Improving the user experience in Theater
Part II
Following the first part of the Double diamond model shown in Improving the user experience in Theater Part I we can now continue with the second diamond: Develop and Deliver, which we can translate to ideation and prototype.
Develop
After all the research we made and with all the findings we got, we were ready to start ideating our solution.
A brainstorming was our first shot, but we got so many ideas we had to sift with an in and out system.
In and out wasn’t enough to pick just one idea, so we built a Viability/Impact Matrix to determine which one was the perfect solution to our problem taking into consideration all the findings we got.
We doubted between two of them, but we decided to go big and chose the one with more impact but less viability due to its format: we were convinced that creating a methodology to introduce theater at school would help the problem from the beginning.
These ideas were way too open, so all agreed that we needed to be more specific: how was going to be this methodology?
As Charles H. Duell said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented”, so why not using the benchmarking technique to see what was already in the market? It would also help us define our business model and our value proposition.
We found out that most of the other methodologies were oriented to teachers instead of students.
Once we benchmarked other options that were already in the market and had the idea a bit clearer, we made a MoSCoW chart to decide what functionalities must include, which should, which could, and which ones won’t include. This technique helped us define and refine our idea.
After prioritizing, we found out we could rescue another potential idea we got in our matrix: we were going to include social media like YouTube and Instagram to sustain and extend our methodology and also to help us deliver it. We were going to make a website as digital support, to explain the idea, but the social media was going to help us deliver it to engage the student’s attention and interest.
Now it’s time to reflect this idea into a Value Proposition canvas. Our differential value is to bring young people and theater together through education in a dynamic way.
On the other hand, our business model is thought to work with aids, donations, or the Government’s subsidy, so we could invert all the money in building a sustainable project. It’s also important to say that this idea allows us to extrapolate it not just to high schools, but private centers, offices and different work and educational centers.
Methodology
How is this methodology?
We propose a 3-months length project to introduce the theater to the younger students in an amusing way. The idea is to apply different techniques related to different subjects. In the first two months, the students will be learning everything they need to implement their knowledge into a play to represent by groups the last month.
The regular schedule for a session is divided into four stages:
- The first 5 minutes will help us refresh the concepts seen in the previous class.
- The next 15 minutes will be used to develop key lessons associated with the chosen subject as well as to explain the dynamic to work on.
- The dynamic chosen to in the 35'
- To sum up the session, in the last 5', the students will share their feeling with the class.
At the end of the project, the students will be able to evaluate their progress, checking if their expectations have been achieved.
They will also have additional content to keep learning and growing their passion for this dramatic art, thanks to the YouTube channel and the Instagram account.
Techniques
Down below you can read all about the techniques to develop in the sessions.
End of Year Reflection
This technique will be developed during the Ethics and Religion class.
During the first session, we’ll urge the students to write down their expectations with the workshop (what do they think they will learn, what do they already know…). We will save these notes to check them in the last session, so they can debate everything they learned.
The objective is to be aware of everything learned and to work on self-reflection.
Safari
This technique will be developed during the History class.
We’ll take the students to watch a stage play, taking notes of everything that gets their attention or some questions they might wonder. This technique will be also useful to develop before the next activity: 3 Question Mingle, so they can get a deeper understanding of theater.
The objective is to work on a critical remark.
3 Question Mingle
This technique will be developed during the Spanish Language and Literature class.
During this session, all doubts and questions that were written during the Safari activity, plus the new ones they might have, will be shuffled and then read anonymously. These questions can be answered by the students or the teachers.
The objective is to improve communication skills and work in a team.
History Roleplay
This technique will be developed during the History class.
Each student will write in two different cards both a character and a historical moment. These cards will be placed in two different ballot boxes. The students will be arranged in groups. Each group will pick a random moment card, and each student will pick a character card. They will have to improvise a scene with those characters in that era.
The objective is to get rid of inhibitions, empathize, and develop the theatrical expression.
What are you doing?
This technique will be developed during the Physical Education class.
All the students will be forming a circle and each of them, one by one, will have to represent an action in the middle of the circle. Then, another student will get in the circle with the first one to ask her/him what is she/he doing. Then, the first one has to answer with another action (different from the first one). The last student getting in will have to make the action said by the first one.
The objective is to get rid of inhibitions, be aware of their own body, and learn about body language.
Post-it Kahoot
This technique will be developed during the Spanish Language and Literature class.
After a short class about Shakespeare, the students will need to play some kind of Kahoot offline (a quest) voting the answers with color post-its.
The objective is to learn about theater culture.
Slang script
This technique will be developed during the Spanish Language and Literature class.
The students will need to pick a piece of a classic play and working in groups they will have to transcript and adapt it with an actual language. By the end of the class, they will need to ready it out loud in the groups, performing the texts.
The objective is to learn how to express feelings, get summary skills, and understand the classic language.
Pimp ur mate
This technique will be developed during the Visual Arts class.
The first part of this session will be a characterization and costume design masterclass. Then, the students will need to split into groups to make themselves up and to create a simple costume.
Its objective is to learn about theatrical expression, empathize, to develop creativity, and to work in a team.
Prototype
Once we had elaborate the whole idea, it’s time to shape it!
We made a sitemap using Octopus to organize all the content of the website dividing by section to explain the methodology.
Now that we had all the Information Architecture established it’s time to design and prototype!
I showed you how we decided to organize the content, now it’s time to talk about the visuals.
In respect of graphic design, we tried to show a modern and casual style. The colors remain loyal to the theater-style. We used the purple and reddish colors to keep the warmth and the distinguished palette of this performing art, and we introduced the blue, so we could show the freshness. It was all about to reinvent what it’s already shown, keeping the traditional style but adding a new look.
We wanted to keep this new look with the illustration, making it amusing with a touch of color, friendly with round and organic shapes but keeping the sobriety with the black and white. We can’t forget this website is the digital support to reach our audience. We used the Drawkit illustrations, changing them to adapt them to our style and story.
The result of this project was a surprise for everyone. We didn’t expect this or the way it was born, and this led to the name of the project: Jeepers!, an expression used to express surprise. We also decided the name because of an anecdote while creating our user persona Manuel. We thought about the song “La Jeepeta” by Anuel AA to represent it and we were joking all the time about it, so we confirmed this naming was perfect for the project and to represent the good vibes of our team. We thought of this song while and We wanted to keep it simple but recognizable, so we decided to represent the freshness of this project with the typography and the touch of traditional with the typical masks as the isotype.
And last, but not least, it’s important to mention we based our design in the Bootstrap grid.
You can see the final result of our website here:
Future projects (Futuribles)
As future projects, we would like to include the YouTube channel and the Instagram account as well as a new section for both students and teachers with additional material to use while the workshop is going on and also after is completed, so the students can keep in touch with this incredible art.
Conclusions
At the beginning of this project, I must admit I felt skeptical of many things, like being able to find someone of interest to interview, about getting any insights, and last but not least, get the right solution. But thanks to my colleagues, all doubts were dispelled and I feel now proud of our solution.
Design Thinking is a great methodology for UX design since you need to stop looking for your own ideas and start worrying about the users. Once you have done all the research, the ideas come easily, and they are the perfect match for the user you have got.
I also would like to point out that UX Design is more than designing an app or a website. When I first started this journey, I wouldn’t have imagined designing a methodology, but according to all the research we did, it was just the perfect fit. You can design any product your users need and it doesn’t have to be necessarily something technological, even though you can use the technology as content support.
Personally, I had a blast with Ana, Ángel, and Diana and I learned so much with them and from them. Thank you so much for these intense but fun two weeks!
If you want to read this article in Spanish, I urge you to visit their Mediums so you can have another version of this project.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it.
