boardgame cafe is a place where people gather to socialize and have fun.
but... placing your order is mundane, browsing and choosing the right game is stressful. dices falling off the table and condensation from drinks disrupt the playing experience. is this what fun is supposed to look like?
at the house of chuckles, these pain points are reimagined into fun and playful affairs.
house of chuckles
user experience design | spatial design
aug '21 - nov '21
brief
studio project | supervised by sixiu tan
by observing the business operations and gaining an understanding of their core products and/or service offering, students will have to conceptualize unique, online to offline customer experiences that aim to serve the function(s) of the business. the reinvented customer experience should be holistic and seamless. the objective of these design solutions is to increase customer satisfaction and ultimately drive sales.
discover & define
case study -
the mind cafe
to better understand the current board gaming experience, i mapped out the current customer journey at singapore's largest board game cafe.
pain points
as a part-time staff of the mind cafe and a regular customer, i was able to empathize deeply with the pain points faced from both ends.
overwhelmed by the variety of games
uncertain which game best fits the group's dynamics
games are only accessible by staffs to prevent customers from over-hoarding
lack of space when there's food & drinks
condensation from drinks damages game
scope
with the pain points i gathered, i created the scope of my project and identified touchpoints to work on
develop & deliver
ideation
during my ideation, i explored different ways to reduce reliance on staff and how the gaming experience could be improved.
touchpoint #1:
entrance
customers will be greeted with a gashapon-inspired machine where they will place their order. upon completion, the machine dispenses a chuckle token. the chuckle token will ensure a seamless yet playful customer journey.
touchpoint #2.1:
game pod
the chuckle token will be docked at the assigned table to activate the table's lighting and directional speaker which customers can fully control. the directional speaker acts as a narrator for games and reminds customers when they're left with 10mins. overall, reducing reliance on staff.
touchpoint #2.2:
drinks & snacks
to maximize the playing area, drinks, and snacks are combined into one packaging with a cup holder that is designed to snap onto the edges of the table.
this prevents condensation from damaging games and spilling of drinks during action-heavy games.
touchpoint #3:
game shelves
similarly, the chuckle token will be used to browse and collect games. with the data registered during ordering, quick game recommendations can be made that are catered to the number of pax and time left.
each chuckle token is able to unlock only 2 games at any point in time, this prevents customers from over hoarding games.
outcome
