LOST NEBULA

Reimaging financial services and future bank branch experience:

a traditional board game design + a phygital experience

to teach kids basic financial planning skills and investment

PLAY VIDEO

Infosys Limited | March 2017 - September 2017 | My Contributions:

User research and ideation

Lead Game Design: designed, prototyped and tested the board game

Hardware Prototyping: design and built two out of four interactive installations

FINANCIAL LITERACY & FUTURE BANKING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNGER GENERATION

An Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development survey found that 44% of U.S. students scored at the lowest levels of financial literacy.

Just as we’ve been rethinking education and learning in technology, we wanted to look at new ways of learning among ages 8-21, to reach them early, through their preferred channels, in ways they can understand and enjoy, and with a distinctly human touch.

We used Design Thinking to understand how the younger generations approach and conceive of money; how they save, spend, and strategize financially; and who they turn to for guidance and advice. We wanted to develop a deep empathetic understanding of their point of view, so we spoke with a wide variety of young people across libraries, parks, and other public venues. We invited the kids to come to our office and be interviewed. All of this resulted in the design and prototype of our board game, which we playtested across a wide variety of people from different ages and backgrounds.

We talked to financial advisers and read financial books to learn more knowledge about finance and investment to figure out what are the fundamental knowledge we want the kids to learn.

SOLUTION 1: AN EDUCATIONAL BOARDGAME

Set in outer space, Lost Nebula is a physical board game with 4 players working together as astronauts on a mission to save a dying Earth by collecting energy crystals scattered throughout the galaxy, all while defending themselves against alien attacks. The goal of the game is get players to save their resources and invest their energy across four types of energy generators with varying degrees of risk, yield, and time—thereby building a diversified portfolio.

The game aims to teach:

Goal settings and planning
Saving for emergency / future need
Importance of investment
Different investment options
Diversified portfolio

HOW TO PLAY

Invest : buy or sell energy capsules with energy points

There are 4 types of Energy Generators which vary in entry level, value range, return time and explosion chances. You could generate more energy by buying and selling Energy Capsules from Energy Generator using your Energy Points.

You need to develop your investment strategy, invest early and be wise by developing a diversified portfolio.

Explore the galaxy: collect resources from each planets

As you land on a new planet, you can take the Planet-Base Tile and flip it to read the text. It may ask you to spin a certain generator spinner, or gain / lose some oxygen / energy points, or give you a Crystal.

Be wise to keep a good balance of using and earning energy points.

Defend Aliens, disasters or other dangers

Each round, three aliens will be added on the planets and living aliens from previous rounds will advance 1 planet distance toward the Mothership destroying the planets they leave.

The Solar Storm could make you lose some oxygen or energy points. You need to save your energy points for these emergency.

CHECK OUT THE PLAYER MANUAL