Serenity: The Quest to Find Harmony
Shortlisted for 2024 IxD Awards under the category Empowerment
Serenity is a fun tabletop roleplaying game designed to help children understand and navigate their emotions. In this exciting game, kids embark on quests and challenges in a fantasy world, where they roleplay as different emotions to find the missing king, Harmony. Whether played at home with family or in educational settings with teachers or therapists, Serenity provides an enjoyable and educational experience for children.
01
Design Challenge
Through extensive research and heartfelt conversations with families, I've come to a deeply concerning realisation: children's mental health is not receiving the attention it so desperately needs. This insight revealed a significant gap - families are struggling without a comprehensive tool to support their children's emotional well-being at home.
This understanding moved me profoundly, inspiring me to create a solution that not only underscores the importance of children's mental health but also provides families with a meaningful, user-friendly resource. My goal is to offer a way for families to nurture emotional well-being at home in a fun, child-friendly manner, ensuring that every child feels seen, heard, and supported.
02
Research
Interviews
The interviews were instrumental in not just validating my concept but also in deepening my understanding of mental health, particularly the ethical considerations involved in supporting children. These conversations highlighted a significant gap in the market - there is a real need for a fun and engaging tool to help children navigate their mental health.
Co-Creation Workshops
Workshops held with both primary school children and families revealed that many children lack a clear understanding of mental health and often struggle to articulate their feelings. These sessions were eye-opening, showing just how crucial it is to provide kids with the language and tools to express their emotions.
Concept Generation
Drawing from my research and the insights gained, I decided to design a tabletop roleplaying game where families can embody and explore different personified emotions together. This approach not only makes the process of understanding mental health more accessible but also turns it into a shared, meaningful, and fun experience for the whole family.
03
Prototyping & User Testing
Low-Fidelity Testing
During low-fidelity testing, I focused on ensuring that the younger children within my target age range could easily grasp the game mechanics. One child found some of the language challenging, which prompted me to make necessary adjustments to simplify the wording and enhance the overall understanding.
Mid-Fidelity Testing
Mid-fidelity testing aimed to evaluate whether the game was fully playable without my direct involvement. A family engaged with the game for over an hour but encountered difficulties with the token mechanics, feeling that tokens were not being replenished quickly enough. I addressed this issue, refining the mechanics for the next phase of testing.
High-Fidelity Testing
High-fidelity testing was a significant milestone. The children were immersed in the game for two hours while I narrated the story. Their feedback was invaluable; they suggested that some of the characters' strengths needed to be rebalanced for better gameplay. I took their insights to heart, incorporating their suggestions into the final design to create a more enjoyable and cohesive experience for all.
04
Final Outcome
Serenity introduces a captivating storybook that guides families through imaginative quests, inviting them to embody and explore various emotions together. The book is enriched with a soundboard for added ambiance, drawing players into a world of beautifully illustrated maps that depict six unique lands, each offering four distinct quests.The game set includes a charming castle dice tower that determines which emotion the players will roleplay, along with character sheets and markers for creating personalized characters. A 10-sided performance die and a bag of golden tokens enhance the interactive experience, making every moment of gameplay engaging and fun.
The Impact
Serenity has a profound impact on children and families by promoting emotional intelligence in a playful, engaging way. As families embark on imaginative quests and follow engaging narratives, they create shared experiences that not only entertain but also strengthen their bonds. The game’s focus on understanding and managing emotions paves the way for meaningful conversations, promoting a supportive environment where children feel safe to express themselves.
Serenity’s inclusive design encourages creative self-expression, contributing significantly to children’s overall emotional well-being. Through this unique experience, families not only play together but also grow together, building a foundation of emotional awareness and resilience that will benefit them for years to come.