Death Conversation Game App
Angela Fama speaking at TEDx ECUAD 2019
About
Death Conversation Game is a card game developed by local Vancouver artist, Angela Fama. It is meant to facilitate conversation around the hard topic of death.
I wanted to know how we might turn her game into an app to make it accessible to more people, especially during days of isolation and separation due to the Pandemic.
My Role
- UX Research
- Wireframing and creating user flows
- Prototyping
- User testing
- Converting hand drawn icons to svg
- Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, XD
- cowrote (successful) proposal to the Industry Sponsored Student Projects program at BCIT
- Communicating design needs to the BCIT Student Developer team
Timeline
School project: December 2020 – January 2021
After being accepted to BCIT ISSP program: September 2021 – December 2021
Design Process
Research Findings
Those most likely to use the app
- 75% female
- age group 30 – 55
- thinkers, scholars
- spiritualists, truth seekers
- open minded individuals
- creatives
- mothers
- teachers
- health care workers
- care givers
- death doulas
Persona
Name: Nat Parker
Age: 38
Occupation: Nurse
Bio: Nat has been a nurse working in palliative care for over 5 years. She has seen many families go through the heart ache of watching helplessly as a loved one passes away.
Goals: To find a resource she can recommend to her patients and their families that will help them process their grief.
Frustrations: Finds it difficult to see her patients struggling with communication around the topic of death.
I wish there was a way families who are experiencing a death of a loved one, could be encouraged to talk about death in a way that is not so uncomfortable and taboo.
User Flow
The User Flow shown here, includes both visions for the app. One takes a more straightforward and minimalist approach to the user experience and interface. And the other is more complex and includes more options and robust functionality.
Wireframe
This is only one of the original wireframes I created when first coming up with possible options for the app. One of which was to create an account to write in the app’s journal.
Visual Design
While working with Angela to make her app a reality we discussed several design ideas, but ultimately we decided to go with keeping continuity or consistency across the two platforms. Her physical cards have her hand drawn elements and we incorporated those in the final design.
Icon design iteration:
Design System
Final Thoughts
After conducting primary research by participating in the physical version of the Death Conversation Game and interviewing those who also participated, I found that …
- there are noticeable mental health benefits to playing the game
- many of those who have played the game in person and through online zoom events, expressed interest in having an app version of the game on hand
Although the Journal idea was scrapped to make way for a more minimalist interface and straightforward experience, I would like to do further research on whether or not the journal would be beneficial to include.
The Completed Death Conversation App
Thank You!
To you for taking the time to view my case study. And a huge heartfelt thank you to Angela for letting me in on the journey of making the Death Conversation Game app and to the hard working BCIT students who made it come to life 🖤