Experiential Design - Task 2: Proposal Development
Lew Guo Ying / 0365721 / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Index
1. LecturesLectures
Week 5:
This week, Mr. Razif taught us how to create an AR experience in Unity where a video plays automatically after scanning a marker. During playback, we could use a button to control play and pause, which was implemented using simple code.
Later, we modified the button into a single toggle button. Each time we clicked it, the console log would record the number of clicks. When the click count reached five, a “boom” effect appeared along with a visual explosion effect, and the video player disappeared.
This week, we focused on creating a menu system in Unity that lets users navigate between three scenes: the AR scene, the menu scene, and the credits scene. The AR button acts as a global button and can be accessed from any scene.
In the AR scene, we also added an interactive cube. When clicked, it shows an info panel, which can be closed using an "X" button. This interaction is also coded to enhance the experience.
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| Fig1.1 Scene Control Code |
We were shown how to use the following scene control code:
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| Fig1.2 ARScene, CreditsScene, MenuScene |
Instructions
For this task, we need to create a proposal for an experience design project based on a topic of our choice. We will explain our idea clearly, analyze the current user experience, compare it with similar solutions, and suggest improvements. We will include sketches and mockups that present the final experience from the user’s perspective. Our submission includes PDF slides and reflective posts in our E-portfolio.
Progression:
In Task 1, we introduced the concept of MystiAR, a virtual AR pet companion designed for those who long for the comfort of a pet but face real-life limitations. With feedback and approval from Mr. Razif, we began refining the idea by focusing on our core users. Understanding their emotional needs and daily challenges was essential to shaping an experience that is not only fun and magical, but also deeply personal and empathetic.
We conducted a Google Form survey to better understand our target users and successfully gathered over 40 responses, providing valuable insights into their needs, preferences, and challenges regarding virtual pet experiences. Our google form link can be accessed HERE.
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| Fig2.0 Google Form Survey |
Summary Data Collected
1. Age Group Distribution Most respondents fall into the 25–30 and 31–35 age groups, with a significant portion also in the 18–24 range. This suggests a relatively young, tech-savvy audience with a mix of early-career professionals and students.
2. Current Occupation The survey participants are mainly working adults, followed by a large group of students. There is also a notable segment of freelancers or content creators, indicating a diverse work lifestyle among users.
3. Pet Ownership A large portion of participants do not own pets, with many expressing interest in having one or being unable to due to restrictions. A smaller yet consistent group already owns pets, showing mixed pet engagement levels.
4. Reasons for Not Having Pets The most common barriers include housing restrictions, busy schedules, and health concerns. Many respondents also mentioned frequent travel and financial reasons, highlighting the need for a low-commitment alternative like digital pets.
5. Experience with Digital or AR Pet Apps Many respondents haven’t tried AR pet apps but are curious to explore them. A smaller portion have used such apps before, while a few remain not interested. This indicates openness to trying new digital pet experiences.
6. Motivation for Trying AR Pets Users are primarily motivated by emotional companionship, curiosity, and the desire to experience new tech. A strong theme is “I love pets but can’t own one,” showing AR pets could serve a real emotional and situational need.
7. Desired AR Pet Features The most requested features include the ability to respond to touch, gestures, or voice, appear in daily spaces like beds or desks, and greet or talk to the user. Many also wish for pets that can sense emotions, suggesting a desire for realism and empathy.
8. Likert Scale Statements Summary Across the 6 statements:
- Users showed mixed beliefs about emotional companionship from virtual pets.
- Many enjoy relaxing digital interactions and would use AR pets to unwind.
- A significant group would lose interest if pets seem too childish, preferring more mature aesthetics.
The majority favor gentle, ambient visuals over flashy or competitive designs, confirming a preference for calm and comforting digital environments.
9. Ideal Digital Pet Description Respondents envision a perfect AR pet as being emotionally supportive, always present, and low-maintenance. Many want it to help with self-care, while others prefer it to adapt to their mood and lifestyle, emphasizing smart, unobtrusive, and nurturing interaction.
Through our discussions, we developed three key personas—each representing a unique group of users that MystiAR aims to support. These personas helped us ensure that our design decisions are grounded in real-world insights, not just assumptions.
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| Fig2.1 User Persona 1 |
We designed MystiAR with features that align with her preferences—calming visuals, gentle animations, and emotionally intuitive interactions. The experience is crafted to be peaceful rather than overstimulating, helping users like Sona unwind after a long day and feel an emotional connection in a stress-free way.
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| Fig2.2 User Persona 2 |
Edward, another persona, represents many urban professionals who live in buildings with strict no-pet policies. While he grew up loving animals, his current lifestyle and housing rules make it difficult to care for a real pet. MystiAR provides a realistic and engaging AR pet that lives in his phone, offering short moments of emotional connection throughout the day.
He enjoys meaningful, low-commitment interactions that fit easily into his busy routine—like feeding the pet during a work break or watching it respond when he speaks. Our app allows him to experience companionship without worrying about pet care logistics, noise complaints, or cleanup. For Edward, MystiAR becomes a joyful, rule-free pocket companion that fills a quiet space in his life.
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| Fig2.3 User Persona 3 |
For users like Amira, a travel content creator constantly moving between locations, maintaining a real pet is unrealistic. Yet, her lifestyle is often lonely, unpredictable, and emotionally draining. MystiAR offers her a sense of routine, companionship, and emotional grounding, no matter where she is. The pet becomes a familiar presence she can carry with her—whether she’s in a hotel, airport, or café.
We designed the app to be lightweight, mobile-optimized, and instantly accessible, ensuring that the pet’s behavior, mood, and memories are stored in the cloud and synced across devices. For Amira, MystiAR is not just a digital novelty—it’s a reliable emotional companion that helps her feel connected and cared for in a fast-moving world.
B. User Experience Map
C. New User Journey Map
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| Fig2.4 User Journey Map |
Next, we created a refined user journey map to visualize how users would interact with the MystiAR app from the moment they launch it. Our goal was to design a flow that feels intuitive, emotionally engaging, and tailored to the specific behaviors of our three core user personas.
By focusing on simplicity, connection, and meaningful interaction, we mapped out each key stage—ensuring that the experience is not only easy to navigate, but also offers users a sense of comfort and companionship throughout their journey with MystiAR.
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| Fig2.5 Log in Screen |
This login page introduces users to MystiAR with a calming, magical atmosphere. As the app loads, the background appears first, followed by a soft fade-in of the MystiAR title, setting the tone for an enchanting experience. Shortly after, a mystical pet character appears on screen with subtle animations to create a sense of presence and companionship. Once the pet settles, the “Step Into My Pet World” button gently fades in, inviting the user to begin their journey. Tapping the button leads users into the onboarding process, where they are introduced to MystiAR’s core features including AR pet placement, customization, care routines, interactive play, voice commands, and magical potion crafting.
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| Fig2.6Placement of pet |
This onboarding step introduces users to MystiAR’s AR environment by guiding them to scan their surroundings and place their pet into the real world. Users are prompted to point their phone downward and slowly move around an empty space to detect a suitable surface. As the AR system scans, subtle instructions appear to assist them. Once a flat surface is detected, a highlighted placement box appears, and the magical pet is visualized standing within it, ready to be confirmed.
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| Fig2.7 Feeding of pet |
In this onboarding step, users learn how to feed their AR pet by tapping the food icon, which spawns a 3D food bowl into the real environment. The user can then drag the bowl toward the pet using touch gestures. Once the food reaches the pet, it reacts with joyful animations and begins eating. As the feeding completes, a heart or happy expression appears above the pet’s head, and the health or hunger bar visibly increases, reinforcing the positive outcome.
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| Fig2.8 Potion Crafting |
In this potion crafting step, users tap the potion icon to begin the process of boosting their pet’s health or mood. A 3D cauldron appears in the real-world space along with floating magical ingredients. Users must drag each ingredient into the cauldron, and once all required items are added, the cauldron reacts with sparkles or animated effects to show that the potion is successfully brewed. The completed potion bottle then appears in the user’s hand, allowing them to feed it directly to their pet. The pet happily reacts, and its health or energy bar increases, reinforcing the magical care-giving mechanic.
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| Fig2.9 Playing with pet |
In this playtime interaction step, users tap the ball icon to initiate an activity with their pet. A 3D ball appears in the environment, which users can drag and swipe to throw toward the pet. The pet responds with excitement, chasing or interacting with the ball, creating a joyful and engaging moment. This activity helps improve the pet’s mood or energy levels and reinforces a fun, hands-on bonding experience.
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| Fig2.10 Ambient Mode |
In this ambient mode interaction, users can tap the moon icon to shift the experience into a calm, restful state. The AR pet gently lies down beside the user and enters a sleeping animation, while soft background music begins to play. This mode is designed to provide emotional comfort and companionship during moments of rest, study, or relaxation, offering a peaceful presence without requiring active interaction.
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| Fig2.11 Voice Commaned Action |
In this voice command interaction, users tap the microphone icon to activate voice input and call their pet by name—for example, saying “Kiki, come here.” The system displays the recognized voice command on screen while listening, and moments later, the pet responds by walking into the scene and approaching the user. This feature adds a natural, hands-free interaction that enhances emotional connection and makes the AR pet feel more alive and responsive, reinforcing the bond between user and companion.
E. User Wireflow Map
We created a user wireflow map to help users better understand the structure and functionality of the MystiAR app. The wireflow visually guides users through each core interaction—starting from onboarding, AR pet placement, and feeding, to magical features like potion crafting, playtime, ambient mode, and voice command. By clearly mapping out each screen and decision point, the wireflow enhances clarity not just for users, but also for us when working on seamless navigation. It ensures a smooth, intuitive journey while showcasing the moments that define the MystiAR experience.
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| Fig2.12 User Wireflow Map |
Final Submissions:
A. Full Proposal Document
B. Figma Prototype
C. Figma File
Feedback
Week 5 : Mr Razif commented that the prototype looks good and all the essential materials are present in the proposal
Reflection
Experience
Working on the MystiAR project has been a deeply personal journey for me. As someone who also suffers from nasal allergies, I’ve always had to keep a distance from real animals, despite my love for them. This made me connect instantly with our user personas, especially those who are restricted by health conditions. It reminded me of my childhood, when I used to play digital pet games like Pou on my phone. However, as technology advanced, these apps faded away, and people became too busy to maintain them daily.
Creating an AR-based pet companion felt like reviving that nostalgic joy—but with modern possibilities. From the start, I imagined a pet that could be more than just cute—a smart, AI-driven companion that could support the user’s lifestyle. The idea of having a helpful, all-knowing creature that’s always by your side was exciting and full of potential.
Observation
Through this project, I came to see how important it is to design with empathy. When developing the app features, we didn’t just think about what would look cool—we focused on what the user truly needs. One of the most interesting ideas we discussed was allowing the AR pet to help users manage their daily habits and health. For example, the pet could remind users to drink water or eat on time—not just for fun, but as a part of wellness support.
I also explored how the AR pet could interact beyond just visual play. It could respond to sound, music, or be used as a gentle alarm or daily motivator. In the future, if paired with AR glasses, the presence of the pet could feel even more real—creating a richer, more immersive bond.
Finding
In the end, we knew that while the ideal vision was exciting, we had to stay grounded and work within our limits. We focused on features that were achievable within the time frame and used Unity to bring them to life. Still, this process taught me that even within limitations, creativity thrives. We came up with a set of features that were meaningful, fun, and technically possible.
What I take away from this is a renewed belief in what AR can become. It’s not just about technology—it’s about emotion, wellness, and making users feel seen and supported. MystiAR may have started as a simple pet concept, but through this journey, it became a reflection of how design can bring dreams closer to reality.
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