Experiential Design | Task 1: Trending Experience

23/4/25 - 18/5/25 | Week 1 - 4

Iman Mikudim | 0338004 | Section 3

Experiential Design | Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media 

Task 1: Trending Experience

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SECTIONS

|  Lectures

• Lecture 1: Designing Experiences

|  Instructions

• Exercise 1: User Journey Map
• Exercise 2: AR Experience Prototype
• Exercise 3: Marker-Based AR Experience
• Preliminary Research & Experimentation
• Project Ideation

|  Feedback

|  Reflections

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LECTURES

Lecture 1 | Designing Experiences

Experiential Design:

• This week's discussion centered on the fundamentals of Experiential Design (XD), including user mapping and journey maps.
• XD focuses on creating products, services, events, and processes that prioritize user experience while incorporating culturally relevant and meaningful solutions.
  
  

Terminology:

• The slides covered a variety of design-related terms such as IxD (Interaction Design), SD (Service Design), UX (User Experience), UI (User Interface), IA (Information Architecture), BX (Brand Experience), CX (Customer Experience), and XD (Experiential Design).
• For a deeper look into these design disciplines, visit: Must-Know Disciplines in the Modern Design & Tech Universe
  
  

User Mapping:

• User mapping tools, such as empathy maps, were explored to better understand user types.
• Empathy maps help teams build a shared understanding of the user, which supports more informed design decisions.
  
  

Journey Mapping:

• Journey maps were introduced as a vital element in experiential design, helping visualize a user’s experience over time.
• For detailed examples and insights, refer to: Example Journey Maps – Smaply Blog
  
  

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INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise 1 | User Journey Map

In Week 2, we had our first lecture, which included a brief introduction to experience design (notes can be found in the 'Lecture' section). After the lecture, we were tasked with developing a User Journey Map that highlights the gain points, pain points, and solutions within our selected topic. The topic our group decided to work on is the "Sunway Pyramid User Journey Map".

Fig 1.1 Initial User Journey Map | Week 2 (30/4/25)

This user journey map outlines a typical visit to the mall, from parking to heading home. While there are enjoyable moments like meeting friends and having a good meal, common frustrations include finding parking, navigating the mall, long wait times, and forgetting where the car is parked.

To ease these pain points, suggestions like AR navigation, live parking updates, and digital menus are proposed. These ideas aim to make the mall experience smoother, quicker, and more enjoyable overall.

Fig 1.2 Example User Journey Map | Week 2 (30/4/25)

After creating our initial User Journey Map, Mr. Razif pointed out that it would be best to separate the points into three categories—gain points, pain points, and solutions—like in the example shown above, to make them easier to distinguish.

Fig 1.3 Refined User Journey Map | Week 2 (30/4/25)

After considering Mr. Razif's suggestion, I revised the User Journey Map to align with the template he provided, clearly organizing the gain points, pain points, and solutions for better clarity and understanding.

Exercise 2 | AR Experience Prototype

In Week 3, we were tasked with creating an AR experience prototype based on a topic of our choice. Since we had worked on a mall experience the previous week, we decided to continue with the same theme for this exercise: a "Shopping Mall" experience.

Fig 2.1 AR Experience Prototype | Week 2 (30/4/25)

Our idea is to enhance the shopping mall experience using Augmented Reality (AR) through a range of interactive and practical features. This prototype showcases four key functions:

1. Indoor Navigation: Users can view their current location and follow virtual arrows to find stores or destinations within the mall.
2. Store Information Overlay: Through a smartphone, users can access real-time information about nearby stores, such as names, deals, and directions.
3. Smart Parking Assistance: The system guides users to available parking spots using live updates and AR indicators.
4. Virtual Try-On: Shoppers can preview clothing on a virtual model through their phones, helping them decide on sizes and styles without entering a fitting room.

Overall, the prototype shows how AR can make mall visits more seamless, interactive, and efficient.

Exercise 3 | Marker-Based AR Experience

Fig 3.1 Image Target | Week 2 (30/4/25)

Following the tutorial provided by Mr. Razif, we were instructed to install and import the Vuforia Engine package into Unity. After setup, I created a database using the Vuforia Target Manager and added an image target—specifically, a picture of a book I own. Mr. Razif advised selecting images with a star rating above 3 to ensure optimal recognition by the AR camera.

• Target Manager (Create Database): Use this to upload and manage multiple image targets (e.g., posters, book covers, postcards).

• Add Target Options:

• Image: For flat surfaces like posters or photos.
• Multi-Target: For box-like objects with multiple sides.
• Cylinder: For cylindrical shapes (e.g., bottles).
• Object: For full 3D scanned objects.
  
  
• Recognition Tip: Avoid using images rated below 3 stars, as lower ratings reduce detection reliability.
  
  

Fig 3.2 3D Object on Image Target | Week 2 (30/4/25)

To activate a 3D object, it is necessary to place it as a child of the Image Target, which functions as a marker to activate the object. The 3D object can be edited with scale, position and rotation. 

Fig 3.3 3D Object on Image Target w Start-Stop button | Week 2 (30/4/25)

This week’s Unity tutorial by Mr. Razif focused on enhancing interactivity by adding functions to objects, such as creating buttons to control animations and exploring build settings.

We also learned how to make an object respond to Image Target tracking—automatically playing when the target is detected and pausing or disappearing when it’s out of frame.

Preliminary Research & Experimentation

In this task, I conducted research and exploration of trending AR experiences across various industries. This helped me understand their key features, limitations, and overall user impact. These findings will guide me in making more informed decisions on which AR technologies or features to proceed with in my final project.

1) IKEA Place – AR Virtual Furniture Placement

Fig 4.1 IKEA Place AR Demo | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Purpose:

An AR app that allows users to virtually place true-to-scale IKEA furniture in their room to see how it fits and looks.

Features:

• Accurate spatial tracking using Apple’s ARKit
• Real-time placement and scaling of 3D furniture
• High-resolution textures and realistic lighting
• User can take snapshots and share arrangements
  
  

Limitations:

• Only works well in well-lit spaces
• Primarily limited to Apple devices
• Furniture is static; lacks interactivity (e.g., open drawers)
  
  

Insights for My Project:

I found this valuable for its focus on utility and confidence in decision-making. The simplicity and visual accuracy could be useful if my project involves spatial visualization or product previews. However, device limitations and lighting sensitivity are things I need to consider.

2) Pokémon GO – AR Location-Based Game

Fig 4.2 Pokémon GO AR Demo | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Purpose:

A game that integrates AR and GPS to allow users to catch Pokémon in real-world locations, encouraging movement and exploration.

Features:

• Uses real-world maps and locations
• Pokémon appear in camera view with AR+ mode
• Dynamic interaction (Pokémon respond to player movement)
• Community-based events and competitions
  
  

Limitations:

• High battery usage
• Requires constant internet and GPS access
• Safety risks when used while walking/driving
  
  

Insights for My Project:

I liked how immersive and engaging this was, especially in how it blends AR with physical movement. This opens possibilities for gamified experiences in physical spaces. However, the reliance on GPS and battery drain could be problematic for smaller-scale or indoor-based projects.

3) ModiFace by L’Oréal – AR Makeup Try-On

Fig 4.3 ModiFace by L’Oréal AR Demo | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Purpose:

Lets users try on makeup virtually using facial tracking and AR—commonly used by beauty brands online and in-store.

Features:

• High-precision facial recognition
• Real-time color adaptation and lighting simulation
• Product integration directly with e-commerce platforms
• Works in both apps and browser extensions
  
  

Limitations:

• May struggle with extreme lighting or darker skin tones
• Can sometimes appear artificial under fast movement
• Heavy reliance on accurate camera calibration
  
  

Insights for My Project:

This experience showed me the potential of personalisation in AR. If my project involves identity, self-expression, or customization, this technology could be very relevant. I will also need to consider how lighting and motion impact realism.

4) Interactive Product Guide - AR User Manual

Fig 4.4 User Manual AR Demo | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Purpose:

Turns printed manuals into interactive AR experiences that provide visual guides to help users assemble or fix products.

Features:

• Object recognition for product components
• Step-by-step visual instructions overlaid in AR
• Interactive callouts and real-time animation
• Can be linked to QR codes or app-based triggers
  
  

Limitations:

• Requires precise alignment with objects
• Doesn’t always recognize damaged or worn-out items
• Limited effectiveness without good camera calibration
  
  

Insights for My Project:

This was inspiring in how it simplifies complex tasks. For educational or assistive design, this AR method could reduce cognitive load. I'd need to test how accurately it can detect objects in real time for consistent use.

5) Visual Food Preview at Restaurants - AR Menu

Fig 4.5 Restaurant Menu AR Demo | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Purpose:

An AR-based dining experience where users can scan a QR code to view 3D visualizations of the restaurant’s menu items.

Features:

• App-less access via browser (WebAR)
• High-quality 3D renders of food
• Helps visualize portion size and plating
• Multilingual and allergy-tag friendly UI options
  
  

Limitations:

• Quality varies depending on phone camera and browser
• Rendering delay on slower networks
• Limited interactivity (cannot rotate/move models in some versions)
  
  

Insights for My Project:

This felt highly practical and visually engaging. The clear presentation of food helps set user expectations and can improve satisfaction. If my project aims to create a sensory-rich experience or guide user choices visually, this kind of AR approach could be very useful.

Project Ideation

In this task, we are required to propose three potential ideas for our project, each accompanied by a clear problem statement and a proposed solution. These ideas should address real user needs or challenges and demonstrate how AR can be applied meaningfully. To help communicate and visualize each concept more effectively, mock visuals or sketches.

Fig 4.1 Project Potential Ideas | Week 4 (14/4/25)

Sofiya and I each brainstormed a few potential ideas for our project. I came up with concepts such as an AR travel phrasebook, an AR sign language tutor, and an AR plant care companion. Sofiya suggested ideas like an AR solar system explorer, an AR storybook, and an AR recipe card with interactive features and animations. After presenting all six concepts to Mr. Razif during our consultation, we discussed the strengths and feasibility of each idea in relation to our skillsets.

Mr. Razif highlighted that the storyboard AR idea—closely related to Sofiya’s storybook concept—was the most promising. He mentioned that it required less animation knowledge and leaned more towards illustration work, which suited our abilities well. He also recommended exploring a flipbook-style pop-up experience to tell a story, and suggested using Adobe Illustrator to design the story pages. Based on this feedback, we decided to move forward with the AR Storybook concept.

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FEEDBACK

Week 2 (30/4/25)

Specific Feedback:

• AR Solar System & Moon Phases idea is boring.
• AR Sign language idea is interesting, but hard to do if you have poor experience with animation. 
• AR Closet may sound cool as an idea, however, when executing it, it just looks weird.
• AR Recipe Book also needs animation experience.
• AR Plant Caretaker is a possibility, but you would have to use an AR marker to scan for a specific leaf; you won't be able to scan just any plants to make the app work. 
• AR Storybook is the best idea, you can try a flipbook popup experience which tells a story. You can also use Illustrator to design the pages, and it requires less animation experience.
  
  

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REFLECTIONS

Before starting this task, I already had some basic knowledge about user journey maps and empathy maps, so it wasn’t totally new to me. The weekly exercises and getting introduced to Vuforia and Unity were actually pretty simple to understand. The step-by-step practice made it easy to get the hang of how to create AR experiences using image targets and 3D models.

Researching other AR experiences like IKEA Place, Pokémon GO, and Sephora’s ModiFace really helped me see what’s possible with AR. It gave me a better idea of how AR can be used not just for fun, but to solve real problems and improve user experiences. Seeing these examples inspired me to think more creatively about how AR could be applied in everyday life.

Overall, this task helped me build on what I already knew, while also pushing me to learn new tools and think more about designing experiences that actually help users.

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QUICK LINKS

|  Task 2: Project Proposal

|  Task 3: Project MVP Prototype

|  Task 4: Final Project