DeAlienation
Role
Instructional Designer
Skills
Instructional Design
Teamwork
Communication
Storyboarding
Figma
Video creation
The DeAlienation project aimed to address cultural stereotyping and discrimination in the learning environment. The project followed a comprehensive design thinking process including user interviews as a part of need analysis, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, testing, and effective communication of the final outcome.
The challenge identified for this project was the impact of cultural stereotyping and discrimination on conflicts and disengagement in the learning environment. As people study and work with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, unconscious stereotyping and discrimination can create challenges in interacting with others. With the emergence of the metaverse, where seamless experiences and easy accessibility are expected, this problem is anticipated to become more severe.
The solution proposed was to develop cultural competency among students using a virtual reality (VR) narrative-driven game called "DeAlienation." In this game, players assume the role of humans who accidentally land on an alien planet. They must learn about the alien culture in order to seek help and find their way back home.
Design Process
1. Emphasize
The target audience for the project was college students aged 18 to 25, who are exploring the larger society and encountering various social interactions. I conducted the user interviews with college students who had experienced living in different cultures. The interviews were recorded, documented, and categorized to identify the specific problem areas.
2. Define
After conducting an extensive literature review and engaging in team discussions, my colleagues and I have successfully identified the learning problem at hand, along with its underlying causes.
3. Ideate
The team brainstormed possible solutions, considering the literature review. It was agreed that building learners' cultural competency was key, and a VR game was deemed suitable to provide an authentic and immersive learning experience.
4. Prototype
The team outlined the story and stages of the game. I was in charge of creating storyline, and a calibrator simulation using Figma, which gave users hints about understanding the alien culture.
5. Test
The team conducted the user testing of the prototype. My responsibility was creating the testing plan and conducting the user testing of the calibrator simulation. Based on the user feedback, the team incorporated feedback into the game.
6. Communicate
I and my collegues created final project documentation and a video presentation for the showcase and communicated with larger audiences. I especially was in charge of video creation - making an outline and script, recording and editing.