Camp Futur
2020
Digital Product Design
Concept, design, and pitch of an online campground for people to explore new ways of using digital technology in everyday life.
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Project
Background
Human beings have always used technology (like wheels)(or telephones)(or AI)(you can name many more) to travel faster, communicate better, work more efficiently, and live more happily. But why do some people want to stay away from digital technology, or monitor their screen time (and often failing)?
Problem
Many of us have trouble with our digital habits.
Observation
Most existing products are for monitoring screen time. We do not have useful tools to help improve the quality of time spent online.
Question
How can we move beyond screen time, and begin to imagine more desirable ways of using digital technology in everyday life?
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Audience
Research
After doing preliminary research, audience surveys, and in-person interviews, I narrowed my audience to 18 to 40 year-olds who are frustrated with their current digital habits.
Audience
Characteristics
Digital natives;
Embraces digital technology;
Self-conscious about their digital habits;
Wants to spend quality time online.
Pain Points
Too much content online;
Addictive app/web mechanisms;
Health concerns;
Losing contact with the real world.
Opportunity
Despite their current frustrations, people still go online multiple times a day, wanting to feel relaxed, inspired, and connected. They are looking for new ways to stay in touch with the digital world.
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Concept &
Design Inspiration
My initial thought was to create an online campground. In real life, camping is a good way to reconnect with nature and pay attention to one’s actions. What would be the digital equivalent of camping?
The first paper prototype I made for Camp Futur (which was named Pleasant Delivery back then). I was very excited about building a website with clouds and tents and sheep walking by, and very lost about what people would do on such a site. Photo captured by Echo︎︎︎ from maybe 10 feet away (sorry about the low res).
What would be the digital equivalent of camping? Image by Jesse Gardner on Unsplash.
Digital interventions such as Yehwan Song’s Anti-User Friendly Series︎︎︎ have been a major inspiration.
I looked at Animal Crossing for user experience and environment design insights. Image from Nintendo.
I also looked at Experiments with Google, like this one︎︎︎ by Marco Land.Concept
Camp Futur, an online campground for people to explore new ways of using digital technology.
Rationale
Digital technology does not have to be demanding or distractive. Digital designs that prioritize human sensations over content consumption can help strengthen our connection with the real world.
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Core
Experience
Camp Futur user homepage.
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Identity
Design
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Current
Web Prototype
I started with the web prototype because it allowed me to quickly create wireframes and test out the core functions.
Item I
The Book is a tool for curating digital libraries.
The user can use My Stacks to build a digital archive of books they have read in the past. My Tags auto-generates tags according to the book’s genre, author, theme, and so on, giving the user an overview of their reading habits.
The Book is for those who want to get back in touch with books, libraries, and the act of reading.
The Book is for those who want to get back in touch with books, libraries, and the act of reading.
Item II
The Door is a tool for exploring places around the world through virtual tours and live cameras.
The Door curates virtual tours and live cameras across different online platforms, presenting a limited number of places for users to explore each day. The user can also save the places they like.
The Door is for those who want to take quick tours to explore more parts of the world.
The Door is for those who want to take quick tours to explore more parts of the world.
Item III
The Flower is a tool for visualizing words.
The Flower is a visual diary. While the user is typing, shapes and colors associated with particular words will begin to merge in the space beside the text box. For more personalized results, the user can go to Train Flower (currently under development) and specify how they perceive certain words.
The Flower is for those who want to document their everyday life through multiple senses.
The Flower is for those who want to document their everyday life through multiple senses.
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Next Steps
Camp Futur is an ongoing experiment. I am currently refining the website prototype, building a mobile prototype, and connecting with creatives to include more experiences at the campground. If you would like to learn more about this project, or have ideas you would like to share, please do send me an email! I’d love to get in touch.
