Home

Projects

About

Resume

Manya Singh

UX Designer · Seattle, WA

Project Rooh: Play For All

A multi-sensorial game

ORGANIZATION

Thesis Collaboration with Microsoft Research ( Ludic Design )

ROLE

Strategy, Research, Game Design & Development

Team

System Designer (Me), Product Designer

Duration

5 Months (Jan 2022 - June 2022)

Overview

Problem

In our exclusive world, insensitively designed workspaces, public areas, and community spaces hinder the independence and development of individuals with special abilities. Access to play-based learning is challenging for them, despite its essential role in cognitive stimulation.

Solution

Project Rooh is an initiative that creates inclusive and playful spaces and makes play more rewarding by adding monetary benefits. It curates multi-level play sessions for organizations and Specials Schools that work with or for people with special needs.

Problem: Barriers Faced by People with Disabilities

Global Issue

1 billion people (15% of the population) have a disability, with unmet needs for dignity, security, and employment.

Socio-Economic Inequities

Especially in India, people with disabilities face:
- Lower education and employment rates
- Reduced quality of life and higher poverty
Causes: Limited public awareness, inclusive education, and infrastructure.

Restricted Play-Based Learning

Accessibility needs limit participation in play-based learning, impacting social and skill development.

Process

User group

Organizations – These are the NGOs and organizations that support and work with people with disabilities.

Makers – The core of the system, these are the individuals with disabilities who create the products. They often rely on primary caregivers for support.

Customers – This group includes the caregivers and customers purchasing these products, who are invested in supporting the cause.

Methods Used: User Persona ( above), Stakeholders Map, Empathy map

Research questions

Why do PwDs face such a stark gap in every aspect of their life? Why is this gap more prominent for women with disabilities?

What expectations do primary care givers have and how do they influence the beneficiaries?
What is the existing work culture for PwDs?
What kind of interventions/tools make their daily life easier? Why are these tools exclusive to inclusive spaces only?
How does judgment affect the diagnosis and why is there a delay in diagnosis of women as compared to men?
Is it insensitive if the disability is not addressed?

What is play

Game Research
As a lifelong gaming enthusiast, I took charge of researching a variety of games to better understand the concept of play. I compared games like Othello, Patchwork, Candy Crush, and Tangrams.

Play Sessions
I conducted play sessions with games such as Jenga, Hide and Seek, and Chicklets, and explored parks and mini-games, ending with the Holi festival to observe playful interactions.

Player Feedback and Emotional Insights
After each session, I discussed with players about their experiences, emotions, and overall feelings to gain deeper insights into the social and emotional aspects of play.

Secondary Research

Productive: Pwds have 8-10% higher productivity rates and 5% lower attrition rates. (BCG)

Employment: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemploy- ment rate for people with disabilities is more than double that of those without: 9% compared to 4.4% as of September. (Women Lobby 2011)

Inequality: Gender-wise analysis shows that 47.2% of the men among the PwDs were working while the figure was only 22.6% in the case of women with disabilities. (Pillay 2019)

Primary Research

Chiranthana
Focus: Holistic development and vocational skills for individuals with disabilities.

Key Insights:

Caregiver Burden: Primary caregivers in economically disadvantaged families often have to prioritize basic needs over specialized education.
Independence: Children with disabilities thrive when given responsibility and opportunities for independence.

proVISION ASIA
Focus: Educational and personal development for women and children with disabilities.

Key Insights:

Progress Tracking: Individual Education Plans (IEP) track the development of each beneficiary.
Routine & Sensory Engagement: Children benefit from structured routines and enjoy sensory-based activities like texture play.
Skill Building for Women: Young women join to improve communication skills, learn English, and gain computer literacy.

Antharbhaava Foundation
Focus: Skill development and economic empowerment for people with disabilities.

Key Insights:

Skill Development for Employment: Focus on training PWDs for gainful employment.
Maker Diversity: Products vary in quality, highlighting the skill diversity among makers.
Competency Mapping: Evaluates and enhances skills through competency mapping for targeted growth.

Analysis

Systematic process through guides and a moderator/ facilitator

Labelled as different because they are differently-abled

Gaps in the system is what causes exclusivity

Need for larger inclusive system

How might we create an evolving and playful system with a profitable workspace for young adults with disabilities and the interested stakeholders in the current Indian context of urban cities.

Ideation and development

Phase 1: Natural Setting

Mitra For Life: Mitra Hubba

Objective: Create an engaging, inclusive workspace for neurodiverse and neurotypical children from diverse backgrounds.
Learnings: Observed caregiver-child communication, children’s interests, and the impact of our structure and instructions.

proVISION Asia: EmpowerHER

Objective: Collaborate with women with disabilities to identify workplace gaps.
Learnings: While skill sets were applicable, financial and logistical constraints limited system exploration.

Phase 2: Paper Prototypes

Mitra For Life

Objective: Test the adaptability of games Alankara and Nirman with neurodiverse players.
Learnings: Efficiency improved with repeated play; validated game inclusivity for diverse skill levels.

proVISION Asia

Objective: Test Alankara and Nirman with women with physical disabilities.
Learnings: Enjoyment and engagement increased in higher game levels, showing effectiveness for this group.

Final Idea: Project Rooh-Rewarding Inclusive Play

Purpose:

Create inclusive play spaces for people with disabilities.
Enhance play experiences by integrating monetary rewards.

Core Offering:

Curates and organizes engaging play sessions tailored to people with disabilities.
Provides financial incentives to make play more rewarding.

Our final journey map will all stages : Player Acquisition, Orientation, Space Interaction, Games, Production, End Product, Sales Channel with continued play and expert supervision. There are 2 more previous versions of journey map in the process map section. Click here to view them.

Final components

Nirmana and Alankar are inclusive games fostering creativity in a safe, playful environment for players of all abilities, including those on the spectrum and with physical disabilities. Multiple levels accommodate diverse skills and interests.

GENDER NEUTRAL BAG

The Rooh gender-neutral bag, inspired by inclusive game interactions, expands accessible bag design. Features include:

Wheelchair and trolley compatibility
Compartmentalized for essentials (e.g., bottle, laptop)
Broad, adjustable shoulder strap
Gender-neutral design
Zip-free for accessibility
Spacious with high-contrast lining

WEBSITE

The Rooh Project website connects customers with the brand, selling bags and promoting awareness through concise information.

APP

The Rooh Project app supports remote makers, helping them track game participation and earnings. Features include:

Minimalist design
Large clickable areas
Organized information

accessibility-first approach

Accessible Game Components

Game Patches: High-contrast, sustainably sourced fabric minimizes waste and supports visual accessibility.
Game Blocks: Custom-designed handles accommodate varying motor abilities for inclusive participation.

Digital Accessibility: App and Website

Color Contrast: High contrast ratios were implemented across all text and backgrounds to ensure readability.
Simple and Inclusive Design: Both the app and website use a minimalistic interface to reduce complexity for users with varying abilities.
App Functionality: The Rooh app serves as a moderator for makers working remotely, allowing them to track games played and earnings. It includes accessible audio guides for easy navigation.
Website Design: Built to WCAG AAA standards, the website includes alt text for all images, high contrast colors, and avoids flashing or moving components. It provides information about game components and allows for online orders of bag nets.

Gender-Neutral Bag Design

Inclusive Design: The Rooh bag, a gender-neutral accessory, was co-created by players using patches from system games.

Takeaways

Challenges with Maker Participation

Initial Plan: We started with lower-middle-class individuals with physical disabilities, aiming to create products based on their skills and interests.
Setback: Many participants left after three sessions due to financial limitations.
Adjustment: We decided to work with multiple groups and focus on makers who didn’t face immediate financial pressures, ensuring steady engagement.

Brand Position and Product Relevance

Original Idea: Planned to position the brand as high-end, selling luxury lifestyle products made during play sessions, targeting an upper-middle-class audience.
Issue: This luxury image risked hiding the story of the makers with disabilities, and the social message wasn’t clear to all buyers.
Solution: Shifted to create everyday products, like gender-neutral bags, and targeted a socially conscious audience who value the story behind each product.