MeandIota
A physical prototype that turns cultural activities into shared experiences between students
Context
Politecnico di Milano_
Hardware and Software Technologies for Design_ Two-people team_
Role
UX/UI and hardware prototype design
Activities
> Hardware prototyping
> UX/UI design
> Interaction prototyping
Timeline
2023 - 2024
MeandIota app and physical prototype
A new connection between students who want to take part in cultural moments together. Iota notifies them of nearby activities through light and sound and brings them together when they match.
Our goal
Facilitate the sharing of experiences among Polimi students through the interaction with Iota, the prototype, creating positive connections.
Who
> Students who are taking their first steps into the university world
> International students who are immersing themselves in a new culture
> Off-campus students
Where
> Exhibits > Cinema > Museums
> Parties > Art galleries > Conferences
> Theater > Concerts
How
Students receive a notification of a new
cultural activity and they have to select
if they would like to partecipate or not.
On the day of the exhibition, the user will
match Iota with the other user's prototype
to start the experience together.
Context
Exhibits
i.e. museums, art galleries, etc.
They are associated to red colour.
Entertainment
i.e. theater, cinema, etc.
They are linked to green colour.
Events
i.e. parties, concerts, conferences, interactive activities etc.
They are related to blue colour.
Contents
Into MeandIota experience
Initial storyboard
Are you ready to test the functionalities?
Test lights, sound and random options to check if all components are properly working.
Would you like to join Picasso exhibit?
Notification of a new cultural activity appears and the user has to select if they would like to partecipate or not.
The match is only the start!
Match your Iota with the prototype of your partner to start the activity together. You have one hour to enjoy the exhibit.
I hope you enjoy your activity!
After one hour, Iota start to ring, your phone will unlock to give your feedback on the experience and you can earn points on the app.
Context
Politecnico di Milano_
Hardware and Software Technologies for Design_ Two-people team_
Role
UX/UI and hardware prototype design
Activities
> Hardware prototyping
> UX/UI design
> Interaction prototyping
Timeline
2023 - 2024
MeandIota app and physical prototype
A new connection between students who want to take part in cultural moments together. Iota notifies them of nearby activities through light and sound and brings them together when they match.
Our goal
Facilitate the sharing of experiences among Polimi students through the interaction with Iota, the prototype, creating positive connections.
Context
Who
> Students who are taking their first steps into the university world
> International students who are immersing themselves in a new culture
> Off-campus students
Where
> Exhibits > Cinema > Museums
> Parties > Art galleries > Conferences
> Theater > Concerts
How
Students receive a notification of a new
cultural activity and they have to select
if they would like to partecipate or not.
On the day of the exhibition, the user will
match Iota with the other user's prototype
to start the experience together.
Contents
Exhibits
i.e. museums, art galleries, etc.
They are associated to red colour.
Entertainment
i.e. theater, cinema, etc.
They are linked to green colour.
Events
i.e. parties, concerts, conferences, interactive activities etc.
They are related to blue colour.
Into MeandIota experience
Initial storyboard
Are you ready to test the functionalities?
Test lights, sound and random options to check if all components are properly working.
Would you like to join Picasso exhibit?
Notification of a new cultural activity appears and the user has to select if they would like to partecipate or not.
The match is only the start!
Match your Iota with the prototype of your partner to start the activity together. You have one hour to enjoy the exhibit.
I hope you enjoy your activity!
After one hour, Iota start to ring, your phone will unlock to give your feedback on the experience and you can earn points on the app.
Behind the prototype
Behind the prototype
Outside the prototype
Outside the prototype
Special touches
The match between two prototypes
makes the experience shareable.
After the experience, the user is going
to give the feedback and the app collects
some points for some university discounts.
In the calendar section, the student can
visualise all the activities to take part in.
Special touches
The match between two prototypes
makes the experience shareable.
After the experience, the user is going
to give the feedback and the app collects
some points for some university discounts.
In the calendar section, the student can
visualise all the activities to take part in.
Here MeandIota in action!
Here MeandIota in action!
Takeaways
MeandIota turned an activity that could easily happen alone into a shared cultural moment, reaching this goal in a way that felt simple and immediate for the user, while helping expand university friendships beyond the usual social circles.
From a design perspective, working on both the hardware and the interaction design pushed us to think deeply about how physical and digital interactions can work together and how much a prototype's form and feedback shape the way people trust and use it. This is where the name MeandIota comes from: the close relationship that forms between Me, the person, and Iota, the object.