Griddy Boards
Griddy Boards
Collaborative drawing pods that turn everyday campus spaces into creative social hotspots
Collaborative drawing pods that turn everyday campus spaces into creative social hotspots
Role
Role
UX Designer & Researcher
UX Designer & Researcher
Timeline
Timeline
Mar 2024 - Jun 2024
Mar 2024 - Jun 2024
Project Type
Project Type
Collaborative Duo Project
Collaborative Duo Project
Tools/Skills
Tools/Skills
Figma, Blender, Canva, 3D Modeling, Physical Prototyping, User Research
Figma, Blender, Canva, 3D Modeling, Physical Prototyping, User Research
SUMMARY
Griddy Boards is an interactive installation that transforms everyday campus spaces into playful hubs for spontaneous connection. Designed to reduce social barriers, the project invites students to co-create on four collaborative drawing pods. Through physical and digital prototyping, surveys, and user testing, we explored how creativity and play can spark meaningful social interaction.
Griddy Boards is an interactive installation that transforms everyday campus spaces into playful hubs for spontaneous connection. Designed to reduce social barriers, the project invites students to co-create on four collaborative drawing pods. Through physical and digital prototyping, surveys, and user testing, we explored how creativity and play can spark meaningful social interaction.
Context
Context
Developed by a 2-person team for the University of Sydney’s User Experience Design Studio course (DECO2014), Griddy Boards responds to the Playful Cities: Urban Playgrounds Everywhere brief. Our goal was to activate underused campus spaces by encouraging casual, creative engagement. The final concept reimagines social spaces through large interactive drawing surfaces that invite students to pause, participate, and connect.
Developed by a 2-person team for the University of Sydney’s User Experience Design Studio course (DECO2014), Griddy Boards responds to the Playful Cities: Urban Playgrounds Everywhere brief. Our goal was to activate underused campus spaces by encouraging casual, creative engagement. The final concept reimagines social spaces through large interactive drawing surfaces that invite students to pause, participate, and connect.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Campus social spaces are often underused due to personal preferences and language barriers.
Flexible seating and communal dining encourage interaction.
Collaborative art activities break down social barriers and spark connections.
Iterative design and user testing are essential to refine physical and digital elements.
Campus social spaces are often underused due to personal preferences and language barriers.
Flexible seating and communal dining encourage interaction.
Collaborative art activities break down social barriers and spark connections.
Iterative design and user testing are essential to refine physical and digital elements.
Problem Scenario
Problem Scenario
University campuses have shared spaces for students to gather, but many lack meaningful social connection. Factors like language barriers, personal comfort, and uninspiring environments prevent casual interaction, leaving students isolated.
Research shows interactive public installations boost engagement and foster social acceptance by encouraging people to connect and build community.
However, many campus social areas lack these features, missing chances to inspire spontaneous connection and playfulness among students.
University campuses have shared spaces for students to gather, but many lack meaningful social connection. Factors like language barriers, personal comfort, and uninspiring environments prevent casual interaction, leaving students isolated.
Research shows interactive public installations boost engagement and foster social acceptance by encouraging people to connect and build community.
However, many campus social areas lack these features, missing chances to inspire spontaneous connection and playfulness among students.
Research and Insights
To explore how campus spaces affect social interaction, I conducted a student survey on social habits and campus perceptions, while my teammate carried out semi-structured interviews for deeper insights.
We gathered 40 survey responses and interviewed five participants, combining quantitative and qualitative data. Using an affinity diagram, we identified key themes and patterns. Notably, 32.5% of students reported not making meaningful connections, and 40% rarely engaged in conversations with others.
To explore how campus spaces affect social interaction, I conducted a student survey on social habits and campus perceptions, while my teammate carried out semi-structured interviews for deeper insights.
We gathered 40 survey responses and interviewed five participants, combining quantitative and qualitative data. Using an affinity diagram, we identified key themes and patterns. Notably, 32.5% of students reported not making meaningful connections, and 40% rarely engaged in conversations with others.
By combining our data, we identified three key insights:
By combining our data, we identified three key insights:
These insights helped define our design challenge: improving campus social spaces to foster more meaningful student interactions.
These insights helped define our design challenge: improving campus social spaces to foster more meaningful student interactions.
User Persona
Based on our research, we developed a persona representing our target users. This guided us in understanding their needs and challenges as we defined the core problem.
Based on our research, we developed a persona representing our target users. This guided us in understanding their needs and challenges as we defined the core problem.
Problem Statement
Campus social areas are often underused, limiting opportunities for meaningful student interaction. Barriers like personal preferences and language differences contribute to this disconnect. Improving these spaces with thoughtful design is key to breaking down social barriers and fostering a vibrant campus culture where spontaneous connections can thrive.
Campus social areas are often underused, limiting opportunities for meaningful student interaction. Barriers like personal preferences and language differences contribute to this disconnect. Improving these spaces with thoughtful design is key to breaking down social barriers and fostering a vibrant campus culture where spontaneous connections can thrive.
Ideation
Ideation
Based on our research, we brainstormed six storyboards featuring interactive social activities. After evaluating them, we chose a collaborative graffiti wall where students draw together on a shared canvas using prompts to encourage creativity and conversation.
Based on our research, we brainstormed six storyboards featuring interactive social activities. After evaluating them, we chose a collaborative graffiti wall where students draw together on a shared canvas using prompts to encourage creativity and conversation.
Feedback showed the original single-wall concept was overwhelming—it required too much effort, took up a lot of space, and didn’t feel inviting. We refined the idea into Griddy Boards: four separate interactive tables, each a grid on a larger canvas. This let participants contribute individually while their work combined into a bigger collaborative piece. We used a decision matrix considering engagement, feasibility, and scalability to choose this approach.
Feedback showed the original single-wall concept was overwhelming—it required too much effort, took up a lot of space, and didn’t feel inviting. We refined the idea into Griddy Boards: four separate interactive tables, each a grid on a larger canvas. This let participants contribute individually while their work combined into a bigger collaborative piece. We used a decision matrix considering engagement, feasibility, and scalability to choose this approach.
Prototyping
Prototyping
Mid-fidelity Prototype
Mid-fidelity Prototype
I led the physical prototyping of Griddy Boards, building four individual drawing pods from cardboard and whiteboards to encourage small, comfortable group interactions. Meanwhile, my teammate developed the digital interface to support collaboration. Together, we coordinated to create a seamless physical and digital experience.
I led the physical prototyping of Griddy Boards, building four individual drawing pods from cardboard and whiteboards to encourage small, comfortable group interactions. Meanwhile, my teammate developed the digital interface to support collaboration. Together, we coordinated to create a seamless physical and digital experience.
User Testing
User Testing
We tested Griddy Boards in seven sessions during a university fair, with groups of about four participants each. We gathered feedback through SUS surveys, interviews, and observations, focusing on three areas:
Encouraging social interaction
Usability of physical and digital components
Suggestions to improve collaboration and engagement
The results showed strong social engagement, with strangers naturally starting conversations and collaborating. A highlight was when all four boards connected to reveal a final artwork, surprising and delighting participants. After refinements, the prototype earned an average SUS score of 85 from 28 participants, well above the industry benchmark of 68, demonstrating strong usability and satisfaction.
We tested Griddy Boards in seven sessions during a university fair, with groups of about four participants each. We gathered feedback through SUS surveys, interviews, and observations, focusing on three areas:
Encouraging social interaction
Usability of physical and digital components
Suggestions to improve collaboration and engagement
The results showed strong social engagement, with strangers naturally starting conversations and collaborating. A highlight was when all four boards connected to reveal a final artwork, surprising and delighting participants. After refinements, the prototype earned an average SUS score of 85 from 28 participants, well above the industry benchmark of 68, demonstrating strong usability and satisfaction.
Hi-fidelity Prototype
Hi-fidelity Prototype
Using feedback, we refined the prototype and created a polished version for presentation. I designed and animated the final 3D physical prototype using Blender and created a poster to clearly showcase Griddy Boards’ core features, making it easy for students to understand and engage with. Meanwhile, my teammate produced and narrated a promotional video highlighting its interactive elements.
Using feedback, we refined the prototype and created a polished version for presentation. I designed and animated the final 3D physical prototype using Blender and created a poster to clearly showcase Griddy Boards’ core features, making it easy for students to understand and engage with. Meanwhile, my teammate produced and narrated a promotional video highlighting its interactive elements.
Promotional Poster
Promotional Video
Promotional Video
Reflection
Reflection
Working in a two-person team brought both pressure and valuable lessons. We managed everything from user research to prototyping, testing, and documentation. Building and iterating on three physical prototypes and running seven testing sessions took more time and effort than expected, especially without a larger team to delegate tasks.
This pushed me to improve my time management, communication, and collaboration across roles. I focused on the physical experience and layout while my teammate led the digital side. We made quick decisions, adapted constantly, and supported each other to keep the project moving.
Through this process, I gained a deeper understanding of how iterative testing, user feedback, and flexibility lead to better outcomes. For example, changing from one large graffiti wall to four smaller boards made the experience less intimidating and encouraged more spontaneous interaction.
This experience has shaped my approach to UX design. I’m now more confident working under constraints, adapting quickly, and designing for social interaction. It also reinforced the importance of accessibility, inclusion, and real-world testing in every design decision.
Working in a two-person team brought both pressure and valuable lessons. We managed everything from user research to prototyping, testing, and documentation. Building and iterating on three physical prototypes and running seven testing sessions took more time and effort than expected, especially without a larger team to delegate tasks.
This pushed me to improve my time management, communication, and collaboration across roles. I focused on the physical experience and layout while my teammate led the digital side. We made quick decisions, adapted constantly, and supported each other to keep the project moving.
Through this process, I gained a deeper understanding of how iterative testing, user feedback, and flexibility lead to better outcomes. For example, changing from one large graffiti wall to four smaller boards made the experience less intimidating and encouraged more spontaneous interaction.
This experience has shaped my approach to UX design. I’m now more confident working under constraints, adapting quickly, and designing for social interaction. It also reinforced the importance of accessibility, inclusion, and real-world testing in every design decision.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Griddy Boards transformed an abstract idea into an engaging, interactive experience that made campus social spaces more inviting. By combining physical and digital elements, we created a simple way for students, even strangers, to connect.
Across seven testing sessions, collaborative art naturally sparked conversations. The moment when participants joined their drawings was especially powerful, creating surprise and shared enjoyment.
Although time limited full digital development, the project showed how playful, low-pressure interaction can encourage social connection without forcing it.
This project strengthened my research, prototyping, and communication skills. More importantly, it reinforced that thoughtful, well-tested ideas can create real social impact when designed with users in mind.
If you would like to learn more about this project or see other examples of my work, please feel free to get in touch.
Griddy Boards transformed an abstract idea into an engaging, interactive experience that made campus social spaces more inviting. By combining physical and digital elements, we created a simple way for students, even strangers, to connect.
Across seven testing sessions, collaborative art naturally sparked conversations. The moment when participants joined their drawings was especially powerful, creating surprise and shared enjoyment.
Although time limited full digital development, the project showed how playful, low-pressure interaction can encourage social connection without forcing it.
This project strengthened my research, prototyping, and communication skills. More importantly, it reinforced that thoughtful, well-tested ideas can create real social impact when designed with users in mind.
If you would like to learn more about this project or see other examples of my work, please feel free to get in touch.
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Got a question or want to say hi? Feel free to grab my contact info and reach out!
Kyaw Nyi Nyi © 2025
Thanks for stopping by
Got a question or want to say hi? Feel free to grab my contact info and reach out!
Kyaw Nyi Nyi © 2025
Thanks for stopping by
Got a question or want to say hi? Feel free to grab my contact info and reach out!
Kyaw Nyi Nyi © 2025