In collaboration with
Bold Theatre, Elgiva Field (Associate Director, Theatre-Rites) & Stephanie Singer (Creative Director, Bitter Suite UK)
LARP (Live Action Role Play) Design | 2 weeks
Team
Anushka Monteiro | Asli Ece Ates | Chen Wang (Shaye)| Jade They | Jin Wang | Ojaswi Kejriwal | Shanshan Li | Shivangi Gadhoke | Wanrui Ren | Xindi Zhang (Cindy) | Yiyao Lu
My Role:
Experience Designer and Facilitator.
Co-led the concept development, design, and facilitation of a live-action roleplay (LARP). Simultaneously exploring LARPing as a UX research tool for situational analysis, problem solving and ideation.
Performative UX Research
Qualitative User Research
Workshop and Roleplay Facilitation
Collaborative Concept Development
Brief
Brief
This LARP investigates the concept of a sound deadzone by reimagining it as a space saturated with relentless digital noise: aggressive notifications, constant prompts, and sensory overwhelm.
Designed to provoke reflection on our hyper-connected reality, the experience challenges participants to question the future of silence, attention, and digital intrusion.
This LARP investigates the concept of a sound deadzone by reimagining it as a space saturated with relentless digital noise: aggressive notifications, constant prompts, and sensory overwhelm.
Designed to provoke reflection on our hyper-connected reality, the experience challenges participants to question the future of silence, attention, and digital intrusion.
75%
users check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification
67%
Users wish for more control over when & why they receive notifications
144
Average number of times a
user picks up their phone
each day
75%
users check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification
67%
Users wish for more control over when & why they receive notifications
144
Average number of times a user picks up their phone each day
research methods
research methods
Literature Review
Existing Research & Influences
Drew on the Tower of Babel to explore fractured communication, A Quiet Place for how silence becomes survival, and Listen Again for embodied, non-verbal interaction. These informed our world-building and player dynamics around speech, tension, and misunderstanding.
Body Storming
Embody Roles & Physical Experience
Subjecting a researcSubjecting a researcher's own body to physically experience a situation in order to ideate. We used bodystorming to physically prototype our LARP world- testing silence, gesture, and spatial constraints through embodied enactment. This revealed emotional and tactical insights, helping us refine rules, player dynamics, and storytelling through movement and interaction.
LARP
World Building & Active Immersion
Observe behaviours in immersive scenarios to uncover pain points, informing tighter, more refined iterations.
Literature Review
Existing Research & Influences
Drew on the Tower of Babel to explore fractured communication, A Quiet Place for how silence becomes survival, and Listen Again for embodied, non-verbal interaction. These informed our world-building and player dynamics around speech, tension, and misunderstanding.
Body Storming
Embody Roles & Physical Experience
Subjecting a researcher's own body to physically experience a situation in order to ideate. We used bodystorming to physically prototype our LARP world- testing silence, gesture, and spatial constraints through embodied enactment. This revealed emotional and tactical insights, helping us refine rules, player dynamics, and storytelling through movement and interaction.
LARP
World Building & Active Immersion
Observe behaviours in immersive scenarios to uncover pain points, informing tighter, more refined iterations.
Literature Review
Drew on the Tower of Babel to explore fractured communication, A Quiet Place for how silence becomes survival, and Listen Again for embodied, non-verbal interaction. These informed our world-building and player dynamics around speech, tension, and misunderstanding.
Body Storming
Subjecting a researcher's own body to physically experience a situation in order to ideate. We used bodystorming to physically prototype our LARP world- testing silence, gesture, and spatial constraints through embodied enactment. This revealed emotional and tactical insights, helping us refine rules, player dynamics, and storytelling through movement and interaction.
LARP
Observe behaviours in immersive scenarios to uncover pain points, informing tighter, more refined iterations.
Introducing "Broadcasters"
Introducing "Broadcasters"
To bring the concept of narrated notifications to life, we introduced a character called the 'Broadcaster,' tasked with delivering announcements across three consistent categories: Action, Content, and Advertisements. We then began testing and iterating our LARP format, eventually narrowing it down to a specific structure.
To bring the concept of narrated notifications to life, we introduced a character called the 'Broadcaster,' tasked with delivering announcements across three consistent categories: Action, Content, and Advertisements. We then began testing and iterating our LARP format, eventually narrowing it down to a specific structure.
The first LARP test
The first LARP test
For the first test, the environment was simple. Everyday objects remained unchanged- books were books, coffee was coffee. Asli, one of our team members, went about her usual routine while the rest of us as “broadcasters” narrated her every move and (anticipated) thought.
For example, when Asli (a team member) picked up a book, I narrated: "I’m picking up a book… I’m never going to read it."
For the first test, the environment was simple. Everyday objects remained unchanged- books were books, coffee was coffee. Asli, one of our team members, went about her usual routine while the rest of us as “broadcasters” narrated her every move and (anticipated) thought.
For example, when Asli (a team member) picked up a book, I narrated: "I’m picking up a book… I’m never going to read it."
Snippets from our first LARP run, which introduced the concept of broadcasters. The text displays showcase quotes from the broadcasters.
With our world and outline in place, we began rapid prototyping scenarios- adapting and iterating with each run to explore different aspects of the LARP. The table below outlines each iteration, how it was set up, and the key insights gained.
With our world and outline in place, we began rapid prototyping scenarios- adapting and iterating with each run to explore different aspects of the LARP. The table below outlines each iteration, how it was set up, and the key insights gained.
An illustrated scenario of the Riddles LARP, where participants sat in the centre, surrounded by broadcasters.
From these LARP runs, the basis of our final outline was formed. We called these our 'grounding principles'- guides that ensured the final LARP stayed in tune with our goal and design enquiry.
From these LARP runs, the basis of our final outline was formed. We called these our 'grounding principles'- guides that ensured the final LARP stayed in tune with our goal and design enquiry.
Empower participants with creative freedom & agency
Give broadcasters context to interpret participants' actions
Integrated individual and group (boss) missions to enhance immersion
01
Empower participants with creative freedom & agency
02
Give broadcasters context to interpret participants' actions
03
Integrated individual and group (boss) missions to enhance immersion
01
Empower participants with creative freedom & agency
02
Give broadcasters context to interpret participants' actions
03
Integrated individual and group (boss) missions to enhance immersion
With these principles in place, we crafted the LARP outline, setting the stage for a final run that would test the method’s effectiveness in a UX context. Could a strong structure truly drive immersion and problem-solving? This marked the moment we turned our focus to our core design question:
With these principles in place, we crafted the LARP outline, setting the stage for a final run that would test the method’s effectiveness in a UX context. Could a strong structure truly drive immersion and problem-solving? This marked the moment we turned our focus to our core design question:
What if a sound deadzone wasn’t absence of sound- but an
What if a sound deadzone wasn’t absence of sound- but an
overload?
overload?
Introducing
The Dinner Service
The Dinner Service
Each group- customers, waiters, and chefs- had a main mission, but customers & waiters also got fun identity cards. This helped them dive deeper into their roles & stay in character.
Each group- customers, waiters, and chefs- had a main mission, but customers & waiters also got fun identity cards. This helped them dive deeper into their roles & stay in character.
Here’s a quick glimpse of the final run, featuring the inspiring Elgiva Field (Associate Director, Theatre-Rites) and Stephanie Singer (Creative Director, Bitter Suite UK). The session was immersive, generative, and allowed participants meaningful creative agency throughout.
Here’s a quick glimpse of the final run, featuring the inspiring Elgiva Field (Associate Director, Theatre-Rites) and Stephanie Singer (Creative Director, Bitter Suite UK). The session was immersive, generative, and allowed participants meaningful creative agency throughout.
The LARP workflow, outlining individual roles. The images are snapshots from the LARP run, colour-coded to correspond with the related workflow elements.
The LARP workflow, outlining individual roles. The images are snapshots from the LARP run, colour-coded to correspond with the related workflow elements.
Impact & Feedback
Impact & Feedback
The post-session debrief underscored LARPing’s effectiveness as a UX research method, here's how
The post-session debrief underscored LARPing’s effectiveness as a UX research method, here's how
Increased
in-depth understanding of the chosen topic through an embodied experience
Revealed
emotional responses often missing from traditional research methods
Improved
collaborative thinking, empathy-building, and problem-solving through role-based interaction
Increased
in-depth understanding of the chosen topic through an embodied experience
Revealed
emotional responses often missing from traditional research methods
Improved
collaborative thinking, empathy-building, and problem-solving through role-based interaction
Increased
in-depth understanding of the chosen topic through an embodied experience
Revealed
emotional responses often missing from traditional research methods
Improved
collaborative thinking, empathy-building through role-based interaction
Reflections
Reflections
This project made me a better experience designer, collaborator, & storyteller.
This project made me a better experience designer, collaborator, & storyteller.
Discomfort Drives Growth
Discomfort Drives Growth
Leaning into uncertainty pushed me to think beyond conventional tools- creativity often begins where clarity ends.
Leaning into uncertainty pushed me to think beyond conventional tools- creativity often begins where clarity ends.
Leaning into uncertainty pushed me to think beyond conventional tools- creativity often begins where clarity ends.
Immersion Needs More Than Story
Immersion Needs More Than Story
A reminder that true engagement comes from atmosphere (sound, space, and interaction), not just narrative.
A reminder that true engagement comes from atmosphere (sound, space, and interaction), not just narrative.
A reminder that true engagement comes from atmosphere (sound, space, and interaction), not just narrative.
Leadership Is About Holding Space
Leadership Is About Holding Space
Leading a team of 11 taught me that real often collaboration means listening, adapting, and letting ideas grow.
Leading a team of 11 taught me that real often collaboration means listening, adapting, and letting ideas grow.
Leading a team of 11 taught me that real often collaboration means listening, adapting, and letting ideas grow.
The Process Matters Most
The Process Matters Most
Designing this taught me to value the messy, iterative journey was as meaningful as the final outcome.
Designing this taught me to value the messy, iterative journey was as meaningful as the final outcome.
Designing this taught me to value the messy, iterative journey was as meaningful as the final outcome.