MINOR PROJECT - FINAL COMPILATION & REFLECTION

 MINOR PROJECT - FINAL COMPILATION & REFLECTION

25.04.25 - 25.07.25

week 1 - week 14

DONG XINBEI / 0359733

Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

INSTRUCTION

Figure 1.1 MIB of Minor Project

LECTURE

Week 1

In the first week, Mr. Mike introduced the overall structure and requirements of the minor project. He explained the project's background, objectives, and structure, including the tasks for each phase, submission deadlines, and assessment criteria, helping us gain a clear understanding of the entire process. He also shared a link for us to fill in our names to form groups, ensuring that everyone was properly assigned to a team. Additionally, he encouraged us to form diverse teams to improve collaboration and the quality of the project outcomes. This week's briefing gave us a clear overview and helped us prepare for the work ahead.

Week 2

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Week 3

In Week 3, Mr. Mike formally instructed us to proceed with our contextual investigation. He highlighted the significance of gaining a clear understanding of the existing materials and surroundings before suggesting any AR solutions. The objective is to lay a solid groundwork by thoroughly examining related case examples, technological tools, and cultural contexts. This phase is vital for recognizing potential opportunities and limitations within the current setting, allowing us to develop more thoughtful and feasible design solutions that respond meaningfully to real-world conditions. By grounding our ideas in research, we can ensure greater relevance, creativity, and impact in our final outcomes.

Week 4

In Week 4, Mr. Mike guided us to further advance our contextual research. He once again emphasized that thoroughly understanding the environment, target users, and existing constraints is a crucial step before proposing any design ideas. Each of us delved deeper into our respective topics, refining our insights and supplementing our work with additional relevant cases and resources to broaden our research perspective. This ongoing and evolving research process not only helped us build a more solid foundation for the project but also provided strong support for developing more insightful and user-oriented design strategies in the later stages. Through this phase of accumulation, we gradually came to understand the broader impact of design decisions in real-world contexts.

Week 5

In Week 5, Mr. Mike reviewed the progress of each group and provided corresponding feedback. He pointed out that the target audience needed to be clearly defined and asked us to collect relevant results. He suggested that we use interviews and surveys to accomplish this task.

Week 6

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Week 7

In Week 7, our group systematically organized and analyzed the survey results we had previously collected. We categorized the responses, identified recurring patterns and themes, and summarized key insights that were highly relevant to our project. This process not only deepened our understanding of the target users’ needs, behaviors, and preferences, but also helped us identify some of the real-world challenges they face. The findings from this survey will provide solid data support for our upcoming design decisions and further clarify the direction and focus of our AR experience design.

Week 8

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RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

For the proposal section, I was responsible for analyzing the target audience and conducting user interviews. During the early stages of project planning, we carried out desktop research, competitor analysis, and initial observations. Through this process, we identified high-stress urban youth as our core audience. This group primarily consists of office workers and students who experience fast-paced daily routines, frequent mental fatigue, and a lack of effective ways to relax. They are generally familiar with digital media and often use mobile phones, social platforms, or short video apps to relieve stress, though these methods often fail to offer deep relaxation.

Based on this preliminary analysis, we further developed a detailed audience profile, considering factors such as age range, occupational background, frequency of technology use, and stress management behaviors. This helped us narrow our research focus and ensured the relevance and value of the data we collected.

We then created an open-ended interview guide, with questions centered on users’ daily routines, emotional regulation methods, perceptions of meditation and relaxation, and their acceptance and interest in AR-based immersive experiences. We successfully conducted interviews with several individuals who matched our target profile, including entry-level designers, engineers, and knowledge-based professionals.

From these conversations, we identified several common themes: interviewees emphasized the importance of "a sense of solitude" and "safe personal space"; they preferred gentle visual elements (such as natural landscapes and soft gradient lighting) and calming audio (such as water sounds, wind, and light music). At the same time, many expressed reservations about overly gamified or highly interactive designs, believing that such features might increase stimulation and hinder true relaxation.

These valuable user insights provided us with a more detailed and authentic understanding of our audience and further validated our initial assumptions. Moving forward, we will integrate these findings into the next phase of the design process—particularly in terms of interface experience, interaction flow, and content presentation—to ensure that our AR relaxation experience aligns with user needs and delivers practical value. Ultimately, we aim to create a digital space that genuinely supports stress relief and emotional recovery.

Figure 2.1 Wayangmind Proposal PDF

FINAL PROJECT

At the very beginning of the project, I participated in organizing the moodboard for the merchandise and collected visual reference images of the products, which I placed on the Miro board to support further research on the merchandise.

Figure 3.1 merchandise moodboard

In the final stage of the project, I was mainly responsible for the layout and construction of the exhibition booth, providing a visually engaging and functionally clear platform to present our project outcomes. To accomplish this task, I used Blender to create the 3D model and visual design of the booth. As a powerful 3D modeling tool, Blender gave me the flexibility to accurately translate our team’s concept into a compelling immersive experience.

Throughout the modeling process, I applied the 3D modeling knowledge I had acquired during the course, including mesh construction, material mapping, lighting setup, and scene rendering. I approached the design with a focus on user flow, display logic, and visual guidance, creating a booth structure that balances functional needs and aesthetic appeal. The booth design integrated key elements of our project, such as nature-inspired visuals, soft ambient lighting, and spatial arrangements compatible with AR devices to convey a sense of meditation and relaxation.

Figure 3.2

Figure 3.3

To ensure the feasibility and immersive quality of the design, I also researched real-world booth cases, extracting key insights on spatial use, color coordination, and audience interaction strategies, which I then adapted to our own design. Beyond the 3D visual presentation, I paid special attention to how visitors might physically engage with the booth—considering entry points, visual cues, and the accessibility of interactive devices—to create a space that feels layered and realistic even in a virtual simulation.

Figure 3.4 Visual reference

Figure 3.5 Visual reference

Figure 3.6 Visual reference

Additionally, I experimented with different material textures and lighting environments in the model to simulate a realistic exhibition atmosphere. This helped our team preview and adjust the setup ahead of the actual presentation and facilitated smoother communication and collaboration with other team members during the planning stage.

Overall, this task strengthened my ability to apply 3D modeling techniques to real-world project presentations and deepened my understanding of the role spatial design plays in user experience. The Blender-created booth not only transformed our concept into a visual reality but also laid a solid foundation for a professional and immersive exhibition experience.

Figure 3.7 Booth set up (front)

Figure 3.8 Booth set up (three quarters view)

Figure 3.9 Wayangmind Final Presentation PDF

REFLECTION

Experience

Throughout this project, I had the opportunity to take on multiple roles, from conducting target audience research and user interviews to designing the final exhibition booth using Blender. Each phase allowed me to apply and expand my knowledge, particularly in user-centered design, 3D modeling, and collaborative problem-solving. During the exhibition booth design process, I created a detailed 3D model using Blender, incorporating elements such as soft lighting, minimalistic furniture, and projection surfaces. These choices were directly informed by early user research insights. One of the most rewarding experiences was translating user needs into tangible spatial experiences, crafting an immersive booth that conveyed a sense of tranquility and relaxation. Working closely with my team also strengthened my communication and time management skills, as we had to coordinate tasks, iterate on booth and AR designs, and ensure that all components maintained a cohesive style and clear concept.

Observation

During the research phase, I observed that many users—especially young urban professionals—struggled to find effective and non-intrusive ways to relax. Despite their heavy use of digital platforms, they often felt overwhelmed and emotionally drained. Interviews revealed that users valued simplicity, visual calmness, and personal space in their relaxation experiences. These observations were reflected in our booth modeling decisions—for example, we adopted an open layout and neutral materials to simulate a peaceful mental environment. I also noticed that using immersive 3D visuals to present our booth and AR experience helped users and stakeholders intuitively grasp our design intentions, making abstract emotional concepts more concrete and persuasive.

Findings

One of the key findings was the mismatch between many existing digital relaxation tools and users’ actual expectations. Many users found gamified or overly interactive apps counterproductive, preferring passive and ambient experiences such as sound therapy and natural imagery that allowed them to decompress effortlessly. Another important insight was the significant impact of environmental cues—like soft lighting, natural visuals, and quiet surroundings—on emotional responses. These findings directly informed our design choices for both the AR scenes and the exhibition booth. For instance, we used soft projection lighting, nature-inspired tones, and carefully controlled sound zones to ensure the space delivered a calming, immersive experience. Through this process, I also came to appreciate the power of spatial storytelling in shaping emotional engagement.