Designing Interactive Experiences

Active learning works because students need to experience the unpredictability of user choices firsthand to grasp how interactivity truly functions. By physically mapping journeys, testing prototypes, and observing peers, they move beyond abstract concepts to concrete problem-solving in real time.

• Year 9
• The Arts
• 4 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Design a user journey map for an interactive narrative, identifying key decision points and their potential consequences.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of specific interactive media elements, such as buttons, animations, and sound cues, in engaging a target audience.
3. Synthesize user feedback into actionable design revisions for an interactive media prototype.
4. Analyze the relationship between user interface design choices and the overall narrative experience in interactive media.

Project-Based Learning

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Pairs: User Journey Mapping

Students pair up and select a simple story premise. They sketch a journey map with start point, three decision branches, consequences, and two endings. Partners swap maps to trace paths and suggest refinements for clarity.

Prepare & details

Construct a user journey map for an interactive story, outlining key decision points and their consequences.

Facilitation Tip: During User Journey Mapping, provide a scenario where users encounter dead ends to show why consequences matter.

Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology

Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Project-Based Learning

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Paper Prototype Testing

Groups craft low-fidelity prototypes using paper screens and arrows for branches. One student navigates as user while others observe. Switch roles, note feedback on confusing elements, and revise once.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the effectiveness of different interactive elements in engaging an audience.

Facilitation Tip: While Paper Prototype Testing, circulate with a timer to keep groups focused on rapid feedback cycles.

Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology

Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Project-Based Learning

⏱ 35 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Engagement Critique Walk

Groups display one interactive element from their prototype. Class circulates, tests interactions, and adds sticky-note feedback on engagement. Debrief as whole class to vote on most effective designs.

Prepare & details

Hypothesize how user feedback can be integrated into the iterative design process of interactive media.

Facilitation Tip: For the Engagement Critique Walk, assign each student a specific element to observe so the whole class builds a shared vocabulary.

Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology

Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Project-Based Learning

⏱ 20 min·Individual

Individual: Feedback Iteration Log

Students review peer test notes from prototypes. They hypothesize two improvements for feedback loops and sketch revised interfaces. Share one change with the class for quick validation.

Prepare & details

Construct a user journey map for an interactive story, outlining key decision points and their consequences.

Facilitation Tip: In the Feedback Iteration Log, model how to phrase observations neutrally to avoid defensive reactions from peers.

Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology

Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by framing design as a conversation between creator and user, not a polished product. Use the iterative process explicitly: show how early prototypes fail in testing, then demonstrate how feedback reshapes the journey. Avoid letting students fixate on aesthetics over functionality; emphasize that clear communication drives engagement. Research shows students grasp interactivity faster when they see their own confusion reflected in peer behavior during testing.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how user choices lead to different outcomes and justifying design decisions with evidence from testing. They should articulate why certain interface elements work better than others, not just prefer one style over another.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During User Journey Mapping, watch for students adding buttons or features without connecting them to story impact.

What to Teach Instead

Have students role-play a user taking each path and describe how the story changes. If they can’t explain a consequence, the button or path should be removed or revised.

Common Misconception

During Paper Prototype Testing, watch for students defending their designs rather than listening to user feedback.

What to Teach Instead

Ask testers to mark confusing areas directly on the prototype with sticky notes. Students must revise their designs before moving on.

Common Misconception

During the Engagement Critique Walk, watch for students focusing only on visual appeal without considering usability.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt observers to note where users hesitated or made errors. Discuss how these moments reveal flaws in navigation, not just aesthetics.

Assessment Ideas

Peer Assessment

After User Journey Mapping, have students present their maps to a small group. Peers provide feedback using the questions: 'Are the decision points clear?' 'Are the consequences believable?' 'What other paths could a user take?' Students record one suggestion to revise their map.

Exit Ticket

During Paper Prototype Testing, give students a scenario: 'A user encountered a confusing button in your interactive prototype.' Ask them to write two sentences describing how they would use user feedback to revise the button and one specific change they might make.

Quick Check

During the Engagement Critique Walk, ask students to observe a peer interacting with their design. The observer notes: 'Where did the user hesitate?' 'What action did they try that was unexpected?' 'Did the interface provide clear feedback?' Collect these notes to assess understanding of user experience.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to design a second iteration of their prototype that solves the top 3 issues identified during testing.
• Scaffolding: Provide a template with pre-written decision points for students who struggle with branching logic.
• Deeper exploration: Introduce conditional logic by having students map paths where choices unlock or close off entire story branches.

Key Vocabulary

User Journey Map	A visual representation of a user's experience with an interactive product, detailing their actions, thoughts, and feelings at each stage, including decision points.
Feedback Loop	The process by which the output of a system (user action) is fed back into the system as input, influencing subsequent outputs (narrative progression or interface changes).
Branching Narrative	A story structure where user choices lead to different plot paths, outcomes, or endings, creating a non-linear experience.
User Interface (UI)	The visual elements and controls that a user interacts with in a digital product, such as buttons, menus, and screens.
Iterative Design	A cyclical design process involving prototyping, testing, and refining based on feedback to improve the product over multiple cycles.