UX Case Study: Designing a Brain Training Game for Older AdultsProject Overview

Project Overview

"Odd One Out" is a cognitive training mobile game designed to improve problem-solving and decision-making skills in older adults. As a designer, I played a crucial role in enhancing the existing concept and creating an engaging, user-friendly experience for seniors.

UX Challenge

How can we create a gamified experience that addresses the cognitive needs of older adults while ensuring accessibility and enjoyment? The challenge was to design an interactive game that balances cognitive training with ease of use for seniors.

Background & Context

"Odd One Out" was conceived as a response to the growing need for cognitive stimulation among older generations. With the collaboration of Extra Nice, I aimed to provide a digital solution to help mitigate cognitive decline through engaging gameplay.

Problem Statement

Cognitive decline significantly impacts the quality of life for older adults. How can we create a game that effectively trains cognitive skills while being accessible and enjoyable for seniors?

Proposed Solution

A user-friendly mobile puzzle game featuring problem-solving challenges and a life-associating concept of collectibles. The game leverages simplified UI/UX design, adaptive difficulty, and familiar themes to create a compelling experience for older adults.

Key Impact Highlights

  • 🧠 Cognitive Training for Older Adults

  • 📱 Mobile Gaming for Brain Stimulation

  • 🧩 Gamification of Problem-Solving Skills

  • 👵👴 Designed for Seniors

  • 🆓 Accessible Digital Solution

My Role

I was responsible for UX research, UI design, game design improvements, user testing, and prototype refinement. This experience enhanced my ability to design user-centered experiences for a specific demographic and collaborate across disciplines.

Key Contributions

UX Research: Conducted in-depth research into the audience's needs through expert interviews and desk research.

Concepting: Developed various concepts and discussed them with stakeholders.

Wireframing & UI Design: Created low-fidelity prototypes and refined UI elements for accessibility and engagement.

Usability Testing & Iteration: Analyzed user feedback through surveys and interviews, iterating on mechanics and improving user-friendliness.

Prototype Development: Created a functional version of the prototype and implemented improvements based on evaluation results.

UX Research & Insights

User Research Approach

I have conducted expert interviews, desk research, and multiple surveys to gather insights about the target audience's needs, pains, and gains.

Key Insights

  • Simplicity and user-friendliness are essential for older adults.

  • Life-associating concepts and collectibles increase engagement.

  • Puzzles are beneficial for cognitive health and daily life activities.

  • Digital games can provide healthy brain stimulation and improve cognitive skills.

Wireframing & UI Design

I have focused on creating a simplified UI/UX design to ensure accessibility for older adults

Navigation: Intuitive controls suitable for seniors, focusing on simplicity and user-friendliness. I implemented large, easily tappable buttons and a simplified menu structure to accommodate potential motor skill limitations and reduce cognitive load.

Visual Design: Clear, high-contrast elements for better visibility, with special attention to the needs of older adults. I incorporated distinct sub-environments for each level, enhancing visual diversity while maintaining clarity. The UI elements were simplified to improve overall usability.

Feedback: Immediate and clear feedback on user actions, including both visual and audio cues. I added voiceover and animation to increase player engagement, particularly during dialogue sequences.

Customization: Options to adjust text size and game difficulty, along with adaptive difficulty levels to maintain engagement. I also implemented a text-to-speech option for those with visual impairments and provided multiple color schemes to accommodate various visual preferences.

Usability Testing & Iterations

I have conducted multiple rounds of usability testing to refine the gameplay and interaction design for our target audience of older adults.

UI Simplification

  • Issue: Complex UI elements were confusing for senior users.

  • UX Decision: Simplified navigation, increased button sizes, and added clear instructions.

  • Outcome: Improved overall usability and reduced cognitive load for players.

Difficulty Adjustment

  • Issue: Some users found the game too challenging, while others found it too easy.

  • UX Decision: Implemented adaptive difficulty levels that adjust based on player performance.

  • Outcome: Increased engagement and reduced frustration across a wider range of cognitive abilities.

Color Contrast

  • Issue: Some users had difficulty distinguishing between game elements.

  • UX Decision: Increased color contrast and added options for colorblind modes.

  • Outcome: Improved accessibility for users with visual impairments.

Tutorial Refinement

  • Issue: Users struggled to understand game mechanics initially.

  • UX Decision: Developed an interactive, step-by-step tutorial with practice rounds.

  • Outcome: Smoother onboarding process and increased player retention.

Audio Feedback

  • Issue: Some users missed important game events.

  • UX Decision: Added clear audio cues for correct and incorrect answers, level completion, and other key events.

  • Outcome: Enhanced user feedback and improved overall game experience.

Key Features & Game Mechanics

  • Problem-solving puzzles tailored for cognitive training

  • Life-associating collectibles to increase engagement

  • Adaptive difficulty levels

  • Clear, high-contrast visual design

Development Challenges & Solutions

Reaching the Target Audience: Understanding the specific needs of older adults posed a challenge. I overcame this by collaborating with experts and conducting in-depth research.

Balancing Cognitive Training and Entertainment: Analyzing the "Odd One Out" concept to optimize both cognitive training and entertainment value proved challenging. To address this, I enhanced the core mechanic by introducing a stamp collection system through collectible icons, making the experience more engaging and repeatable.

Ensuring Accessibility: Developing a user-friendly interface for seniors with varying digital literacy levels was complex. I focused on creating a simplified interface with clear, high-contrast elements and intuitive controls.

Collaborating with External Programmer: Working with an external programmer for the functioning game proved challenging due to the back-and-forth nature of the process. This collaboration, while time-consuming, was ultimately necessary to bring the game to life.

Future Improvements

  • Craft a library of icons that can provide entertaining information for replayability.

  • Introduce social features to encourage interaction among players.

  • Explore partnerships with healthcare providers for broader impact.

This project not only resulted in an improved brain training game for older adults but also provided valuable insights into designing for a specific demographic and the potential of games as a tool for cognitive health maintenance.

Vibrant Menu + Mascot Integration
Simplified Onboarding Experience
Locked Icons - Taste of progression
Locked Facts - Taste of Progression

Key Design Additions

Problem-solving Puzzles: I incorporated a variety of puzzle types, including visual, numerical, and verbal challenges, to stimulate diverse cognitive skills in older adults. These puzzles are carefully designed to mirror real-world problem-solving scenarios, encouraging players to think critically while maintaining an engaging gameplay experience.

Life-associating Collectibles: Players earn virtual items related to real-life experiences, such as travel souvenirs or hobby items. These collectibles serve as motivation and create a sense of accomplishment, tapping into players' memories and personal interests to increase engagement and emotional connection to the game.

Mascot Integration: We introduced a friendly mascot character to guide players through the game. This mascot serves as a virtual companion, providing encouragement, instructions, and emotional support. The mascot's presence helps create a more welcoming and less intimidating experience for older adults who may be less familiar with digital games

Educational Tidbits: Brief, interesting facts related to puzzle themes are integrated throughout the game. These educational snippets provide additional mental stimulation, encouraging curiosity and lifelong learning. By connecting puzzles to real-world knowledge, I enhance the overall cognitive benefits of the game for older adults.