Insenio, Gamifying Public Transport for Young Explorers
- Skylir
- Apr 4, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 5
Insenio is a four-week solo project that gamifies public transport experiences for children through storytelling, play, and service design.
Inspired by New Zealand wildlife, the app combines storytelling and discovery to foster independence and environmental awareness. Developed through design sprints and user research, Insenio was prototyped in Adobe XD and refined through continuous user testing and co-creation.
🔗 View Prototype – The Insenio Experience
Project Brief
Prototype a child-friendly extension to Auckland Transport’s mobile app that encourages children to choose public transport over private car use. The solution needed to be engaging, educational, and grounded in real-world commuting experiences.
The Objective
To design a mobile app that promotes public transport usage among children by combining gamification, environmental storytelling, and interactive learning, fostering a sense of independence, creativity, and connection with New Zealand’s local culture.
My Role
Sole designer, responsible for:
Facilitating design sprints and leading ideation
Conducting user research and testing with the target age group
Prototyping in Adobe XD and creating visual assets in Illustrator and Canva
Approach & Methodology
1. User-Centred Research
Conducted design sprints and interviews with children and caregivers to uncover barriers and motivators in daily commuting.
Mapped out common behavioural patterns and emotional needs to guide interaction design.
2. Childhood-Informed Design
Drew upon personal and peer childhood experiences to ground the app in real emotions—curiosity, play, and accomplishment.
3. Iterative Prototyping
Developed user flows and wireframes through rapid iteration.
Validated design decisions through feedback loops with young testers, leading to refinements in clarity, navigation, and delight.
Key Features
Feature | Purpose |
🎧 Sound Collection | Children scan QR codes at bus stops to collect audio clips and create mixtapes—fostering exploration and creative sharing. |
🐾 Animal Spotting | A Pokémon GO – inspired feature allows kids to “spot” native animals during their trips — building local knowledge and excitement. |
📔 Travel Diary | Promotes reflection and mindfulness through guided journaling, with photos and notes to share with caregivers. |
📚 Travel Stories | Features illustrated characters on similar journeys to empower kids with stories of independence and overcoming challenges. |
Solution Impact
Value for Stakeholders:
Children: Gain autonomy, engage actively with their environment, and build positive travel habits.
Parents/Caregivers: Receive insights into their child’s travel experience and emotional well-being.
Auckland Transport: Encourages sustainable transport use from an early age, with a unique value-add to their digital services.
Insights & Reflections
User Testing Highlights
User testing with 7–8 year olds and peers confirmed that the app’s core features — Sound Collection, Animal Spotting, Travel Diary, and Transport Stories — were well-received. Children described the interface as fun and easy to use, particularly enjoying the illustrations, colours, and iconography. While some Mandarin text was not fully understood, users navigated the app with ease when guided by adults.
Gamified elements like leaderboards and streak tracking encouraged peer sharing and repeated use. Several children compared the experience to Pokémon Go, describing each bus or train ride as a “scavenger hunt.”
Opportunities for Iteration
Educational reinforcement: Add post-story quizzes to improve learning retention.
Accessibility: Increase font sizes and simplify language to suit younger readers (ages 6+).
Content clarity: Consider multi-language support and clearer prompts for non-fluent users.
Design Sprint Reflection
I initially struggled to frame my assumptions and identify relevant precedents. After testing both Figma and Adobe XD, I pivoted to XD for greater speed and flexibility. I added a market research phase mid-sprint to better understand the user context and validate key decisions. Peer feedback later in the process helped me challenge assumptions and refine the UX. This solo project strengthened my ability to combine strategic thinking with agile iteration — and reinforced the value of user insight at every stage of design.