Interactive Climbing Wall
Gamifying an 8-meter climbing wall to turn exhausting physical workouts into an addictive, accessible arcade experience.
User Researcher
Product Designer
Gamification
B2B2C Entertainment
End-to-End User Testing
Hardware-Software UX
Service Design
My Role & Responsibilities
From brainstorming to commercial launch
I was involved from the very first PoC all the way to the physical product deployment. I led the UX strategy for the entire ecosystem, designed the behavioral gamification loops, and managed the end-to-end user testing.
Because SkyWall is a massive physical machine deployed in public spaces, my role extended beyond the player. I designed the service tools and interfaces used by the technical staff and game operators to keep the system running.
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Ecosystem UX
Designed the multi-device experience, linking the control tablet, the interactive wall, TV leaderboards, and the web. -
Behavioral Gamification
Designed game mechanics (solo, logic, agility, tournaments) tailored to diverse motivations to push physical endurance. -
End-to-End Testing
Handled recruitment, organization, and execution of live playtests from early concepts to the final live release. -
Service Design
Created dedicated tools and interfaces for the event staff managing the crowd and the technicians servicing the hardware.
The Challenge
Designing for a massive, unconventional canvas
The core goal of SkyWall was to trick people into doing a grueling physical workout by disguising it as a video game. We used a glowing control tablet to lure players in, but the real game took place on the wall itself.
The physical scale required a completely custom approach. The 8-meter wall acted as a digital display featuring a uniquely low resolution, a focused color palette, and a physical climbing grid overlapping the view. Furthermore, we faced a safety paradox: gamification effectively cured the fear of heights, but it also made players forget they were dangerously high off the ground.
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Multi-Device Ecosystem
Connecting the user journey across a control tablet, the interactive wall, TV leaderboards, and a web platform. -
In-Climb Feedback
Communicating game states to a player who is pressed against the wall and cannot see the entire board or the tablet. -
The 8-Meter Display
Designing readable animations and UI for a massive, low-resolution surface obscured by protruding climbing holds. -
The Safety Paradox
Balancing deep game immersion with the critical need to keep players aware of their physical safety and altitude.
Preview
Engineering the illusion of play
To make the gamification work, the technology had to get out of the way. Here is how I solved the core hardware constraints and utilized behavioral psychology to create a seamless phygital product.
Building a custom animation tool
Designing graphics for a giant, low-resolution screen covered by a physical grid was nearly impossible using standard design software. The feedback loop was too slow.
To solve this, I built a custom mini-app that simulated the exact parameters of the wall. This allowed us to preview and perfectly design animations and visual cues for this highly unusual display, drastically speeding up production.
Breaking barriers and designing for all minds
We discovered that players have vastly different motivations. Some want to break speed records, while others prefer slow, logic-based puzzles like 'PipeJet' or 'Minesweeper'.
Through continuous live testing, we found an unexpected success: the clear, visual goals and immediate gamified feedback loop made SkyWall an incredibly effective and engaging physical tool for users on the autism spectrum.
Designing for the staff behind the scenes
A great player experience relies on flawless operations. SkyWall connects multiple devices to an 8-meter heavy machine.
I designed the service architecture to empower the staff. This included diagnostic interfaces for technicians to easily troubleshoot hardware, and intuitive crowd-management tools for event staff to seamlessly run tournaments.
Impact and live validation
High engagement and broken physical barriers.
SkyWall successfully launched as a live phygital product, drawing long lines at events and entertainment venues. By designing games for different motivations—from logic puzzles to high-speed chases—we created an environment where players routinely push past their physical limits and fears, completely unaware that they are undergoing intense physical training.
High Public Engagement
Deployed in major public venues, generating consistent queues and overwhelmingly positive player feedback.
Neuroinclusive
Proven to be a highly effective and engaging physical activity for children and adults on the autism spectrum.
Overcoming Fears
The gamified focus successfully distracts players from their altitude, helping them naturally overcome their fear of heights.
High Engagement
A diverse game library ranging from agility to logic ensures strong retention and caters to multiple behavioral motivations.
The Power of Disguised Effort
Gamification is more than points and badges; it's a tool for behavioral change.
This project taught me how deeply interconnected physical movement and psychological motivation really are. By testing directly with users from day one, we didn't just build a game—we built an ecosystem that helps people discover strengths they didn't know they had.
Navigating the constraints of an 8-meter low-resolution wall required abandoning standard design dogmas and building my own tools to get the job done.