Self-motivated and enthusiastic UX/UI Designer with 2+ years of experience. Skilled in design thinking, user research, usability testing, wireframing, and creating interactive, accessible interfaces.
Sports are evolving fast, with technology driving the change. Fans now seek immersive, interactive experiences, and Augmented Reality (AR) is delivering, overlaying player stats and game data into live action. However, finding the right balance is crucial—AR can enhance viewing or overwhelm with too much information. This project lets fans scan QR codes during games to instantly view player stats on their mobile screens, enhancing engagement without interrupting the action. The goal is to provide an intuitive experience without causing confusion or fatigue.
Project Aim and Focus:
The aim of this project was to assess the effect of Augmented Reality (AR) on users’ mental effort while viewing player statistics during live sports. Specifically, it explored how AR could be used to display player stats seamlessly and whether this integration eases cognitive load or adds complexity to the viewing experience.
Design Thinking Approach
The prototype development followed the “Design Thinking” approach, beginning with empathising with users to understand their needs and challenges. This led to defining the core problem—finding a balance between engaging users with stats and avoiding cognitive overload. After ideating potential solutions, the prototype was created using UI assets designed according to UX laws and considering three types of cognitive loads.
Study and Data Collection
A within-subjects controlled study was conducted, where participants interacted with two prototypes. One used AR to display player statistics, while the other did not. Quantitative data on mental effort was gathered using the Paas Scale, task performance, and user feedback through targeted questions about their viewing experience. This allowed for a direct comparison of AR’s effect on cognitive load.
Key Findings
Participants also answered two questions after testing both prototypes to determine which one supported better memory recall and enhanced their viewing experience. The results indicated that AR facilitated faster information recall and created a more seamless experience, making it easier for users to store and retrieve stats.
Supporting Research and Insights
Supporting evidence from Jeffri & Rambli (2021) highlighted that AR consistently reduces mental effort across different tasks. In this study, despite participants’ varied AR experience, all reported low mental effort, with an average score of 3.5 on the Paas Scale. This suggests that participants’ familiarity with the task may have reduced their cognitive load, minimising the impact of age or AR experience on their performance.
Study Limitations
However, a limitation of this study was that pre-recorded match videos were used instead of live broadcasts, due to technical constraints with the AR prototype software. While the findings suggest that AR has the potential to reduce cognitive load and enhance engagement, they do not fully address the question of its impact during live sports viewing.
Future Research Directions
Future research should explore integrating AR into real-time broadcasts to provide a fuller understanding of its effectiveness. This approach could further demonstrate AR’s ability to improve the sports viewing experience by offering more immediate and significant cognitive benefits.
My portfolio showcases key projects from my Master’s degree, including a Usability Evaluation, an E-bike Service Design, and a Home Energy Monitoring app. Through these projects, I developed skills in user research, prototyping, interaction design, and usability testing, all while focusing on delivering user-centred, intuitive solutions.
Thank you for taking the time to explore my work. I truly appreciate your interest, and any comments or feedback you may have would be highly valuable as I continue to grow and refine my skills.