Augmented Reality Campus Tour
Augmented Reality Campus Tour
Reimagine campus exploration through augmented reality.
Reimagine campus exploration through augmented reality.
Overview
Overview
Campus tours often feel rushed and impersonal, which makes it hard for prospective students to imagine life on campus. The Augmented Reality Campus (ARC) project was a grant-funded, student-led summer project at DePaul University. I worked with a small interdisciplinary team to design an interactive mobile AR experience using Google’s Geospatial and ARCore technologies, transforming traditional campus tours into bite-sized, self-guided exploration.
Campus tours often feel rushed and impersonal, which makes it hard for prospective students to imagine life on campus. The Augmented Reality Campus (ARC) project was a grant-funded, student-led summer project at DePaul University. I worked with a small interdisciplinary team to design an interactive mobile AR experience using Google’s Geospatial and ARCore technologies, transforming traditional campus tours into bite-sized, self-guided exploration.
Team:
Team:
Team:
I collaborated with another UX/UI Designer, an AR Developer, and a 3D Designer.
I collaborated with another UX/UI Designer, an AR Developer, and a 3D Designer.
My role:
My role:
My role:
Project Lead: I led a 4-person team and managed deliverables, meetings, and documentation to keep a cross-disciplinary team aligned.
Project Lead: I led a 4-person team and managed deliverables, meetings, and documentation to keep a cross-disciplinary team aligned.
UX/UI Lead: I led user research, design decisions, and overall project direction. Created user journeys, flows, mockups, and prototypes, and coordinated design handoffs.
UX/UI Lead: I led user research, design decisions, and overall project direction. Created user journeys, flows, mockups, and prototypes, and coordinated design handoffs.
Method:
Method:
Method:
Persona Creation, Journey Mapping, UI System Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, and Field Testing.
Persona Creation, Journey Mapping, UI System Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, and Field Testing.
Tools:
Tools:
Tools:
Figma, FigJam, Unity, ARCore, Cesium, ZBrush, Maya, Google Geospatial Creator, Notion, and Zoom.
Figma, FigJam, Unity, ARCore, Cesium, ZBrush, Maya, Google Geospatial Creator, Notion, and Zoom.
Duration:
Duration:
Duration:
June - September 2025 (13 weeks)
June - September 2025 (13 weeks)
Context
Context
ARC began as a PUSH Studio project exploring Google Geospatial technology to support campus safety at DePaul University. Early work included interviews with campus security. The project later evolved into a campus tour application through a co-design session with the campus tour office. I continued the project by applying for DePaul’s IMPACT Summer Grant, where I led proposal writing, recruited the team, and directed the project after acceptance.
ARC began as a PUSH Studio project exploring Google Geospatial technology to support campus safety at DePaul University. Early work included interviews with campus security. The project later evolved into a campus tour application through a co-design session with the campus tour office. I continued the project by applying for DePaul’s IMPACT Summer Grant, where I led proposal writing, recruited the team, and directed the project after acceptance.
Image: IMPACT Showcase where the team presented our work on ARC.
Image: IMPACT Showcase where the team presented our work on ARC.
Problem Space
Problem Space
Campus tours are often time-limited and one-size-fits-all. Visitors receive surface-level information and miss opportunities to hear student perspectives. ARC aimed to address this gap by making campus tours more personal and interactive through augmented reality.
Campus tours are often time-limited and one-size-fits-all. Visitors receive surface-level information and miss opportunities to hear student perspectives. ARC aimed to address this gap by making campus tours more personal and interactive through augmented reality.
Central Question:
How might we use Augmented Reality technology to make campus exploration more engaging and informative?
Central Question:
How might we use Augmented Reality technology to make campus exploration more engaging and informative?
Central Question:
How might we use Augmented Reality technology to make campus exploration more engaging and informative?
Process
Process
1. Laying the Groundwork
1. Laying the Groundwork
We reviewed findings from a student-led co-design session with campus tour guides. This work identified 3 audience groups: prospective students, parents, and current students, and outlined potential product features.
We reviewed findings from a student-led co-design session with campus tour guides. This work identified 3 audience groups: prospective students, parents, and current students, and outlined potential product features.
I helped the team focus on prospective students to narrow scope and defined 5 core features:
I helped the team focus on prospective students to narrow scope and defined 5 core features:
Building Cards:
Building Cards:
Building Cards:
Short snippets highlighting each building.
Short snippets highlighting each building.
Internal Resources:
Internal Resources:
Internal Resources:
Visual cues showing building amenities.
Visual cues showing building amenities.
Safety Feature:
Safety Feature:
Safety Feature:
Signals marking campus safety call boxes.
Signals marking campus safety call boxes.
Shuttle Stops:
Shuttle Stops:
Shuttle Stops:
Markers showing inter-campus shuttle locations.
Markers showing inter-campus shuttle locations.
Statue Information:
Statue Information:
Statue Information:
Brief facts about campus landmarks.
Brief facts about campus landmarks.
We created personas and journey maps in FigJam to capture the emotional experience of prospective students. This work defined ARC as both a guided tour companion and a stand-alone tool for self-guided exploration, giving visitors flexibility in how they experience campus.
We created personas and journey maps in FigJam to capture the emotional experience of prospective students. This work defined ARC as both a guided tour companion and a stand-alone tool for self-guided exploration, giving visitors flexibility in how they experience campus.
2. Designing Core Features
2. Designing Core Features
Design System
Design System
Leading the process, we built a cohesive UI system in Figma aligned with DePaul’s brand.
Leading the process, we built a cohesive UI system in Figma aligned with DePaul’s brand.
Typography:
Typography:
Typography:
I chose AR One Sans for headings due to clarity in augmented reality environments, and Open Sans for body text for readability.
I chose AR One Sans for headings due to clarity in augmented reality environments, and Open Sans for body text for readability.
Colors:
Colors:
Colors:
We used high-contrast colors for outdoor visibility and assigned distinct colors to each building category.
We used high-contrast colors for outdoor visibility and assigned distinct colors to each building category.
Icons:
Icons:
Icons:
I created 2 icon groups: primary icons for building types and secondary icons for internal amenities and resources.
I created 2 icon groups: primary icons for building types and secondary icons for internal amenities and resources.
Components and User Flow
Components and User Flow
We refined UI components through several Figma iterations and defined an ideal user flow for how users discover and interact with campus information.
We refined UI components through several Figma iterations and defined an ideal user flow for how users discover and interact with campus information.
To ensure the content reflected student perspectives, we sourced language and topics from student-facing content online. This helped the information cards focus on what prospective students care about, rather than institutional messaging.
To ensure the content reflected student perspectives, we sourced language and topics from student-facing content online. This helped the information cards focus on what prospective students care about, rather than institutional messaging.
2D/3D Assets
2D/3D Assets
I collaborated with our 3D designer and helped determine how 3D assets would support the experience and which campus elements should be represented. For example, a fork and knife signaled dining spaces, and a book represented the library to help users quickly understand building functions.
I collaborated with our 3D designer and helped determine how 3D assets would support the experience and which campus elements should be represented. For example, a fork and knife signaled dining spaces, and a book represented the library to help users quickly understand building functions.
Final Design
Final Design
To tie the designs together, I created a semi-interactive Figma prototype with elements focused on clarity, speed, and real-world use:
To tie the designs together, I created a semi-interactive Figma prototype with elements focused on clarity, speed, and real-world use:
Pulsing map markers:
Pulsing map markers:
Pulsing map markers:
Markers pulse for outdoor visibility and use categorical colors to represent building and landmark types, helping users understand location context at a glance.
Markers pulse for outdoor visibility and use categorical colors to represent building and landmark types, helping users understand location context at a glance.
Information cards:
Information cards:
Information cards:
Cards present short, student-oriented snippets that are easy to read while moving through campus.
Cards present short, student-oriented snippets that are easy to read while moving through campus.
Amenity icons within cards:
Amenity icons within cards:
Amenity icons within cards:
Icon system displayed in the building cards showing building resources and amenities.
Icon system displayed in the building cards showing building resources and amenities.
Beaming safety lights:
Beaming safety lights:
Beaming safety lights:
Safety signals create a clear visual cue to help users quickly locate campus safety call boxes.
Safety signals create a clear visual cue to help users quickly locate campus safety call boxes.
2D and 3D assets:
2D and 3D assets:
2D and 3D assets:
Campus-themed assets are placed in front of buildings to highlight key locations and add visual delight.
Campus-themed assets are placed in front of buildings to highlight key locations and add visual delight.
Build A Minimum Viable Prototype
Build A Minimum Viable Prototype
Using ARCore, Google’s Geospatial, and Cesium SDKs, the team built a working prototype. I refined outdoor visibility and tested tap and swipe gestures during design to support a smooth handoff.
Using ARCore, Google’s Geospatial, and Cesium SDKs, the team built a working prototype. I refined outdoor visibility and tested tap and swipe gestures during design to support a smooth handoff.
Unexpected Challenge
Unexpected Challenge
From field testing, we discovered a limitation in Google’s Geospatial anchors that caused AR objects to appear several feet away from intended locations. This issue went unnoticed earlier because testing occurred in controlled environments, rather than on campus.
From field testing, we discovered a limitation in Google’s Geospatial anchors that caused AR objects to appear several feet away from intended locations. This issue went unnoticed earlier because testing occurred in controlled environments, rather than on campus.
Field Testing Video
Field Testing Video
Test with Users
Test with Users
I planned and led field testing on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus with 4 participants acting as prospective students on a guided tour.
I planned and led field testing on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus with 4 participants acting as prospective students on a guided tour.
Findings
Findings
Building information cards were most helpful.
Building information cards were most helpful.
Building information cards were most helpful.
Safety blue lights were the least useful and engaging.
Safety blue lights were the least useful and engaging.
Safety blue lights were the least useful and engaging.
Overall enjoyment was rated 3/5.
Overall enjoyment was rated 3/5.
Overall enjoyment was rated 3/5.
Pointing a phone mid-sidewalk looked distracting to bystanders.
Pointing a phone mid-sidewalk looked distracting to bystanders.
Pointing a phone mid-sidewalk looked distracting to bystanders.
Limitations
Limitations
Anchoring Issues:
Anchoring Issues:
Anchoring Issues:
Anchor instability caused inconsistent AR placement, and 3D assets did not appear during testing, which prevented us from collecting feedback on them.
Anchor instability caused inconsistent AR placement, and 3D assets did not appear during testing, which prevented us from collecting feedback on them.
Sample Bias:
Sample Bias:
Sample Bias:
3 of the 4 participants were current students, and although I asked them to act as prospective students, their feedback reflected their existing familiarity with campus.
3 of the 4 participants were current students, and although I asked them to act as prospective students, their feedback reflected their existing familiarity with campus.
Future Work
Future Work
Explore alternative AR and location frameworks to improve anchor stability.
Explore alternative AR and location frameworks to improve anchor stability.
Explore alternative AR and location frameworks to improve anchor stability.
Focus more on independent, self-guided, and customizable experiences.
Focus more on independent, self-guided, and customizable experiences.
Focus more on independent, self-guided, and customizable experiences.
Introduce stationary physical markers to reduce disruption in public spaces.
Introduce stationary physical markers to reduce disruption in public spaces.
Introduce stationary physical markers to reduce disruption in public spaces.
Reflection
Reflection
This was my first time leading a cross-disciplinary project, and I learned how differences in terminology can create friction without a shared language. Designing and conducting field testing revealed how users naturally interacted with AR, including the awkwardness of pointing a phone in open spaces that would not have been discovered without direct observation. Discovering technical limitations late reinforced the importance of testing capabilities in real environments.
This was my first time leading a cross-disciplinary project, and I learned how differences in terminology can create friction without a shared language. Designing and conducting field testing revealed how users naturally interacted with AR, including the awkwardness of pointing a phone in open spaces that would not have been discovered without direct observation. Discovering technical limitations late reinforced the importance of testing capabilities in real environments.