StandBy | Gamified Interaction in Public Spaces

September 2024 - December 2024

UX Researcher

UI Prototyping

Transforming time spent waiting.

Public waiting spaces are often dull and isolating, leaving individuals to pass time with passive distractions like scrolling through phones or watching repetitive screens.

StandBy turns transition & waiting times spent alone in public spaces into engaging social experiences and conversation starters.

What we built:

An interactive public kiosk placed near elevators that offers collaborative mini-games like crosswords and hangman to turn idle wait time into playful, social micro-moments.

Why it mattered:

Waiting in public spaces is often boring and isolating. StandBy reimagines transitional moments—like waiting for an elevator—as opportunities for meaningful interaction and engagement.

Who it was for:

Primarily college students in UCSD residence halls, but scalable to hospitals, malls, and corporate buildings.

Biggest win:

After our second prototype session, strangers who began alone eagerly joined unfamiliar groups to play together—proving StandBy’s power to spark connection.