„Emotional Flowers“
User Centered Game Design
HCI & Usability Unit, ICT&S Center, University of Salzburg
Dr. Marianna Obrist
08.06.2009
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Emotions
Children
UCD
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

1 Emotional Flowers
• Creating a Virtual Plant by performing Facial
Expressions (sadness, joy, anger) …
 Individually (Creation)
 In Collaboration with other players
(Co-Creation)
• Multi-Player Online Game for Children (8-14 years
old as main Target Group)
• V4, developed within
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

1 Research Focus
 How to address User Experience
in the game development?
Co-Design Live Game
Expert User In-situ Evaluation
User Tests Workshop Event with Field Study
Evaluation of Creation Part
with Children Children
Concept First Concept Second Third
Creation Prototype Co-Creation Prototype Prototype
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

1 Technical Details – Game
• Programming Language:
ActionScript 3.0 & Adobe Flex
• Combiled for Adobe AIR
• Multi Server Architecture (PHP
server, Java Chat server, Local C++
Stefan
server for facial recognition software)
• More technical details ask:
„Stefan Riegler“ & „Daniel Schwaiger“
Daniel
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

1 Facial Recognition
• SHORE (Sophisticated High-Speed Object
Recognition Engine)
• developed by
• Logitech Quickcam Pro9000
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Creation Part
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

2 Evaluation of the Creation
 In-situ Evaluation (UniHautnah 2008)
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

2 Snapshot of Evaluation Results
64,09 % 20,17 % 11,33 %
Juhu, lustig Juhu, lustig Juhu, lustig
bad beautiful
childish
great simple
naja naja naja
difficult
Wääh, fad
3,04 %
Wääh, fad
1,38 %
Wääh, fad boring
funny
Juhu, lustig Juhu, lustig surprising confusing
naja naja
ugly
exciting
Wääh, fad Wääh, fad
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Co-Creation Part
Collaboration
Cooperation
Co-Experience
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

3 Active User Involvement
 Co-Design Workshop
 Instant Card Technique
 Idea Generation
for the Co-Creation Part
 Overall Conclusion of Results:
 Children want to cooperate, play
against each other and communicate in a game.
 Children want to know, how good other players are for
comparing themselves with the others.
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

3 Evaluation of the Co-Creation
 Live Game Event February 2009
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Co-Design Live Game
Expert User In-situ Evaluation
User Tests Workshop Event with Field Study
Evaluation of Creation Part
with Children Children
Concept First Concept Second Third
Creation Prototype Co-Creation Prototype Prototype
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

3 Field Study (Start Event Today!)
• Three-Week Field Evaluation
• Installation in 12 Households
• Children get Experience Package (Feedback Cards,
Camera, Diary, Vidoe Diary ... Interviews, Questionnaire)
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

4 Conclusions
• Active User Involvement provides valuable input for
shaping the Game Details (e.g. features).
• Iterative User Evaluation as a fix Part of the
Development Process is effective to eliminate problems
in the Game Play.
• Developers and Evaluators should work close together
on solutions for found problems in order to improve the
Game (keep the User’ Needs in mind)
• Working together with Children is very interesting and
challenging, they are very honest in their feedback.
• User Feedback needs to be balanced with the
Development Goals and overall Game Concept.
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Still, there are a lot of open
issues and questions, which
need to be improved in the
Game Development Process...
we are working on that :)
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

... in order to provide the User the
Optimal Experience!
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

Thanks for your Attention!
Questions? Comments? Emotions?
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at

* Contact
HCI & Usability Unit
ICT&S Center, University of Salzburg
Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 18
5020 Salzburg, Austria
Dr. Marianna Obrist
marianna.obrist@sbg.ac.at
hci-unit@icts.sbg.ac.at
Human Computer Interaction & Usability Unit http://icts.sbg.ac.at