DISCOVER PROJECT
DISCOVER PROJECT
003/COOKING APP
Location-Based Gaming App
Location Based Gaming App
How strategic leadership and narrative design brought a location-based app concept to life
JULY 2025 (4 weeks)
Picture this: you're in a new city with your phone, looking for something interesting to do. You open a location app and... get hit with 47 pins showing "points of interest" that look exactly like every other tourist trap. Most location apps treat cities like collections of checkboxes—disconnected spots you're supposed to visit because someone else said they were important.
But what if exploring your city could feel more like uncovering a mystery, where each discovery builds toward something bigger and more personal?
Picture this: you're in a new city with your phone, looking for something interesting to do. You open a location app and... get hit with 47 pins showing "points of interest" that look exactly like every other tourist trap. Most location apps treat cities like collections of checkboxes—disconnected spots you're supposed to visit because someone else said they were important.
But what if exploring your city could feel more like uncovering a mystery, where each discovery builds toward something bigger and more personal?
SERVICES
Visual Effects, 3D Character Design, Vehicle Design, 3D Scene Design
Visual Effects, 3D Character Design, Vehicle Design, 3D Scene Design
Project Overview
This real-world project gave me the chance to lead a team effort bringing a stakeholder's ambitious vision to life. Working alongside a talented collaborator, I tackled the challenge of transforming big creative ideas into a focused, executable concept—and honestly, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding leadership experiences I've had. The stakes felt real: we had limited time, high expectations, and the pressure of proving that this vision could actually work.
This real-world project gave me the chance to lead a team effort bringing a stakeholder's ambitious vision to life. Working alongside a talented collaborator, I tackled the challenge of transforming big creative ideas into a focused, executable concept—and honestly, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding leadership experiences I've had. The stakes felt real: we had limited time, high expectations, and the pressure of proving that this vision could actually work.
The Challenge: Our stakeholder had a compelling vision for location-based exploration that went beyond typical "find the landmark" experiences, but needed help turning that ambitious idea into a concrete prototype that could validate market potential and user demand.
My Role: I led the overall strategy, user experience design, and narrative integration while coordinating our research efforts and managing scope. The goal was creating a proof-of-concept that demonstrated unique value without getting lost in feature complexity.
The Challenge: Our stakeholder had a compelling vision for location-based exploration that went beyond typical "find the landmark" experiences, but needed help turning that ambitious idea into a concrete prototype that could validate market potential and user demand.
My Role: I led the overall strategy, user experience design, and narrative integration while coordinating our research efforts and managing scope. The goal was creating a proof-of-concept that demonstrated unique value without getting lost in feature complexity.
This case study walks you through how I balanced creative vision with practical constraints, developed cohesive user experiences based on real research, and guided our team to create a compelling prototype that validated both user demand and business potential.
This case study walks you through how I balanced creative vision with practical constraints, developed cohesive user experiences based on real research, and guided our team to create a compelling prototype that validated both user demand and business potential.
This case study walks you through how I balanced creative vision with practical constraints, developed cohesive user experiences based on real research, and guided our team to create a compelling prototype that validated both user demand and business potential.
understanding the audience
personas
personas
You can't design meaningful urban exploration without understanding what actually drives people to wander their cities. I knew our success would depend on grounding every design decision in real user insights, not assumptions about what exploration "should" look like.
You can't design meaningful urban exploration without understanding what actually drives people to wander their cities. I knew our success would depend on grounding every design decision in real user insights, not assumptions about what exploration "should" look like.
How We Tackled Research
I worked with my teammate to tackle research from multiple angles—they dove into user interviews and story mapping while I focused on interpretation, persona development, and competitive analysis. They also created initial user flows, which gave me a solid foundation that I later refined significantly based on what we learned from testing.
User Testing as Our Primary Guide
Our user testing sessions with 5 participants really shaped everything. Talking with people about how they approach location-based discovery was fascinating—three distinct patterns kept coming up in our conversations. That's when we developed our personas: the culture-seeking local, the adventurous tourist, and the competitive group player. These weren't assumptions we made up front, but real exploration styles that participants described again and again.
The Reality Check
Here's where things got really interesting—and a bit frustrating. Our testing revealed the same fundamental problem from multiple angles: existing location apps either felt like boring homework (generic task-completion) or overwhelming textbooks (information dumps). Users consistently told us they wanted exploration that felt meaningful and personal, not just functional.
How We Tackled Research
I worked with my teammate to tackle research from multiple angles—they dove into user interviews and story mapping while I focused on interpretation, persona development, and competitive analysis. They also created initial user flows, which gave me a solid foundation that I later refined significantly based on what we learned from testing.
User Testing as Our Primary Guide
Our user testing sessions with 5 participants really shaped everything. Talking with people about how they approach location-based discovery was fascinating—three distinct patterns kept coming up in our conversations. That's when we developed our personas: the culture-seeking local, the adventurous tourist, and the competitive group player. These weren't assumptions we made up front, but real exploration styles that participants described again and again.
The Reality Check
Here's where things got really interesting—and a bit frustrating. Our testing revealed the same fundamental problem from multiple angles: existing location apps either felt like boring homework (generic task-completion) or overwhelming textbooks (information dumps). Users consistently told us they wanted exploration that felt meaningful and personal, not just functional.
Key testing insights that drove our design:
People loved the idea of uncovering connected stories but got confused when we showed everything upfront
Users hesitated to start without clear expectations about time commitment and difficulty
The narrative connections that excited us weren't obvious to users without better visual cues
Progressive revelation built anticipation and momentum better than comprehensive overviews
Key testing insights that drove our design:
People loved the idea of uncovering connected stories but got confused when we showed everything upfront
Users hesitated to start without clear expectations about time commitment and difficulty
The narrative connections that excited us weren't obvious to users without better visual cues
Progressive revelation built anticipation and momentum better than comprehensive overviews
The Breakthrough Moment:
That's when I realized we could create one adaptive platform that balanced discovery depth with approachable guidance—but only if we completely rethought how location-based exploration unfolds over time.
The Breakthrough Moment:
That's when I realized we could create one adaptive platform that balanced discovery depth with approachable guidance—but only if we completely rethought how location-based exploration unfolds over time.
vision & leadership
Our concept centers on transforming urban exploration through progressive, story-driven discovery experiences. Rather than revealing everything upfront, users unlock content step-by-step, building momentum and emotional investment as they explore.
Our concept centers on transforming urban exploration through progressive, story-driven discovery experiences. Rather than revealing everything upfront, users unlock content step-by-step, building momentum and emotional investment as they explore.
How I Approached Leadership
As project leader, I took responsibility for translating our stakeholder's ambitious vision into actionable design decisions while keeping the team focused and the scope manageable. The biggest challenge was helping everyone navigate between creative goals and practical prototype constraints.
Core Experience Principles I Developed
The foundation of our concept rested on three key principles:
Progressive Discovery
(content unlocks step-by-step to maintain engagement)
Narrative Integration
(each discovery connects to larger stories about places)
Meaningful Connection
(experiences create emotional bonds rather than just location check-offs).
How I Approached Leadership
As project leader, I took responsibility for translating our stakeholder's ambitious vision into actionable design decisions while keeping the team focused and the scope manageable. The biggest challenge was helping everyone navigate between creative goals and practical prototype constraints.
Core Experience Principles I Developed
The foundation of our concept rested on three key principles:
Progressive Discovery
(content unlocks step-by-step to maintain engagement)
Narrative Integration
(each discovery connects to larger stories about places)
Meaningful Connection
(experiences create emotional bonds rather than just location check-offs).
But I knew these principles needed to work in the real world—for people using phones outdoors, with different abilities, and varying levels of tech comfort. So I developed comprehensive design frameworks covering both accessibility and engagement that would guide every interface decision.
But I knew these principles needed to work in the real world—for people using phones outdoors, with different abilities, and varying levels of tech comfort. So I developed comprehensive design frameworks covering both accessibility and engagement that would guide every interface decision.
vision & leadership
My Accessibility Strategy
I focused on outdoor usability: large touch targets for on-the-move interaction, high-contrast design for all lighting conditions, optional audio and haptic feedback, and respect for device accessibility settings.
My Engagement Framework
I ensured people would actually want to keep exploring: real-time location awareness to surface nearby discoveries, clear progress systems, instant satisfying feedback, flexible exploration paths, and preparation for future community contributions.
Key Features I Designed
The heart of our concept was based on a modular discovery system—a framework where individual clues build into larger narratives, creating both immediate satisfaction and long-term engagement. Think of it like uncovering chapters of a story, where each location reveals something meaningful about the place's history or culture.
My Accessibility Strategy
I focused on outdoor usability: large touch targets for on-the-move interaction, high-contrast design for all lighting conditions, optional audio and haptic feedback, and respect for device accessibility settings.
My Engagement Framework
I ensured people would actually want to keep exploring: real-time location awareness to surface nearby discoveries, clear progress systems, instant satisfying feedback, flexible exploration paths, and preparation for future community contributions.
Key Features I Designed
The heart of our concept was based on a modular discovery system—a framework where individual clues build into larger narratives, creating both immediate satisfaction and long-term engagement. Think of it like uncovering chapters of a story, where each location reveals something meaningful about the place's history or culture.
vision & leadership
User testing showed this approach could serve different exploration styles: culture seekers got rich narratives, tourists found unique photo-worthy spots with backstories, and competitive users had clear progression and achievement unlocks.
User testing showed this approach could serve different exploration styles: culture seekers got rich narratives, tourists found unique photo-worthy spots with backstories, and competitive users had clear progression and achievement unlocks.
Adaptive Storytelling meant experiences could scale from quick discoveries for casual users to deep historical journeys for enthusiasts, while Personal Journey Tracking created persistent progress that remembered where users left off and suggested personalized paths based on their demonstrated interests.
My Strategic Decisions
The hardest part was making tough calls about what we wouldn't build so we could make what we did build really compelling. I chose depth over breadth, focusing on one polished experience rather than multiple basic ones, and prioritizing core experience validation rather than comprehensive feature development.
Adaptive Storytelling meant experiences could scale from quick discoveries for casual users to deep historical journeys for enthusiasts, while Personal Journey Tracking created persistent progress that remembered where users left off and suggested personalized paths based on their demonstrated interests.
My Strategic Decisions
The hardest part was making tough calls about what we wouldn't build so we could make what we did build really compelling. I chose depth over breadth, focusing on one polished experience rather than multiple basic ones, and prioritizing core experience validation rather than comprehensive feature development.
bringing concept to reality
Managing Scope and Vision
One of my biggest contributions was transforming an expansive vision into a focused development plan. I had to balance our stakeholder's big creative ideas with what we could actually deliver, which meant making strategic decisions about where to invest our limited time for maximum impact.
My UX Design Process
I led the complete user experience design from initial concepts through high-fidelity prototypes.
Information Architecture
I started with rough wireframes focused on core user flows and content organization. The goal was validating that the basic experience made sense before investing in visual polish. My teammate's initial user flows gave me a great starting point, but I refined them significantly based on our persona insights.
Managing Scope and Vision
One of my biggest contributions was transforming an expansive vision into a focused development plan. I had to balance our stakeholder's big creative ideas with what we could actually deliver, which meant making strategic decisions about where to invest our limited time for maximum impact.
My UX Design Process
I led the complete user experience design from initial concepts through high-fidelity prototypes.
Information Architecture
I started with rough wireframes focused on core user flows and content organization. The goal was validating that the basic experience made sense before investing in visual polish. My teammate's initial user flows gave me a great starting point, but I refined them significantly based on our persona insights.
bringing concept to reality
Visual Identity Development
I created a comprehensive design system that needed to balance adventure with accessibility. The interface had to feel exciting for exploration while remaining functional for real-world use.
My color strategy emphasized vibrant purples for energy and adventure, with mint and pink accents for discovery moments. Everything was tested for accessibility compliance and outdoor readability—crucial for an app people would use while walking around cities.
Visual Identity Development
I created a comprehensive design system that needed to balance adventure with accessibility. The interface had to feel exciting for exploration while remaining functional for real-world use.
My color strategy emphasized vibrant purples for energy and adventure, with mint and pink accents for discovery moments. Everything was tested for accessibility compliance and outdoor readability—crucial for an app people would use while walking around cities.
bringing concept to reality
Narrative Framework Magic
Here's where things got really interesting. I developed a storyline structure that made discoveries feel cohesive rather than random. Instead of treating each location as an isolated activity, I created a framework where individual findings build toward a larger understanding of place and history.
I leveraged AI tools to rapidly generate and iterate on narrative concepts, which let me explore multiple thematic directions efficiently. This enabled the comprehensive storytelling approach that became our primary differentiator with users and stakeholders.
Narrative Framework Magic
Here's where things got really interesting. I developed a storyline structure that made discoveries feel cohesive rather than random. Instead of treating each location as an isolated activity, I created a framework where individual findings build toward a larger understanding of place and history.
I leveraged AI tools to rapidly generate and iterate on narrative concepts, which let me explore multiple thematic directions efficiently. This enabled the comprehensive storytelling approach that became our primary differentiator with users and stakeholders.
bringing concept to reality
Testing and Iteration
Working closely with our testing approach, I made sure usability insights directly informed design decisions. When testing revealed that showing all content upfront created confusion, I redesigned around progressive revelation. When users expressed uncertainty about time commitment, I added clear expectation-setting features.
Translating Insights into Design
After our testing sessions, I had a clearer picture of what was working and what wasn't. The most interesting challenge was that users loved the concept but got overwhelmed by the execution. They wanted the discovery experience but needed more guidance on how to actually engage with it.
Solving the Key Problems
The biggest issue was information overload—showing all clues upfront left people paralyzed about where to start.
My solution was progressive revelation: unlock one clue at a time to build momentum rather than create choice paralysis.
Users also hesitated because they didn't know what they were committing to.
I addressed this by creating detailed experience previews that clearly communicated distance, time commitment, and difficulty level upfront.
The narrative connections that excited us as designers weren't obvious to users.
I strengthened these by adding visual story threads and contextual explanations that helped people understand how each discovery contributed to the larger narrative.
Complete Design System: I delivered everything needed for development: clickable prototypes demonstrating core user flows, detailed user journey maps, a comprehensive style guide with accessibility guidelines, and content examples showing how the framework could scale across different themes and cities.
Testing with 5 users showed 100% engagement with the narrative approach—but what really excited me was watching people's faces light up when they realized the stories were connecting. One tester actually said, "Oh wait, this is all related!" halfway through the experience. That moment validated that our approach could transform disconnected location tasks into meaningful discovery journeys.
Testing with 5 users showed 100% engagement with the narrative approach—but what really excited me was watching people's faces light up when they realized the stories were connecting. One tester actually said, "Oh wait, this is all related!" halfway through the experience. That moment validated that our approach could transform disconnected location tasks into meaningful discovery journeys.
Testing with 5 users showed 100% engagement with the narrative approach—but what really excited me was watching people's faces light up when they realized the stories were connecting. One tester actually said, "Oh wait, this is all related!" halfway through the experience. That moment validated that our approach could transform disconnected location tasks into meaningful discovery journeys.
Final Design
Scalable Framework
Scalable Framework
Scalable Framework
Comprehensive UX Design System
Comprehensive UX Design System
Comprehensive UX Design System
Modular Narrative Architecture
Modular Narrative Architecture
Modular Narrative Architecture
Strategic Design Leadership
Strategic Design Leadership
Strategic Design Leadership
This project taught me that strategic leadership in design isn't just about making things look good—it's about translating ambitious visions into experiences that actually work for real people. By carefully balancing creative goals with practical constraints, we created a compelling proof-of-concept that validated both user demand and technical feasibility.
This project taught me that strategic leadership in design isn't just about making things look good—it's about translating ambitious visions into experiences that actually work for real people. By carefully balancing creative goals with practical constraints, we created a compelling proof-of-concept that validated both user demand and technical feasibility.
This project taught me that strategic leadership in design isn't just about making things look good—it's about translating ambitious visions into experiences that actually work for real people. By carefully balancing creative goals with practical constraints, we created a compelling proof-of-concept that validated both user demand and technical feasibility.
What I Accomplished:
Strategic direction that transformed a broad vision into a focused, testable concept with scalable treasure hunt framework
Complete UX design from research coordination through high-fidelity prototypes and comprehensive design system
Accessibility and engagement frameworks that ensure the experience works for diverse users and usage contexts
Validated design solutions through user testing that showed 100% engagement with narrative approach
Team leadership that delivered a compelling proof-of-concept within timeline and scope constraints
What I Accomplished:
Strategic direction that transformed a broad vision into a focused, testable concept with scalable treasure hunt framework
Complete UX design from research coordination through high-fidelity prototypes and comprehensive design system
Accessibility and engagement frameworks that ensure the experience works for diverse users and usage contexts
Validated design solutions through user testing that showed 100% engagement with narrative approach
Team leadership that delivered a compelling proof-of-concept within timeline and scope constraints
What I Accomplished:
Strategic direction that transformed a broad vision into a focused, testable concept with scalable treasure hunt framework
Complete UX design from research coordination through high-fidelity prototypes and comprehensive design system
Accessibility and engagement frameworks that ensure the experience works for diverse users and usage contexts
Validated design solutions through user testing that showed 100% engagement with narrative approach
Team leadership that delivered a compelling proof-of-concept within timeline and scope constraints
The Big Lessons
Leading this collaborative project taught me that sometimes the most important decisions are about what not to build. By defining clear constraints early, we created space to make our core experience excellent rather than spreading effort across too many features.
The narrative integration approach proved that content strategy can be just as crucial as interface design in creating engaging user experiences. People don't just want to complete tasks—they want to feel part of something meaningful and bigger than themselves.
Personal Growth
This project pushed me to balance multiple leadership responsibilities while keeping user needs at the center of every decision. I learned to navigate stakeholder vision, team dynamics, and technical constraints while maintaining focus on what would actually create value for our users.
Looking Forward
The foundation we built provides a clear pathway for continued development, with a modular framework that supports expansion across different themes and locations. More importantly, the project validates that thoughtful design leadership can transform creative visions into viable products that people actually want to use.
This experience reinforced that successful design leadership requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution—understanding the big picture while crafting the details that make experiences compelling and memorable.
The Big Lessons
Leading this collaborative project taught me that sometimes the most important decisions are about what not to build. By defining clear constraints early, we created space to make our core experience excellent rather than spreading effort across too many features.
The narrative integration approach proved that content strategy can be just as crucial as interface design in creating engaging user experiences. People don't just want to complete tasks—they want to feel part of something meaningful and bigger than themselves.
Personal Growth
This project pushed me to balance multiple leadership responsibilities while keeping user needs at the center of every decision. I learned to navigate stakeholder vision, team dynamics, and technical constraints while maintaining focus on what would actually create value for our users.
Looking Forward
The foundation we built provides a clear pathway for continued development, with a modular framework that supports expansion across different themes and locations. More importantly, the project validates that thoughtful design leadership can transform creative visions into viable products that people actually want to use.
This experience reinforced that successful design leadership requires both strategic thinking and hands-on execution—understanding the big picture while crafting the details that make experiences compelling and memorable.
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