THE U EXPERIENCE

CAPSTONE PROJECT

About

Student Affairs in universities must re-imagine program and engagement initiatives,

especially with a new generation of students arriving to campus.

Extended Reality Experiences can attract large audiences and

positively impact students’ learning and engagement.

THE U EXPERIENCE

This project seeks to familiarize students with the University of Miami using an innovative experience.

The U experience is a Magic Leap application that will compliment the freshman orientation programs

by immersing students in a mixed reality experience. It will allow them to

learn about the different aspects of The University of Miami

and help them adjust to college life.

Platform: Magic leap

THE CONCEPT

By translating the concept of Magicverse, different layers of information on top of a 3D map of the University of Miami Coral Gables campus were developed. Each layer was carefully designed taking into consideration the motivations and concerns of students. The layers complement each other creating an experience that will allow students to learn about the different aspects of The University of Miami and will help them adjust to college life.

THE TABLE

After launching the app, the user scans the room and place the table for the first time.

The main table hosts all the layers of the experience.

MEMORIES

Memories of experiences collected from UM students from diverse background.

User can grab a memory sphere to listen to it.

NATURE

Selected wildlife and trees across the campus are presented.

Users can grab and place animals/trees around them.

RESOURCES

A list of available resources for students were included. They are organized in 4 categories: Academics, Personal Development, Campus engagement, and Student Diversity. The resources are displayed in their physical location on the campus map.

FACTS

Interesting facts from a wide range of topics - all about the U. The visualizations were carefully designed to represent each fact. Topics include: Academics, Engagement, Research, UM Identity, Athletics, Financials, Notable Alumni, The Mascot, and a short clip about the story of the Coral Gables campus.

See the Report

See the Postcard

THE TEAM

MARIA AGUILAR

Lead Designer &

Researcher

MANOUJ GOVINDARAJU

Lead Developer &

Designer

This capstone project was developed in partial fulfillment of our Master of Fine Arts degree in Interactive Media at The University of Miami. It could have not been possible without the collaboration of a UM team comprised of faculty, staff, and students.

A heartfelt thank you to:

Barbara Millet (Capstone Advisor) - Director of the University of Miami User Experience (UX) Lab and Assistant Professor of Interactive Media at the School of Communication.
Kim Grinfeder (Capstone Advisor) - Chair, Department of Interactive Media at the University of Miami.
Nick Tsinoremas - Director of the University of Miami Institute for Data Science & Computing
University of Miami Institute for Data Science & Computing
Trevor Green - Director of Graduate Studies, Lecturer of Journalism and Media Management
Iliana Menendez - Graduate Student at The School of Communication.
Ezra David Remer - Student Government ECO Agency Liaison and Curator | The Gifford Arboretum
Anna Grinfeder - Assistant Director, Student Retention
Darby Plummer - Director Student Retention
Traniece Bruce - Assistant Director of Admissions