CLIFF'SNOTES + AR
Working with Helios Interactive, I was given a prompt to explore the world of augmented reality in the context of revamping a current brand with new technology. I chose to hone in on how augmented reality could improve education.
MY ROLE
Research, UI/UX, Interaction
YEAR
Spring, 2017


INTRO
School curriculums often include old English literature, and generating interest in this subject is proving
to be more and more difficult. Utilizing people's fascination with novel technology, spark a desire to learn in a new way
How can I re-engage students and boost their interest in a subject they might find uninteresting?
Most students fail to find interest in traditional English literature, and advances in new technology provide a unique opportunity to act as a bridge between difficult concepts and students.
GOALS
Rich, Engaging Experience
Create a rich, exciting learning experience that promotes a deeper understanding of the subject
Novel Technology
Research and experiment with possible interactions and features in the field of augmented reality
THE BRAND
Cliff'sNotes
Cliff'sNotes has an established presence in the education community, and their mission aligns with mine: to provide a tool that helps students gain a deeper understanding of a subject.
THE TECH
HoloLens
A leader in mixed reality, Microsoft's holographic device superimposes new content into the world around you.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Highschoolers and beyond
The high school curriculum often includes challenging literature that student's find difficult to invest time into. There is a large market for study aids and guides, and the opportunity to help improve the learning experience is exponential.
An important thing to denote is that Microsoft suggests that only individuals 13 years and older should enjoy using the HoloLens.
THE CONTEXT
Where the magic happens
To ensure that the experience is intuitive and comfortable, I took into account where a student might be. Students study and complete homework in a setting that promotes productivity and often sitting down. Having holograms seamlessly integrate into the student's environment will transform the space they are looking at to help them better understand the content, no matter where they are.
FEATURES
While honoring the importance of reading, this experience is additive to a
student's study routine, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the content
Read & Scan
Relive the scene you just read. Students will be enabled to visually process the information they just read in their own comfortable space


Character Analysis
Utilizing Cliff'sNotes already curated character analyses, students can refresh themselves on the characters at any time


Pause & Bookmark
If you can't finish a section in one sitting, it's no big deal. Similar to how a tangible bookmark would work, just pause the scene, mark your place, and come back when you're ready


DESIGN PROCESS
I spent a lot of time researching, understanding, and testing the HoloLens to get a better understanding of the tool
I would be designing for. I prioritized designing the interactions over the visuals, to ensure I could successfully
communicate how the solution would work


I wanted to recreate that sense of wild imagination and sought inspiration from children's pop-up books.
I modeled this interaction off of this because it's a familiar concept


I created a user flow to understand the steps that the user would be taking
Using sketches, I created a blueprint for how the content would look in the HoloLens


CONCLUSION
Learning about creating interactions for up and coming technology as well as presenting these
interactions to clients was an incredible learning experience
Shiny & New
Just because tech is emerging and has the "wow" factor, doesn't always mean it's the right means to solve a problem. Learning that the problem should come first, and the best solution comes after
Clear as Crystal
I learned the value of organizing the story your pitch is going to tell in order to sell your product to a client. Having a clear, concise way to communicate your designs, especially designs for new technology, is essential to expressing the value your product can have
Interested in a deeper look at how I got to the final solution? Check out my process documentation to see everything from research to the final product