Building a Golf Training XR game as the sole designer on the team.
I participated in the 2024 MIT Reality Hack in Boston, and this experience was truly inspiring. There were many 'firsts' for me: my first hackathon, first time designing for mixed reality, and first time being the sole designer on a team. I translated my user-centered design knowledge into this project and utilized tools to create 3D interfaces.
Since this design challenge took less than 3 days to complete, I will only showcase some process highlights and our final video.
Problem
How can we utilize mixed reality technology to provide golf beginners with personalized swing training and foster a holistic golfing experience at every skill level?
Solution
We built a XR game that tracks, analyzes, and improves users' swings by providing proposed suggestions within the Meta Presence Platform.
Check out this small demo video we made for the hackathon competition. It demonstrates the flow of starting the game, choosing a training mode, beginning to swing, and getting a score.
In general, Swing Coach helps golfers visualize a proper swing plane and execute their swing with a guide in their field of view. It addresses the difficulty of self-diagnosing swing issues by providing real-time, spatial data on swing execution. Unlike cumbersome and expensive video setups or golf coaches, Swing Coach draws a comparison between the golfer's swing and an ideal swing plane, giving a score to indicate accuracy. This game allows golfers to practice and self-correct their swings anytime, without the need for expensive coaching or driving range visits.
Designing for spatial spaces was a true challenge for me as I didn’t have any prior knowledge or experience with Unity or similar products. To successfully transform my 2D design into 3D and hand it off to our engineer, I used two different tools to achieve this.
Users engage with 3D elements within their real-world environment, so our design must account for physical movements and spatial awareness, such as when users start their swing. This added complexity demands thoughtful design to create intuitive and effective mixed reality interfaces.
01: Be confident about yourself
As mentioned earlier, this is my first time working as the ONLY designer. I made the absolute design decisions, and I got a little scared at first. Thanks to my amazing teammates, they all gave me full support and helped me gain confidence.
02: Be open-minded about new tools
Sometimes new tools will surprise you, so be open-minded about them. They might give you a huge advantage.
03: Remember to drink water & sleep!
Participating in a hackathon is truly a 'marathon,' so please remember to take care of yourself. 😊
