Designing A Sustainable Future
Client
MARS, Inc.
Role
Visual Designer
User Experience Designer
Goal
Create a visual identity to promote Packathon and increase application turnout from prior year. Leverage this identity to create an immersive and interactive virtual experience for participants to explore and present innovations in packaging sustainability.
overview
In response to a growing need for sustainable packaging solutions, a global consumer packaged goods corporation sought to revitalize its approach. My team was tasked with reimagining MARS’s “Packathon” competition, and embarked on a mission to transform the virtual event into an immersive experience. As the visual and user experience designer, I crafted a vibrant visual identity to increase engagement from young environmentalists and designed an interactive hub to connect our worldwide program participants. Through strategic outreach efforts and innovative design solutions, my team increased applicant turnout and fostered new innovation at Packathon to drive positive change through creative problem-solving on a global scale.
contributions
User Research
Wireframing
Usability Testing
the challenge
Revamping the client’s inaugural “Packathon” event, which primarily relied on email and Zoom, amidst widespread "Zoom fatigue." We needed to craft a more interactive and engaging virtual experience to entice our participants and ultimately meet the client’s goals.. Navigating the global nature of the competition, we also had to accommodate finalists across various time zones, adding another layer of logistical complexity to our task.
user research
Having conducted participant surveys following the first Packathon event, my team used this feedback and asynchronous interviews with past judges to inform our approach for this iteration. Most notably, participants expressed dissatisfaction with traditional Zoom-based interactions, yearning for a more engaging virtual experience. With our focus on enhancing engagement, my team decided to emphasize participant interest in gamification for the virtual competition.
design summary
PREP: For the redesign, I crafted a captivating visual identity and prototyped a simple website to promote the event, which informed marketing across social media platforms. I also applied this identity to an interactive hub where most communication with competitors would take place.
I leveraged empathy maps and user personas to inform the user flow of the hub, collaborating closely with developers to prototype and implement the virtual space. This platform facilitated networking, coaching sessions, and communication among participants, enriching the overall experience.
EXECUTION: As applications closed, six finalist teams were selected to refine their sustainability pitches. Guiding finalists through the interactive hub, my team facilitated one-on-one coaching sessions and provided access to invaluable resources from MARS representatives. However, despite providing ample opportunity for interaction, the platform's collaborative potential remained largely untapped by finalists.
On the day of the Packathon, each of the six teams presented their sustainability pitches to a panel of eight judges. The event was livestreamed for a full 24 hours, during which time hundreds of MARS employees were able to tune in. After each team presented their pitch, the judges deliberated for an hour before announcing the winning team, followed by second and third place winners.
impact
The results spoke volumes: a remarkable 10% increase in applicant turnout for the competition's second year, with 34 eligible teams applying. While the interactive hub fostered community-building and pitch-coaching, our outgoing surveys revealed an opportunity for deeper engagement. Moving forward, I aim to explore gamification strategies to enhance collaboration and compel greater platform interaction among friendly competitors.
