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HiddenQuest is an application that uses scavenger hunts to promote collaboration, physical exercise, and stronger social connections.
HiddenQuest is an application that uses scavenger hunts to promote collaboration, physical exercise, and stronger social connections.
Overview
Overview
This project was created through UC San Diego's Cogs 123 class: Social Computing. This final project included designing a novel social experience and prototyping the experience so others could participate. Throughout the process, we conducted user research, created wireframes, implemented prototypes using appropriate technologies, and evaluated the effectiveness of the design through user testing and feedback mechanisms. Overall, we designed and produced a unique social experience, demonstrating the practical application of social computing principles in fostering meaningful interactions.
Motivation
Motivation
We wanted to create an engaging and enjoyable activity to bring people together while promoting collaboration, physical exercise, and stronger social connections! We came up with the idea of a social computing experience based on a scavenger hunt activity.
Social Setting
Social Setting
Our social setting targets small groups such as friend groups, social clubs, and similar. These types of groups are especially prevalent in younger aged school settings, but can also be applicable to workplaces and general communities.
How does it work?
How does it work?
Users can create a "hunt", hiding an object somewhere in their community. After posting a clue to the platform, other users can engage with these clues and try to find the hidden objects. These hunts are localized to specific groups, of which a user can join multiple.
What makes it novel?
What makes it novel?
Rather than a "one-and-done" scavenger hunt activity, our idea allows a continuous cycle of hide-and-seek revolving around a single object. Users are encouraged to interact and collaborate with others in the group, creating a culture where users can bond over the experience. Our name comes from the inspiration of fantasy "quests", where characters get together and go on great journeys for an end goal - in this case - increased friendship and a hidden object!
Research
Research
Survey
Survey
During the first stages of our project, our initial concept was a different experience, which we realized that would not be feasible. Due to this, we lack initial survey data on the HiddenQuest concept. However, we were able to run a smaller scale survey targeting the Geocaching audience through an online forum, as their idea was very similar to ours. Though not our intended audience, we wanted to use this data to gain insights on why these activities were fun, and what we can do differently. We received 15 responses from various age ranges.
We found that majority of respondents enjoyed the outdoors aspect, and competitive fun was a large motivator.
We found that majority of respondents enjoyed the outdoors aspect, and competitive fun was a large motivator.
“It gets me outside and moving, plus I get to explore new areas”
“I’m competitive. I also like learning new things and solving puzzles.”
“Getting outside, getting exercise, going on a treasure hunt”
We used this survey data to understand what aspects of outdoor treasure hunting were instrinsic to the activity, and what features we could add on top of it that didn't exist already.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
We looked into other platforms and ran some initial analysis on several competitors that offer a similar concept of a scavenger hunt.
ClueKeeper
ClueKeeper
ClueKeeper is designed to let users create and participate in location-based puzzles and scavenger hunts. It offers a platform for both creators and participants to design and experience real-life treasure hunts.
Features
Features
ClueKeeper allows creators to customize puzzles and challenges, but their creation of hunt is centralized. Users are primarly engaged with pre-designed hunts.
HiddenQuest Novelty
HiddenQuest Novelty
We offer the opportunity for users to actively create and share their own hunts, hiding objects, and posting clues for others to find. Additionally, our activity is designed to be long-term and continuous.
Geocaching
Geocaching
Geocaching is an app that offers outdoor hide-and-seek activities where participants navigaate to a set of GPS coordinates to find hidden "caches".
Features
Features
Geocaching has global community that shares their experiences and communicate through online platforms. However, the activity primarily revolves around finding existing caches rather than creating and sharing hunts.
HiddenQuest Novelty
HiddenQuest Novelty
We offer the opportunity to facilitate community engagement by sharing hunts within specific groups that have shared interest. This encourages collaboration and interaction among group members.
First Prototype Iteration
First Prototype Iteration
Brainstorming
Brainstorming
During the design process, we had to decide what technology we could use to mimic our application. The two most important aspects were 1) ensuring that we had a system to hide objects and 2) a way to communicate findings and clues. Our audience was asked to roleplay as members of the "UCSD Animal Club", where the club was creating a new group bonding activity using HiddenQuest.
Gathertown
Gathertown
To simulate the outdoors environment (our UCSD campus), we used Gathertown and created an island with various sections. Our team hid 5 animals around the Gathertown and our audience joined the town to find the animals. After finding an animal, users announced the finding in Slack, found a new hiding spot, and posted a new clue. Due to Gathertown limitations, our prototype could only accomodate 10 users.
Slack
Slack
We used Slack to share clues and as an area for general discussion. Each object had its own individual thread, in which cycles of finding and hiding the object would take place.
Feedback and Key Takeaways
Feedback and Key Takeaways
After our prototyping session, we sent a survey to our audience to gather feedback on how we could improve HiddenQuest. This survey contained both quantitative and qualitative questions about the experience's concept, participation levels, and features.
10/11 users found the concept engaging and fun.
10/11 users found the concept engaging and fun.
"I found it pretty engaging and I was pretty locked in."
Lack of interaction besides sharing clues
Lack of interaction besides sharing clues
“If you guys could incorporate some way to force more interaction between participants that could be good”
Preferred to participate with friends and small groups rather than individually.
Preferred to participate with friends and small groups rather than individually.
“I feel like this would be fun to do with a group of friends … it might be messy with too many people.”
Users enjoyed the gamification and competitive aspect
Users enjoyed the gamification and competitive aspect
“I think that because I felt like I was competing with other people to find it first is what really got me motivated and engaged.”
Using both Slack and Gathertown caused too much friction
Using both Slack and Gathertown caused too much friction
“Switching back and forth between the two tabs kind of took you out of the experience and made it difficult to stay engaged”
Gathertown user limits resulted in a less enjoyable experience
Gathertown user limits resulted in a less enjoyable experience
“Scale it up for more players”
Second Prototype Iteration
Second Prototype Iteration
Iterations and Improvements
Iterations and Improvements
For our next round of prototyping, we implemented new changes based on the feedback. Most notable of them included:
Removing Slack and using paper instead
Removing Slack and using paper instead
Due to Slack causing excessive friction and reducing opportunities for users to interact with each other, we removed it and opted to write down physical clues instead. This also mimics the actual idea of HiddenQuest, where users would only be on one app while participating in the other part of the experience in real life.
Group players into teams to encourage interaction
Group players into teams to encourage interaction
Because there was not enough interaction levels or easy avenues for interaction, we decided to group players to work together. This allowed more collaboration and also simulated our feature of being able to find nearby players on the map. Additionally, this would help us gauge whether our app was more suited to smaller groups or public communities.
Player groups were based on existing project groups
Player groups were based on existing project groups
Users mentioned that they preferred to do the experience with people they knew, so we ensured that they were grouped with people they already had a connection with.
Circumventing Gathertown Limits
Circumventing Gathertown Limits
By grouping players and creating a rotation system using 3 Gathertowns, we were able to accomodate more players.
Bringing in prizes
Bringing in prizes
Based on positive feedback from adding gamification, we brought in prizes for teams that found the most animals most quickly.
Gathertown
Gathertown
Once again, we used Gathertown to simulate the outdoor environment. This time, each team was assigned to join a different town. They were instructed to work together to find hiding places for each animal and jot down clues on slips of paper given to them.
Rotation System
Rotation System
After each team successfully hid all their animals and wrote down clues, we had them rotate Gathertowns. There, they would use the clues left behind by the previous group to hunt for the new animals. This translated to the typical hide-seek cycle we wanted to impliment in HiddenQuest.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, as well as the nature of needing to learn new instructons and time taken to switch stations, we were unable to complete more than one cycle. This was a very negative drawback in comparison to our first prototype, which was able to showcase that. However, in all other aspects, we believe that it was an improved success.
Feedback and Key Takeaways
Feedback and Key Takeaways
Once again, we sent out a feedback survey after the prototyping session. Overall, users were happier with the second prototype and thought it was an improvement over the first. Other things to consider from feedback was to ensure customization to create public/private groups, show statistics on the account page, and implementing some form of timer or time constraint. With that, we wrapped up user testing and feedback and moved into our high fidelity designs.
6/9 users expressed interest in using this app for their own team bonding activities.
6/9 users expressed interest in using this app for their own team bonding activities.
8/9 users enjoyed the team integration.
8/9 users enjoyed the team integration.
More face-to-face interactions in the second round.
More face-to-face interactions in the second round.
Final Design
Final Design
Style Guide
Style Guide
We based our style guide on colors that fit an outdoor adventuring theme. We wanted the app to feel fun and make users excited to venture out on their HiddenQuest. Our logo's "Q" is even a magnifying glass! 🔍
Features
We found that user engagement is crucial for the success of our scavenger hunt app. To achieve this, integrated features that made the app not only functional by also incredibly fun.
Adventure and exploration: the app encourages users to explore their surroundings, discover hidden objects, and embark on exciting scavenger hunts, adding an element of adventure to their everyday lives.
Homepage: implements a news feed section within the app where users can read updates and announcements from their organizations. It also includes feature that suggests local public organizations based on the user's location and interests, allowing them to discover and join new groups easily.
Interactive map: a feature that displays the user's current location and the locations of active scavenger hunts. Enable users to click on map markers to view information about the hidden objects or clues located at each spot.
Account page: design a user-friendly account page where users can edit their usernames, taglines, and profile icons. Includes sections for users to view their organizations, and friends, and easily log out of their accounts.
Organization's page: create a dedicated page for each organization listing all active hunts in the community. Include a community chat feature within each hunt where members can communicate with each other. Provides users with the ability to create their scavenger hunts from the organization's page, with an overlay window for adding hunt detail.
Group chats: allows users to create private group chats within their teams or groups to discuss strategies and progress. Provide game organizers with the ability to create groups for participants, facilitating communication and organization within the app.
Hunt features: users are presented with a page where they can input details for their scavenger hunt.
Fields include:
1.) Hunt name: a field to enter the name of the scavenger hunt.
2.) Clue creation: a section where users can input clues for participants to solve.
3.) Location: users can input the location of each clue or set a boundary area for the entire hunt.
4.) Start and end dates: users can specify the start and end dates and time for the scavenger hunt.
Group Messaging
Group Messaging
Users can interact with one another through texting in organizer pre-creating groups or creating their own groups!
Profiles and Group Pages
Profiles and Group Pages
Users can create and join their own groups and organizations giving them a sense of community
Overall, we believe HiddenQuest is a fun, long-term experience that is perfect for a small group social setting where people want to strengthen both strong and weak ties.
Overall, we believe HiddenQuest is a fun, long-term experience that is perfect for a small group social setting where people want to strengthen both strong and weak ties.
Reflection
Reflection
Embrace the constantly changing world of design
Embrace the constantly changing world of design
Our project was continually changing throughout the entire course of the quarter. We had to pivot drastically in the first two weeks, resulting in losing a large amount of research time. Despite that, we were able to successfully run a smaller survey and brainstorm multiple features of our new experience, resulting in a product that we are all proud of. We often had to scrap ideas and create new iterations. Taking the obstacles in stride rather than worrying about sticking to sameness allowed us to grow more confident and break out of our shells to explore more ideas.
Designing for social interaction is a lot different than other design
Designing for social interaction is a lot different than other design
Most of us have only had experience designing for single user websites or apps, so creating a prototype that multiple users were using was a huge challenge. There are a lot more details that you need to consider when interactions will constantly be altering the environment!
Social settings are complex
Social settings are complex
As expected to learn from a social computing class, we learned how difficult it can be to navigate and understand different social settings. As our project evolved, our intended social setting and target audience was changing as well. We thought our project was geared towards bringing public communities together, but learned that people enjoyed using HiddenQuest when with friends or groups they already knew to strengthen existing bonds.
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