February 2024 – april 2024

ripple

why?

The 14th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, Life Below Water, focuses on conserving and sustainably using the world’s oceans, seas, and marine resources. The Ocean Conservancy, a leading non-profit organization, is dedicated to safeguarding these vital ecosystems for future generations. Ripple aims to bridge the gap between UN Goal 14 and the Ocean Conservancy by providing an accessible, user-friendly platform that empowers individuals everywhere to take meaningful action in protecting our oceans.

what.

Help save the ocean even if it’s miles away! Ripple utilizes augmented reality in the form of a game. The goal of the game is for users to capture trash. In the onboarding process of the app, you’ll be matched with a ”buddy” at the Ocean Conservancy, and for every piece of garbage you gather and record in the game, you’re partner will match it in the ocean. While using Ripple, the participant will be guided through their journey with access to resources, community, and options to create their avatar and personalize their experience.

how.

Ripple targets participants with a passion for saving the ocean who may be unable to assist in the physical labor of cleaning due to accessibility and location barriers.

research

research.

To effectively design my app’s model, I first needed to identify the right target audience and explore strategies for driving user retention and long-term engagement. This process involved developing detailed user personas and analyzing benchmark apps that successfully use personalization to educate and motivate their users, such as Duolingo.

personas.

benchnmarking.

task flows.

development

storyboarding.

sketches.

lo-fi wireframes.

updated wireframes.

rendering

research.

Using Blender, I designed and created detailed 3D renders to be featured throughout the game. The main character is a customizable avatar that users design during the onboarding process—in this case, represented by a whale. Additionally, other in-game elements, such as floating garbage, were modeled in 3D to enhance visual engagement and capture the user’s attention.