & COMPETITIONS
Competitive analysis identified key features for successful gamified apps, exposing an opportunity for apps focused on eco-friendly habits
Some of the popular players all revealed certain core features that were frequently observed, mainly: Daily & Monthly Challenges, Streaks, Reminders and Shop. We thus focused on these key features and saw it as an opportunity to position ourselves differently through approach.
To encourage long-term habit formation, we explored features like daily streaks and timely reminders to keep students informed about new quests and learning materials. An in-game shop with purchasable items using earned currency was also considered to provide a sense of accomplishment and reward students for their in-app efforts.
VALIDATING OUR ASSUMPTIONS
Interviews with over 30 students shared their motivations, habits and attitudes towards sustainability and gamification elements
We conducted guerrilla interviews with target users to validate our initial findings and further understand the habits, motivations and attitude towards sustainability and gamification elements.
Some key insights:
Sustainability Aspect
I feel that schools are responsible for my education in sustainability
I want to be reminded to act more sustainably
I make saving the environment a part of my lifestyle
I want to do more to save the environment but I don’t know how
Gamification Aspect
I’m motivated to learn after seeing my results/impact made
I learn better through interactive game-like experiences
DEFINING OUR PERSONAS & PROBLEM STATEMENTS
Key insights were consolidated and 2 user personas and problem statements were borne out of them
Curious Cathy
Age: 14
Still figuring our what sustainability means to her
“One person can only do so much but as a collective, there would be more of an impact”
Busy Brandon
Age: Age: 17
Plays mobile games to relieve stress during his study breaks
“If I have the time, I'll try, but now I need to focus on my studies”
Problem Statement 01
Students need an engaging platform that combines learning about sustainability with collaborative efforts, addressing their desire for impactful community action.
Problem Statement 02
Students lack a system that provides both incentives and clear impact measurement, hindering their motivation to participate in sustainable activities and feel accountable for environmental outcomes.
SETTING THE STAGE
Building a Visual Identity: Colour Selection and Font Choices for EcoQuest
We established EcoQuest's design system with a bright purple primary colour and a complementary yellow secondary colour chosen collaboratively with the EQ team. Additional system colours were defined for text, outlines, and UI elements like leaderboard arrows and progress bars.
To enhance visual interest, Oswald, a bold font, was selected for headers, while Montserrat Light, a thinner font, provides a clear contrast for body text.
FEATURE PRIORITISATION
With just 2 weeks left, insights from our design studio led us to prioritize features based on impact and development time
OUR SOLUTION - ECOQUEST
A gamified mobile app that visualises efforts, rewards and educates students
Complete micro-quests and grow your own ecosystem
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Engaging micro-quests with real-time data visualisation and leader board ranking
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Complete micro-quests with friends to reduce electrical consumption
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Track your impact in real-time and compete for the top spot
LEARNING MADE FUN
Bite-size educational information and quizzes to keep you sharp
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Learning modules that tie in with school curricula
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Receive daily tips on how to be more eco-friendly
FROM SEED TO BLOOM
Growing your own EcoSystem to keep students engaged
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Complete micro-quests and learn cool stuff to earn eco-coins
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Spend your eco-coins in the EcoShop to build your own EcoSystem
ITERATIONS FROM USABILITY TESTS
Usability tests informed iterations that enhanced the hierarchy and relationships between information elements
1.
Improved clarity of Homepage
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'Tip of the Day' can be accessed from the notification icon at the top right section
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Created an in-game currency termed, ‘eco-coins’
2.
Improved accessibility of Learning Hub
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Reduced amount of visual clutter
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Included individual learning progress for each broader category
3.
Bite-sized & focused learning content
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Enhanced learning with multimedia
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Key terms at a glance for easy reference.
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Transparent rewards upon completing each module, motivating learners
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Personalized learning insights after each module completion, allowing learners to track their progress and identify areas for improvement
THE FINAL DESIGN
Homepage + Leaderboard + Impact Visualisation
Quest
Learning Hub
Eco-System + Eco-Shop
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Considered some possible areas of expansion for EcoQuest
PROJECT TAKEAWAYS
From Mobile Games to Eco-Action: User Insights Refine App Focus
Through our initial user interviews, we embarked on a journey to explore potential mobile game elements. However, a key turning point emerged when we realised we lacked views on how students actually feel about being sustainable through a mobile app.
Students expressed a strong desire to contribute to a more sustainable future, even within the realm of mobile gaming. Thus we pivoted and refined our list of questions which allowed us to create a mobile app that not only engaged but also empowers students to contribute to a better future.