(Unsaid)
A game-based mobile experience that helps small groups move past small talk, hear different perspectives and build genuine trust.
The project in one line
Independent graduation project across research, concept, UX/UI, visual identity, prototyping and testing
Inclusive interaction · social connection · game mechanics
UNSW DDES3101 Graduation Project
Product overview
01 · The tension
People are constantly exposed to opinions and expectations about appearance, identity and success. When we feel we do not meet those standards, opening up can feel risky.
Awareness campaigns tell people to accept themselves, but they rarely create a real moment for reflection. I saw an opportunity for design to make vulnerable conversations feel safer and more approachable.
What if building connection felt like playing a game?
Remove the pressure
Give everyone a turn
Reflect together
02 · Reframing the idea
The first concept focused on beauty diversity. Feedback revealed that it felt like a cosmetic app and represented only one part of a much wider issue.
I reframed the experience around self-perception, identity and lived experience. Inclusivity became a design principle: each participant should feel equally valued, regardless of what they have lived through.
03 · Building the game
One player hosts and shares a room code. Everyone joins on their own phone, takes turns drawing random prompts, and finishes each cycle with a shared group reflection.
No accounts, profiles or complicated setup. The host-or-join flow gets people into the same room quickly.
A visible turn order prevents one voice from dominating and helps everyone prepare to contribute.
Random prompts remove the pressure of personally choosing a vulnerable subject.
A shared closing question turns separate answers into empathy and collective reflection.
The earliest host flow tested only the essential room details before inviting other players.
Avatar selection and the room code became a compact sequence with one clear action per screen.
Paper flows explored code entry, room naming, avatar selection and visibility of the waiting group.
The join flow gained clearer progress, identity choices and a room state showing who had already arrived.
Rough screens tested drawing, answering and handing the moment to the next person without interrupting the conversation.
The refined sequence clarified shuffle, prompt selection, whose turn it was and how the group moved forward.
04 · Making vulnerability feel approachable
I chose birds as mascots because they are vocal, social creatures. Their imperfect personalities make the game feel warm rather than clinical, while the vivid palette gives sensitive conversations energy and optimism.
Four prompt categories - Connection, Reflection, Experience and Perspective - use colour to help players understand the kind of conversation they are entering.
05 · Designing psychological safety
Testing showed that asking someone to reject a question aloud could make the moment more uncomfortable. I added a shuffle control so players could choose another card without having to explain themselves.
I also replaced the single “next player” screen with a visible order and clearer turn labels, reducing awkwardness and helping the whole group stay present.
06 · Iteration log
The strongest improvements were changes that made participation clearer, safer and more inclusive.
Started withThe first concept focused mainly on beauty standards and visual diversity.
What I learnedFeedback suggested it resembled a cosmetic app and excluded other sources of self-doubt.
What changedI reframed Unsaid around self-perception, identity, lived experience and social expectations.
Started withA simple “next player” screen moved the game forward without showing the wider order.
What I learnedGroups could lose track of whose turn was next, allowing confident voices to dominate.
What changedI introduced a visible turn order and clearer labels so everyone could anticipate and contribute.
Started withPlayers had to reject an uncomfortable prompt in front of the group.
What I learnedExplaining why they did not want to answer created the exact pressure the game aimed to remove.
What changedA shuffle control lets players quietly choose another card without justification.
Started withUnsaid was initially designed only for groups of close friends.
What I learnedTesting showed the mechanics could help strangers build trust if the tone was adjustable.
What changedI added modes for O-Week, classrooms, workplaces and informal gatherings.
07 · Expanding the experience
Feedback pushed the concept beyond intimate friendship groups. I added modes for university icebreakers, O-Week, classrooms and workplace events, letting facilitators choose a tone that fits the room.
Reflection
Unsaid taught me that inclusive design lives inside the mechanics: who gets a turn, who feels able to pass, and whether the system makes room for different perspectives. The best outcome is not more screen time. It is the moment everyone looks up and begins to understand each other.
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