What:

This project explores the designer’s role in developing immersive and engaging user interfaces for digital products. Through a collaboration with an indie game company working on the game Deeper, the focus of the project is placed on developing a user interface that supports user needs while enhancing the immersion of the game world. I worked closely with the game developers and contributed to the design of a UI system that aids the immersion of the game world while meeting practical needs of the player, without distracting from the gameplay. The main focus was on the HUD (Heads up display), meaning the visuals that are always on screen. The results of this project are not a final coded system, but rather a set of visual and conceptual prototypes for further development. The UI concepts aim to balance function, communication, immersion, and engagement.

Why:

The topic of user-friendly UI is increasingly in demand with the rise of digital products in sectors such as health, education, and entertainment, like games. Games can struggle to communicate effectively through their interfaces, leading to frustration, confusion, and disengagement. By combining user research, design theory, and testing, this project contributes to a deeper understanding of how user interfaces can be designed to be both functional and immersive. The project highlights the potential of UI as a bridge between users and digital products.

How:

To better understand user needs and expectations as well as trends in user interface design, I conducted a survey that gathered insights from a broad group of players. I also studied existing games by analyzing and comparing user interfaces and HUD system, identifying trends in game interface development. I based this comparative analysis on the concepts of affordances, signifiers, feedback and constraints by Donald Norman’s book the design of everyday things. When designing the UI I focused on participatory design with the game developers and explored rapid prototyping.