Design Process
The Problem
A graduating student of 2020 is unable to celebrate their physical graduation ceremony because of the restrictions from the pandemic. Thus, there needs to be an alternate way of celebrating this milestone.
Research
To identify possible solutions, I first had to understand the flow of the past physical graduation ceremonies. This was done by conducting interviews with past organisers of the SMU ceremonies. Below is a map of how the physical ceremonies were conducted, the journey of a graduand and the potential highlights that we could use in a virtual experience.
From the research, we identified 2 areas where a virtual experience can help a graduating student can celebrate.
The Solution
First, a web-based degree presentation in a 3d virtual environment personalised to each student.
The Virtual Degree Presentation should be:
- A personalised experience - a personalised virtual avatar of the student in his/her respective gowns (customised to their degree and faculty) and to receive their degree folder from their appropriate dean.
- Short and Impactful - To keep engagement, the virtual experience should be a distilled version of just the graduands segment.
- Both made for the graduand & their family/friends
Second, an AR experience where the graduating student can place their virtual avatar in real space to take photos, document & share the joyous occasion.
Storyboard — Virtual Degree Presentation
Asset Creation — Virtual Degree Presentation
The talented in-house 3d artists used the storyboard and references and to create the assets needed for the final experience.
Final Delivery — Virtual Degree Presentation
A School of Accountancy graduate commented that “The overall VGF event was interesting and engaging. Even though graduates like myself could not have the real-life graduation experience at the moment, the touch of virtual element, receiving our graduation cert via a virtual platform, was a fun way to mark an end to my university life.”
Storyboard — Mobile AR Photobooth
Prototype — Mobile AR Photobooth
Final Delivery— Mobile AR Photobooth
A School of Law graduate, expressing her appreciation for the efforts put into organising the VGF event, said “I am grateful that the University organised this specially for us.” She added that it was fun “… to see my friends post about the event on social media and share their dedications and virtual graduation clips, as well as their AR photobooth pictures. I particularly enjoyed the Virtual Degree Presentation and the MobileAR photobooth. It was fun for us to watch my avatar walk up the stage to receive my degree, as well as take photos with my avatar.