Pottery Master

Pottery Master: Virtual Pottery Crafting

As my thesis project at NYU, "Pottery Master" leverages virtual reality to provide an immersive pottery crafting experience free from physical and material constraints. Developed in collaboration with a software developer, it enables users to master pottery in an accessible virtual space.

Tools

Figma

Unity

Blender

Adobe Photoshop

Duration

12 Month(6 month research/ideation+6 month prototype/testing

Skills

UX/Learning Research

UX/UI Design

Content Creation

Rapid Prototyping

Usability Testing

My Role

Learning Designer

Game Designer

Visual Designer

"How Might We overcome space and resource limitations in ceramics education to make it more accessible and inclusive?"

Addressing these challenges, I designed 'Pottery Master', a VR solution that broadens access to ceramic education. It's an immersive platform that transcends traditional limitations, designed for everyone from beginners to enthusiasts.

Design Features

  1. Tactile Feedback/Hand Tracking

VR's Tactile feedback and Hand Tracking features bring the sensation of pottery to your fingertips. This is a leap in Constructivist learning, where you're not just observing but actively engaging and constructing knowledge through hands-on experiences.

2. Immersive Environment

Integrating Lave and Wenger's (1991) Situated Learning Theory, the game situates players in a virtual pottery studio, providing a context-rich environment. For instance, working in a virtual Grecian studio while learning about ancient Greek pottery methods offers contextualized learning experiences.

3. Dynamic Learning Modules

The game's interactive tutorials adapt to different learning styles. A player might choose between watching a demonstration (visual learning) or reading through step-by-step instructions (textual learning), enhancing cognitive engagement.

4. Collaborative Platforms

The game fosters a community of practice as suggested by Wenger (1998). Players might share their virtual pottery creations in an online gallery, receiving critiques from peers, facilitating social learning and knowledge construction.

Learning Goals

  1. Enhance Mastery of Ceramics Techniques and Knowledge

  2. Facilitate Deep Understanding and Appreciation of Art and Pottery History

  3.  Promote Community Engagement and Artistic Critique through Social Interactions

  4. Offer Therapeutic Relaxation and Mindfulness Through VR Pottery

  5. Enable VR Pottery as a Medium for Entertainment and Self-Expression

Logic Model

Ideation

My ideation process began with Figma. Using Figma, I developed wireframes and interactive prototypes to map out the general flow and layout of the application. This stage was crucial for visualizing the user journey and ensuring that each screen was logically connected.

Usability Testing

Once the initial prototypes were ready, I conducted usability testing to gather feedback on the general flow and usability. This phase involved:

User Testing Sessions: Organized sessions with target users to observe their interactions with the prototype.

Feedback Collection: Gathered qualitative and quantitative data on user experience, identifying pain points and areas for improvement.

Iteration: Refined the prototypes based on feedback, improving navigation, layout, and overall usability.

Implementation in Unity

After validating the usability and general flow, I transferred the project to Unity for the final implementation. Unity provided the flexibility and power needed to bring the design to life with advanced animations and interactions.

Visual Design

As the sole designer for the project, I crafted the entire user interface and all visual elements, ensuring a cohesive and immersive experience.