Wild, Wild Midwest

An interactive interface that centers the user in one of three future Ohio landscapes based upon speculative biodiversity fluctuations. 

Check it out on Behance!

This project began as an experiential graphic design project but quickly transformed into a UX/UI project to better suit the audience and project goals. 

My ultimate goal was to teach Ohioans about their native species in a fun, informative, and intriguing way.

Utilizing strategic foresight methodologies, I was able to research and synthesize information to make informed speculations about what Ohio’s future could look like. 

The interface speculates about Ohio’s future given 3 different groupings of species reintroduction. By using extirpated species as a means of communicating environmental impact, the experience is thought-provoking and visually intriguing. 

This project changed a lot from its initial conception of an EGD project. I went through a lot of iterations - I knew what I wanted to display on the page, I just had to figure out how to best display it. Pacing, timing, and hiding information at certain points was key to a successful experience.

This project was created for my senior capstone project for the completion of my Bachelor of Science in Design from the University of Cincinnati. 

The final installation ran for 5 days as part of the 2024 DAAPWorks showcase.

Installation was much more than just the interface - it was also the way it was displayed to create a further immersive experience.

I chose to include artifacts from species discussed in the interface in order to make the experience feel more like that of visiting an Ohio State Park’s visitor center - the intended context of Wild, Wild Midwest. 

Explore my prototype here!

Thanks for taking time to check out this project. It’s been the culmination of a full year of schoolwork, and was truly so exciting to work on.