Menstruation Frustration
Role
Serious Game Designer
Assignment
How can we help in the journey of menstruation for parents and their children?
Description
A serious game for younger people and parents looking to learn more about menstruation, facts, tips and myths. This game can be used as a conversations starter and an information guide.
This project started as a school project, but turned into a pasion project next to work.
Duration
February 2022 - current
Genre
Education
Platform
Physical Boardgame
Learnings
🎲 Boardgame Design
👩💻 Conducting and processing Research
🚀 Learn more about UX design
The Start, The Present, The Future
Description:
This project started as one of many schoolprojects that had to be delivered within a ~4 month time frame. My initial thought was to make a mobile game teaching young people with uteruses about menstruation, but after learning the power of facing and talking about a taboo, it became a boardgame.
I am currently doing more research about the different topics in the game to give more information especially about a first period and how to manage for example cramps. Next to that I am looking for ways to bring this to the market for a reasonable price.
In the future I hope to bring this game to as many homes as possible and maybe even to schools to teach about menstruation at an earlier age and break some of the taboo.
Research fase
Description:
Target audience: Adolescents who menstruate and parents looking to initiate a conversation about menstruation.
Research revealed that many individuals receive information from their mothers, and often, mothers do not conduct research before discussing menstruation.
To gain a better understanding of the current situation, I created a storyboard that highlights the perspective of the young girl.
After talking to parents I found out that this would not only be helpful for mothers and daughters learning together about this topic, but also for single dads who might not know where to start.
Prototype
Description:
For the initial prototype, I intended to create a game where you battled menstrual monsters while learning more about menstruation. However, due to time constraints, I opted to construct physical carnival games for the prototype party instead.
Feedback suggested that a physical game might be more enjoyable for both parents and children and could be more conducive to initiating conversations compared to having the younger individuals figure things out on their own through a mobile game.
After working in the Serious game industry for a while now, I noticed different aspects to the game that needed a redesign to truly fit the envisioned goal.
Product
Description:
In the end, it became a functional board game with three mini-games embedded in it, allowing players to learn more about tips, tricks, and menstruation products. The instruction manual provides additional information, eliminating the need to scour the internet for details on various aspects of the game.
The goal is to one day bring this to the market for people to play at home. My wish is to offer the game at different price points to hopefully give anyone the chance to play this game with their children.