Circle of Fifths - Interactive Learning

Project Overview 🔎

This project spanned five weeks, developed with a team of designers focused on interactive learning environments. The primary goal was to craft an exhibit that engaged elementary music students through multi-sensory interaction—something that reinforced tactile, visual, and auditory learning while keeping the experience fun for students, teachers, and parents.

We took inspiration from existing interactive museum exhibits and analyzed how kids respond to immersive educational settings. Through research and brainstorming, we shaped an exhibit that balanced structured learning with playful experimentation.

To create the most engaging experience possible, we decided on a format that combined guided demonstrations and freeform interaction. This way, different types of learners—those who need structured explanations and those who learn best through exploration—could all benefit.

Project Process 📝

Our team began with brainstorming and research, listing interaction possibilities and studying museum exhibits that successfully integrated multi-sensory learning. The goal was to understand how kids naturally engage with hands-on learning.

One of our first steps was choosing a location where the exhibit could be tested effectively. This influenced decisions on accessibility, space, and potential modifications to enhance the experience.

We developed an individual learning plan outlining user needs, motivations, behaviors, and pain points. This was based on comparative analysis, focus groups, and surveys, giving us a clearer picture of how students and teachers might engage with the system.

The learning plan revealed key challenges, like ensuring engagement despite shortened attention spans and making terminology accessible for younger students. Addressing these concerns meant simplifying complex ideas while keeping interactions dynamic.

To further refine engagement strategies, we created a Proto Persona of a curious 5th-grade student. This persona helped guide decisions on interaction flow, user feedback, and adaptability within the exhibit’s design.

Sketching and Wireframing 🖌️

After defining the user experience, we moved into task flows and initial wireframing. Sketching out wireframes helped visualize how different elements would interact, ensuring a smooth transition from conceptual ideas to functional designs. Wireframing focused primarily on mid-fidelity designs. Given the project’s emphasis on sound rather than visuals, this approach kept the interaction clean without unnecessary complexity.

Visual design played a supporting role rather than a leading one. The aesthetic elements—color choices, animations, and layout—reinforced the user experience without distracting from the core concept. Moodboarding and wireframing happened simultaneously, not in a strict sequence. Though unconventional, this method allowed flexibility when designing interactions based on user needs.

Interaction Design Methods 📐

Users entered the exhibit greeted by subtle motifs, sheet music visuals, and ambient sound cues. These initial elements created an immersive environment before direct interaction even began. The platform was designed to lock for safety while users explored its tactile components. With a dance-floor-style interface, users could step on various elements to experiment with sound-triggered engagement. User flow focused on active interaction. Stepping onto pressure-sensitive panels triggered real-time changes in color and sound. The goal was to let users physically engage with musical elements through movement.

Jumping on different panels played corresponding musical notes, allowing multiple users to collaborate in real time to create their own songs. This dynamic encouraged both individual creativity and group participation. Task flow followed a structured approach. Users first chose between Watch & Learn Mode, which offered guided demonstrations, or Fun Mode, which allowed freeform interaction. This ensured accessibility for different learning styles.

Watch & Learn Mode broke music into segments, using animations to reinforce note progression. Users selected an instrument, watched a demonstration, and followed along visually. Fun Mode operated as a Simon Says-style rhythm game, where users engaged with musical patterns in an intuitive, movement-based format. The design aimed to make learning feel like play rather than rigid instruction. Throughout the experience, wall projections displayed complementary visuals. Some walls showed sheet music for reference, while others projected interactive sequences that responded to user movements.

The Prototype! ⚙️

The project resulted in a mid-fidelity prototype recording, setting up the foundation for an immersive 3D VR experience currently in development through Unity3D.

Because the exhibit prioritized sound over excessive visual complexity, the mid-fi prototype was a necessary stepping stone rather than a limitation. The goal was always interaction through auditory and tactile elements, rather than overwhelming users with visuals.

This prototype demonstrated interactive sound-learning at its core, with movement-driven engagement setting the groundwork for future iterations. Though time constraints prevented full execution, the ambitious scope of the project highlighted how interactive learning could evolve beyond simple exhibits.

The core takeaway from this project was proving that play-based education can be both structured and freeform, allowing different types of learners to engage in ways that suit their strengths. There’s still a lot of potential to expand on the initial prototype, especially as development moves toward a fully immersive VR experience.

While the project didn’t reach its final vision yet, it created a solid foundation for multi-sensory education using interactive sound technology. At its core, Circle of Sound bridges structured learning with exploration, offering students and teachers an engaging platform for discovering music in a new way.