Collaborative Design Practice / Project 3

21.11.2025 - 05.12.2025 (Week 9 - Week 11)
Ng Kar Yee / 0367743
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Collaborative Design Practice / Project 3

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT 3⇒ PROJECT IDEATION PROTOTYPE
For our third project, Mr Shamsul introduced Project Ideation Prototype to us where we were required to move from low-fidelity concepts to high-fidelity executions through iterative testing and visual refinement. This phase encouraged us to explore ideas more creatively, evaluate them through feedback, and progressively shape them into clearer, more functional designs. Our goal for this project was to redesign the board game’s visual system while preserving the core gameplay and strengthening the clarity between bioscience concepts and economic mechanics.
WEEK 9

In Week 9, our team began developing the high-fidelity designs for the main board after finalising feedback with Mr. Shamsul. He felt that Board 1 was the strongest direction, so we proceeded with that as our final concept. From there, we split responsibilities: I focused on designing the personal mitochondria boards with the three functional sections, Guoying worked on the bioscience elements such as the red blood cells for the Bank and fat tissues for the Jail, while Melvin handled the main background design for the game board. This stage marked our transition from exploration to solidifying the final visual system.

Figure 1.0 Mitochondria Design Exploration

Figure 1.1 Main Board Exploration By Guoying & Melvin

Alongside the board work, I also began the high-fidelity development of the ATP cash. This included refining the layout, mascot placement, and overall style direction based on earlier sketches. It was the first step in pushing the currency design from rough concept into a polished, game-ready asset.

Figure 1.2 Exploring Mascot For ATP Cash

Figure 1.3 Exploring Front ATP Cash Design

Figure 1.4 Exploring Back ATP Cash Design

Besides, we also visited Taylor’s Makerspace for our first attempt at laser-cutting wooden tokens. Since it was our first time there, we encountered a small issue—the wooden board we purchased was too thick for the laser cutter. Thankfully, the staff guided us to the right material and taught us how to operate the machine safely. Despite the unexpected challenge, it was a fun and exciting hands-on experience that introduced us to a new fabrication process.

Figure 1.5 Laser Cutting Room

Figure 1.6 Token Laser Cutting In Progress

Figure 1.7 The Moment Of Truth!

WEEK 10

In Week 10, we refined the board design further based on feedback from both our group and Mr. Shamsul. I adjusted the colours of the mitochondria board to match the main board more consistently and removed the cute face elements from the dots to maintain a more cohesive visual direction. We also rearranged the board elements so they filled the space more evenly rather than being concentrated around the edges. Additionally, we updated the logo by changing it to white and enlarging it to improve visibility and emphasis on the board.

Figure 1.8 Refining Mitochondria Design

Figure 1.9 Refining Board Design

Figure 2.0 Finalise Mitochondria Design

Figure 2.1 Finalise Board Design

For the ATP cash, I made several design improvements this week. On the back, I added more graphical elements to the left side to balance the composition since most details were previously gathered on the right. On the front side, we merged two different design ideas into a single, more refined final version. These adjustments helped the cash look more balanced, consistent, and visually appealing.

Figure 2.2 Finalise ATP Cash Design

Figure 2.3 Printing Layout Preparation

On the physical side of production, we continued working on the wooden tokens. Each of us was task with colouring a colour of set of the token. After the laser cutting, we sanded each piece to smoothen the edges, then painted them using acrylics. To protect the paint and give the tokens a clean finish, we also coated them with a layer of transparent spray. This process added a satisfying handmade touch to the game components.

Figure 2.4 Token Refining In Progress

Figure 2.5 Spray Coating The Tokens In Progress

After finalising all the designs, we prepared the files and sent everything for printing. Once we received the printed materials, we began assembling the physical components ourselves. For the main board and the mitochondria boards, we mounted the prints onto thick mounting board to give them stability and weight. We also DIY customize the main board so that it could fold properly and fit into the box, ensuring that the final product was both functional and presentable. This hands-on assembly process was time-consuming but rewarding, and it allowed us to see our designs come to life as real, playable components.

WEEK 11

Week 11 came our presentation, which was definitely nerve-wracking but also very insightful. Dr. Luqman expressed that he liked our board design, which was encouraging, but he also raised an important point about our packaging. He felt that the box design wasn’t strong or attractive enough for the market and that it didn’t match the visual style of the game inside, making the packaging and product feel disconnected. He suggested bringing elements of the board and its introduction onto the front of the packaging to make it more appealing at first glance. He also commented that our instruction manual lacked consistency with the overall design system.

Figure 2.6 Feedback Session In Progress With Dr Luqman, Ms Anis & Mr Shamsul

After the presentation, our group conducted our first internal playtesting session, which helped us observe how the gameplay flowed and what adjustments might be needed moving forward.

Figure 2.7 Game Testing

Figure 2.8 Some friendly in-game rivalry

FINAL PROJECT PROTOTYPE PRESENTATION

CDP Proposal by Winnie Ho

GLUCONOMY REDESIGN OUTCOME

Figure 2.9 Gluconomy Close-Up Look

Figure 3.0 Overall Gluconomy Elements

Figure 3.1 Some Gluconomy Elements

Figure 3.2 Gluconomy Overview

Figure 3.3 Elements In Packaging Layout

Figure 3.4 Packaging Design

FINAL REFINED PACKAGING DESIGN AFTER FEEDBACK

Figure 3.5 Refined Packaging Design

FINAL OVERVIEW OF GLUCONOMY

Figure 3.6 Final Overview Of Gluconomy

FEEDBACK

WEEK 9

The logo should be refined to make the lines thicker and reduce the amount of pointers, the green color is a good choice.

WEEK 10

The initial first version digitalization of the cards needed more elements in the background, can brainstorm ways to fill the empty white space and reconsider the font used.

WEEK 11

Dr Luqman feedbacked that the box design wasn’t strong or attractive enough for the market and that it didn’t match the visual style of the game inside, making the packaging and product feel disconnected.
He suggested bringing elements of the board and its introduction onto the front of the packaging to make it more appealing at first glance.
He also commented that our instruction manual lacked consistency with the overall design system.

REFLECTION

Working through these few weeks has been a meaningful and hands-on phase that helped me grow both as a designer and a collaborator. Moving from ideation into high-fidelity execution taught me how important refinement, consistency, and attention to detail are—whether in designing the board, the mitochondria sections, or the ATP cash. Receiving feedback from our lecturer and groupmates pushed me to see weaknesses I hadn’t noticed and helped me improve the clarity and cohesiveness of the overall visual system. Experiencing the production side, from laser-cutting tokens at the Makerspace to mounting and assembling the printed boards, gave me a new appreciation for the physical craft behind board game design. The presentation and internal playtesting also made me realise how design decisions translate into real user experience. Overall, these weeks strengthened my skills in iteration, problem-solving, and transforming digital concepts into a polished, functional physical product.

NG KAR YEE (0367743)

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