MOMENTO APP
UNIVERSITY
University of Europe for Applied Sciences
TIMEFRAME
Sep 2023 - Feb 2024 · 5 months
LOCATION
Potsdam, Germany
MY ROLE
UX Research, Prototyping, End-to-End Product Design, Testing
TYPE
Thesis for Master's Degree in Visual & Experience Design
PROJECT
This is the Final Thesis for my Master's Degree in Visual and Experience Design at University of Europe for Applied Sciences, in Germany. The work entailed 5 months of work and consisted on the creation of an app, including product design and a fully functional prototype.
UX/UI
branding
product design
Apple Vision Pro
AI
Figma
Applying Contemporary Technologies to a user centered interface that aims emotional engagement with immersive custom designed content: Exploring AI immersive content creation in a specilative app for Apple Vision Pro
METHODOLOGY & PROJECT BREAKDOWN
Research
Of the current technological landscape
Benchmarking
Qualitative analysis SWOT analysis
Theoretical Framework
User-Centered-Design Principles
Final Design Thinking Stages
Ideation, Wireframing, Prototypying, Testing
Deliverables
Fully funtional prototype on Figma. Component library. Style guide. Explanatory video that shows interactions. Pitch deck
MOMENTO APP
It is an app designed for Apple Vision Pro, that allows the creation of assets through NeRF and AI generative tools, using Speech Recognition. The digital service elevates user engagement through immersive multisensory digital display by VR and AR in an interface that enhances adaptability and responsiveness to the user’s physical surroundings, creating a true context-aware interaction, by using an empathy-driven design that seeks to understand user’s emotions and reactions, tailoring the content.
Concept
The concept roots in storytelling and fostering a sense of ownership and personal connection to the virtual creations, achieved by the high level of customization of them, triggering emotions in the users, fomenting digital relationships, exploiting creativity and even finding psychological support. The main goal of Momento is to allow users immortalise moments: by recreating past ones or designing new ones to live them again in an immersive way.
A moment is composed by a Location and a mix of Characters and Objects
These are the categories for the content
The public includes any kind of users and it doesn’t require previous experience with technology. Some of the identified possible users are people that use it as a therapeutic tool to get emotional relief, as well as digital artists and people who use it as an entertainment tool to consume content in this format.
Potential Users
Key Functionalities
AI Content Creation & Custom.
Generative AI creates the digital assets by uploading multimedia (NeRF), prompts or modifying other’s creations. All the content can be customized with high level of personalization
Creator's Community
Content can be shared on an online collaborative channel, where others can use it as a starting point for customization. This can serve as an inspiration for users and a way of connecting them
Content Interaction & Immersion
In the virtual scenes, assets are at the maximum degree of interaction possible. Virtual sceneries are multi-sensorially displayed, adjusting the visuals, sounds and haptics to the real-world environment
VR & AR Content Visualization
Characters and Objects are VR displayed, while Locations and Moments are displayed through AR because they are virtual scenes that can be navigated, integrating real life elements to enhance immersion
Speech Recognition Commands
Specifically during the creation process, SR is key to simplify into a natural conversation with Mem, the virtual assistant that guides on the generation of 3D assets in real time
Ideation Phase
Momento's first conceptualizations were based on a map that outlined the sections and helped understanding the user journey and expectations.
User Flow
Sections
Wireframes were then were sketched, and they contributed to explore layout ideas, structure, and user flows before committing to the digital version.
First Sketches, Wireframes
Design Principles
Momento’s User-Centered Design prioritizes the individual’s behaviours, needs and desires, focusing on the interaction and the solution, from a holistic approach to design.
User involvement, accessibility, design's flexibility, user's control and freedom are the core principles. Moreover, the design decisions are combined with Mixed Realities and Spatial Design principles. For the latter, viewing distance is key, as well as attention areas, mapping and spatial sound design to enhance performance optimization and motion.
Buttons and panels are placed at different distances to provide more realism and might overlay, so only ones that require immediate interaction are focused, while the other ones indicate that they are not interactive at that moment.
Interaction Design
Based on Apple’s Swift UI, the information requires contextual presentation and natural engagement, so commands involve intuitive gestures and responsive feedback. These can be given by voice, eye tracking and by gestural controls.
BRANDING
Strategy & Naming
The corporative image is based on Momento’s values: simplicity, transparency and emotionality. The chosen name "Momento" makes reference to its meaning, which is a short, specific time.
"Momento"
1. A very brief period of time
2. An exact point in time
Logotype
The pictorial and letter mark can be used separately to ensure adaptability and scalability in different media. It aims to be associated to Apple Photo, so that is why its icon has served as the main inspiration.
Colors
The main palette is minimal, since the focus is on the virtual content and these are the ones bringing the colors, adding meaning and value. The monocolor palette uses transparencies for more dynamism.
Typeface
Aligned with Apple VisionOS to stay consistent within the entire design ecosystem. San Francisco sans-serif guarantees maximum legibility in different languages regardless of the size and resolution.
STYLE GUIDE
This is a reduced version of Momento’s Style Guide that aims to gather design rules to ensure consistency.
Momento Style Guide aims to gather design rules to ensure consistency.
Final Key Screens
FINAL DESIGN
FINAL REFLECTION
The future projections for Momento are based on updates and improvements on the technologies. There are also limitations in terms of privacy and ethical considerations, especially when dealing with location data and personal information and ownership of the digital assets.
At an academic level, working on this project has allowed me to apply Design Thinking and gain knowledge on technologies and design trends. At a professional and personal level, it has been a chance to develop an idea that i think can contribute to society from end-to-end: from its conception to its materialization.
CHALLENGES
Lack of digital resources
OUTCOME
Fully functional prototype
Apple Vision Pro launch date
Testing limitations
Component Library Consistency
Branding strategy product design
Walkthrough video
Style Guide creation
Limited testing
Time limitation
