Forging stronger connections with mixed reality
Role. I am the product designer and founder of ChalkNotes – a tech platform for creating, distributing, and monetizing narrative-driven mixed reality experiences. And like you do in startups, I did everything for this product: User Research, Tech Requirements, Market Research, UX Design, Visual Design, Wireframes, Prototyping, and frontend development …just to name a few. The app platform was built from scratch and I designed and managed the whole process.
Task. ChalkNotes, like many startups, has many iterations based on what I learned from the market. After many rounds of exploration we defined what were our assumed goals. My task was four fold – to imagine a product that:
Forges a deeper connection to brands and communities
Assists audiences while navigating through a mixed reality experience
Host a network of experiences where all mixed reality creators can build, distribute, and sell this new form of storytelling – YouTube meets mixed reality.
Provide super easy to use tools for creators so the barrier and cost to entry for mixed reality is lowered substantially.
from idea to plan
Brainstorm. I gathered a team together to devise what this app could be. We thought through business and product goals. With previous research, we had a great starting point. We went through key partners, key activities, value prop, revenue streams, user pain points, customer segments, marketing splashes, and real-world constraints; all leading to an epic statement that defined what ChalkNotes was for and what need it was serving. Additionally, my ideas were converted into patent diagrams that eventually lead to provisional patents being accepted by the US patent office.
Addressing the pain points. Currently, users spend a lot of time, money and effort trying to make an experience of their surroundings, and brands spend tremendous amounts of money in hopes of building a stronger brand loyalty to convert customers. Nowadays, creators are part of the marketing equation, but their options are limited to filters, photos, and videos. There is a need for a new innovative product that allows anyone to create mixed reality experiences for real-world locations that are on-demand, inspire and involve customers with the brands they love.
personas
Who will use this thing? Considering our own insight as well as testing our hunches we created a series of personas. They are the
Taking testing to the streets
User testing in the field. This product is used while users are enjoying the real world. I accomplished some user research in a closed setting, but the research demanded most of it be completed in an open real-world setting. I could then easily plot out what users say they do vs what they think, feel and actually do. I was able to get closer and narrow down my prototypes into a true MVP (minimally viable product) that met users desires.
Using the real world is a unique challenge. It is not just an app you are building but a full real life experience. Click here to read more about my best practices for mixed reality experience design in an open world.
minimally viable
Design, Prototype, Test, Validate . Finally with all the user information I was able to start narrowing down on what features should be included vs what would be nice to have. The result required a full platform, both web and mobile, to achieve the desired result. I continued to test more robust prototypes with users to understand where their behaviors were tracking to our goals with the minimal amount of coding needed. Since then iteratation and versions continue to push toward what users want solely based on what users have told me. I have walked 100s miles alongside with users, literally, looking over their shoulder, to understand them and their behaviors.
Developer friendly Designs. Not only did I create the design for ChalkNotes, but also managed and worked alongside the development team. The deliverable for developers needs to convey the clearest idea of what a static picture is and can do because even prototypes do not reflect what is expected in functions and the methods required.
Bringing in augmented reality objects
A new need. It was my determination, and in some part I still believe, that we are still too early for augmented reality. It is still a marketing gimmick and is only now starting to break through as a storytelling device. In discussions with creative artist, we wanted to push the envelope and move into augmented reality as a prototype of what could be accomplished. The result was another layer that did add to the experience as a “wow factor”. In creating memories the more surprising moments you have the more someone wants to talk about it.
meeting our goals
We set out to make a revolutionary platform for creators. Forges a deeper connection to brands and communities
© 2022 All Rights Reserved.