Overview
Work
Empathize – Understanding the Problem
Define – Clarifying the Challenge
Ideate – Concept Development
StoryBoard
User Flow
Site Map
Style Guide
Skeleton
Game Design: Developed a vibrant, youth-oriented board game with playful icons and bold colors.
App Integration: The companion app tracks progress, manages timers, and offers additional prompts for continued engagement.
Prototype Features:
Interactive card deck with cultural scenarios
Progress tracking and reward system in the app
Real-time feedback through app notifications
Usability testing focused on evaluating how intuitively players could navigate the game and app without prior instruction.
Objective:
To assess the clarity of game instructions, card prompts, and app navigation, ensuring that first-time players could engage without confusion.
Participants: 8 users aged 16–25 from diverse immigrant backgrounds
Method:
Participants received the game and app with minimal instructions to observe natural interaction and identify friction points.
Scenarios Tested:
Setting up the game and selecting cards
Interpreting card prompts and app notifications
Navigating between app screens during gameplay
Testing Process:
Echo Chamber space lacked purpose and clarity
Colors not Distinguishable
Unclear CTA
Refined app feedback visuals for better clarity
Iterations:
Culture Shock (Red): Discuss cultural dilemmas
Bonding (Yellow): Share personal stories
Prompts: Physical Prompts
Reflection (Pink): Explore family dynamics
Drama Llama (Green): Act out scenarios to practice communication
Plot Twist (Blue): Introduce unexpected challenges and rewards
Immigrant youth often feel caught between cultural expectations at home and societal norms outside, leading to misunderstandings and emotional tension.
Problem Statement:
The solution needed to be approachable, interactive, and culturally inclusive.
Research Approach: Conducted 12 in-depth interviews with youth aged 15–25, focusing on their experiences with cultural adaptation and family dynamics.
Key Insights:
“How might we reduce the stress of immigrant youth as they balance cultural values with adapting to a new environment?”
55% reported struggling to explain cultural norms to parents, leading to conflicts.
41% felt a disconnect between their family’s expectations and American norms.
Many expressed a desire for non-confrontational ways to share their experiences with family members.
Pain Points:
Goals:
Frustrations
Wants to go on a date with a classmate but fears her parents’ disapproval.
Struggles to express her desire for independence without feeling like she is rejecting her culture.
Feels misunderstood and emotionally distant from her parents.
Maria
Occupation: Student
To open up conversations with her parents about dating, socializing, and cultural differences without conflict.
To feel seen and heard by her family without feeling like she is betraying her cultural identity.
Fear of being judged or labeled as “too American.”
Lack of a culturally safe space to speak openly about personal experiences.
Conversations often turn into silence or conflict, leaving her feeling more isolated.
Age : 17
Background: India
Family Dynamics: Traditional Indian household with strict cultural values
Current Situation:
Maria feels caught between her parents’ expectations and the more liberal social norms at school.
Concept: A board game paired with a digital app that uses storytelling, role-play, and cultural prompts to initiate family conversations.
Why a Game? It lowers the pressure of serious discussions and encourages openness through structured prompts.
Prototype – Bringing the Concept to Life
Test – Validating the Experience
What I Learned
Empathy is Key: Understanding the emotional struggles of immigrant youth helped me design more relatable game scenarios and prompts.
Iterate Based on Feedback: Testing revealed gaps in instructions and app feedback, leading to significant design refinements.
Cultural Sensitivity Matters: Ensuring that game content was culturally inclusive and non-confrontational was essential to fostering open, honest conversations.
Impact Beyond Gameplay: The game facilitated deeper connections, proving that playful interactions can drive meaningful dialogue within families.
#1
5/8 users didn’t understood the action on the specific space
#2
#3
6/8 users
Unclear CTA Leads to Incorrect User Actions
8/8 users
Feedback Colors Not Distinguishable to Users
Immigrant youth often struggle to balance cultural expectations at home with societal norms outside, leading to misunderstandings, isolation, and identity conflicts. Walk in My Shoes is a board game and companion app designed to facilitate conversations around cultural identity through storytelling, role-play, and interactive prompts.
Walk in My Shoes is a culturally-sensitive board game and companion app designed to help immigrant youth and their families engage in open conversations about cultural identity, family expectations, and personal experiences.
