Agile UX CO-Design Workshop Facilitation

#UX #Agile #REA #Industry #CoDesign #DesignLead #Workshop #Facilitation #Mentoring

Introduction:

As part of an co-facilitated industry based Agile UX workshop between RMIT and REA Group, we explored how Agile methodologies and user-centred design intersect in real-world scenarios. The workshop, co-facilitated with REA’s UX practitioners, was a hands-on, high-energy session designed to simulate iterative sprint design thinking within an Agile framework, while contrasting this with traditional Waterfall approaches.

Overview:

The workshop opened with a crash-course on Agile principles, foregrounding the central question:
"What does Agile really look like — and how does it differ from Waterfall in day-to-day practice?"

With dual projections and real-time facilitation, participants were introduced to these contrasting models. Rather than treating them as abstract frameworks, the session grounded their differences through role-play and UX artefact production, inviting participants to embody Waterfall and Agile mindsets as they progressed through the design stages.

Phase 1: User Understanding & Persona Development:

To lay a strong foundation in user-centred thinking, participants began by sketching quick self-portraits based on partner interviews. While this exercise brought levity and connection, it also introduced key UX research skills:

• Empathy building

• User observation

• Communication through artefacts

These illustrations served as proto-personas, catalysing discussions around behavioural patterns, motivations, and assumptions. Participants began identifying user needs and pain points — critical to shaping meaningful product concepts.

Phase 2: Mapping Agile vs Waterfall UX Workflows:

With personas in hand, teams transitioned into visualising project journeys using both Waterfall and Agile UX models:

• Waterfall tracks emphasized linearity: research → design → development → testing → launch.

• Agile tracks prioritized iteration: sprint-based cycles where discovery, prototyping, and feedback looped continuously.

These workflows were visualised and acted out — with roles like designer, developer, and stakeholder assigned — to physically embody the pace, rigidity, and flexibility of each approach. This helped clarify how Agile UX supports emergent learning and rapid pivoting based on user feedback.

Phase 3: Paper Prototyping:

In small teams, students translated insights into low-fidelity concepts using paper interfaces. These sketches and mockups served as rapid, testable expressions of early ideas — echoing Lean UX principles:

• Test early, test often

• Design for outcomes, not outputs

Paper prototypes allowed teams to explore user flows, wireframes, and interface logic before committing to high-fidelity design or development decisions.

Phase 4: Lego-Based 3D UX Modelling:

Building on the paper prototypes, teams moved into tactile prototyping using Lego. This phase invited participants to model their UX concepts in three-dimensional space:

• Interface zones became modular blocks

• User paths were constructed as physical journeys

• Interaction flows became spatialised narratives

This playful-yet-strategic exercise challenged teams to translate abstract digital experiences into tangible, spatial metaphors — deepening their understanding of UX architecture and service touchpoints.

Through collaborative iteration, user needs were mapped physically into 3D systems — bringing together principles of affordance, accessibility, user flow, and hierarchy in unexpected ways.

Insights:

Throughout the session, students practiced not only design ideation but also Agile rituals:

• Daily stand-up style check-ins

• Retrospectives at each phase

• Collaborative role-switching between user, designer, and facilitator

The workshop reinforced that UX is not a phase, but a continuous presence within Agile teams — supporting ongoing discovery, validation, and refinement.

From playful self-portraits to robust Lego ecosystems, the session made space for creativity, critical thinking, and real-world UX agility — all while demystifying how Agile and Waterfall feel when enacted in practice.

Empathy Design for Multi-SCreen Arrays

#UX #XR #Interdisciplinary #Strategy #Research #Course Design #SpatialDesign #SystemsThinking #Innovation #ProjectManagement

Introduction:

This project showcases my interdisciplinary capability in pioneering innovative uses of RMIT’s Virtual Experiences Laboratory (VXLab), specifically by integrating technical development of the advanced tiled display technology within the GOV Lab as an immersive distributed yet synchronised collective co-design expression. Collaborating directly with Dr. Ian Peake, Technical Manager of VXLab, I strategically extended the lab’s media capabilities for XR-enriched industry, creative and educational experiences.

Overview:

Collaborating closely with RMIT VX Robotics Lab manager, Dr. Peake, I proposed and implemented novel methods and use case to the VX Lab’s multi-screen array. My role involved agile project management, technical exploration, and effective communication with stakeholders, including students and technical staff. This approach ensured that creative and educational objectives aligned with existing technical constraints, delivering innovative multimedia experiences.

Summary:

The core objective was to explore and maximize the VX Lab's technical and operational capabilities whilst simultaneous utilising the Lab to demonstrate extended design and social context for overlapping pedagogical and industry collaborations.

The outcome was a suite of custom-developed tools and an immersive audiovisual design exhibition, enabling both technical and creative use of the Lab’s multiscreen array. This facilitated unprecedented creative opportunities for students and extended the technical functionality of the VXLab itself to better serve industry relations by demonstrating:

• System design and testing research for industry partners with complex combinations of systems, design models and tests

• Distributed, collaborative design, prototyping and troubleshooting requiring multiple views of complex data;

• Prototyping and development of novel visualisation networking

• High resolution and live immersive audiovisual rendering of layered image/colour/sound.

Student UX Affective Design Mapping

Composite Empathy/Identity Testing

Audiovisual Affective Production Design Lecture

Deliverables:

Interdisciplinary Design/STEM strategic project modelling

• Interdisciplinary Design/STEM technical/creative design research and course design

• Co-Design, development and deployment of custom tools and methods for ultra-high-resolution multi-screen array integrations.

• Agile management of student learning pathways and project assets within technical resource limitations.

• Innovative integration of advanced A/V technologies into overlapping Design/STEM educational contexts.

• Enhanced immersive multimedia learning experiences above and beyond benchmark standard visual practice.

Behind The Scenes:

Key Insights:

This initiative highlights the effectiveness of interdisciplinary and strategic design thinking in navigating resource constraints to innovate educational technologies. It exemplifies how agile project management and effective communication among interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders can foster significant technological advancement and amplify institutional capacity for Design/STEM integrations as a way to meet evolving industry demands and foster creative education and research innovation.

RMIT Blockchain: Innovation Hub UX

#CX #UX #Fintech #Blockchain #Research #Strategy #Course Design

Introduction:

This project demonstrates my capacities with working as a Blockchain and Fintech focused interdisciplinary researcher and designer. User research and experience design focused generating best practice and critically industry informed course design modules as a practical introduction to creative Blockchain applications.

Overview:

Working collaboratively with RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub I worked autonomously to lead the development of course module materials with emphasis on a smooth user learning experience. The research, design and development focused on providing guidance on simplifying, safely navigating and interacting with complex integrations of Web 2.0 (IP/ISP) and Web 3.0 Fintech (Blockchain) ecosystems.

Deliverables:

My outputs included designing a learning experience that integrated demonstrated design and social context for:

• Blockchain-curious learners who wish to satisfy their interest in understanding how underlying blockchain mechanics facilitates the use of digital assets for minting, tokenomics and trading

• Game designers and Gamers who wish to understand how blockchain disrupts current models for trading digital assets within game environments

• Professional marketers who wish to build applications for creative blockchain campaigns

• Promoters who wish to understand and use blockchain for ticketing and credentials

• Digital artists who wish to build and sell NFTs of their own artwork

• Investors and entrepreneurs who wish to gain financial reward from NFTs  

Key Insights:

This project amalgamated a research and design focus on innovative industry and user integration research to design and social context for digital assets. Learning outcomes focused on:

1. Explain uses and opportunities associated with blockchain and digital asset networks

2. Understand basic tokenomic structures of fungible and non-fungible tokens

3. Perform the necessary steps to mint an digital assets to a blockchain

4. Understand & execute utilities and procedures of blockchain based digital asset mint & transaction

5. Examine and engage with execution of procedures of IP rights & regulations

6. Understand integrations of technical and social jargon within Blockchain communities

7. Identify and interact with an digital asset networks and communities

User Feedback Examples:

Digitising the Capitol Theatre in 360 For Immersive Affective Design Video

#AffectiveDesign #UX #Interactive #SpatialDesign #Research #XREnvironments #360Video #Innovation #ProjectManagement

Introduction

In an era where hybrid cinematic experiences are reshaping audience engagement, this project asked: How can we extend the cultural presence of historically significant venues like the Capitol Theatre into virtual realms, while also enabling student filmmakers to prototype within immersive production environments?

Responding to this challenge, students were embedded within a real-world simulation of a film production studio, assuming professional roles across all stages of the production pipeline. My role as Lecturer involved directing the project while serving as Director of Photography (DOP) and Production Manager — ensuring students navigated both the creative and technical complexities of XR filmmaking.

Overview

Digitising the Capitol Theatre in 360 was an immersive learning initiative that integrated cutting-edge volumetric capture technologies, cinematic storytelling, and extended reality (XR) postproduction workflows. The project formed part of a blended learning pipeline designed to upskill students in emerging media practices through a practice-based research framework. Using the Insta360 Pro 2 camera system, students worked collaboratively to reimagine Melbourne’s iconic Capitol Theatre as an experiential XR canvas.

Project Summary

The workshop unfolded in three distinct but interlinked phases, each designed to scaffold both technical competency and conceptual fluency:

1. Preproduction (Location-Specific)

Students visited the Capitol Theatre to scout the space, develop spatial storyboards, and identify key cinematic perspectives. This phase emphasized production design for 360° capture — a unique challenge requiring spatial choreography and non-linear thinking.

2. Production (On-Site Filming with Insta360 Pro 2)

Using the Insta360 Pro 2, students executed location shoots in 8K stereoscopic video, engaging in:

• Camera rig operation and spatial blocking

• Sound spatialisation and ambient audio capture

• Data wrangling and file management in a multi-terabyte workflow
  Students also learned to convert raw 8K footage to 4K for accessible postproduction editing.

3. Postproduction (Remote/Hybrid)

The final stage explored an innovative technique: embedding students’ standard UHD video projects within the Capitol Theatre’s virtual cinema screen. The result was a layered spatial montage — their own narrative short films premiered inside the virtual Capitol. This simulated the prestige of screening at an iconic venue, while maintaining a fully immersive 360° environment.

Deliverables

• 360° digital twin of the Capitol Theatre interior

• Student-led immersive short films, premiered within a virtual theatre screen

• Collaborative production logbooks documenting roles, workflows, and reflections

• Exported immersive videos suitable for VR headsets and web-based XR platforms

• Practice-based research reflections for each student, focused on role-based learning and spatial design insights

Key Insights

• Spatial storytelling changes how students understand screen direction and audience agency. Working in 360 forced them to think beyond the frame and into spatial experience design.

• Emergent pipelines require interdisciplinary coordination. The film production company model helped students understand the interplay between direction, DOP, postproduction, and digital asset management in new media formats.

• Simulating real-world prestige environments creates affective motivation. The act of ‘screening’ their film within the virtual Capitol theatre had a powerful psychological effect — making the experience tangible and emotionally resonant.

• Blended learning supports real-world readiness. The combination of in-location production and remote post workflows mirrors contemporary XR production pipelines used in the industry.

Digitising the Capitol Theatre in 360 not only introduced students to extended reality filmmaking but also provided a framework for collaboration, creative ownership, and spatial literacy in digital storytelling. The outcome was more than just immersive content — it was a generative learning environment, equipping students to prototype the future of cinema itself.

A Virtual Tour of the Capitol

This is an example of an RMIT alumni student work, Lucy Ryan, that captured a creative approach to an immersive audiovisual tour of the Capitol Theatre. It serves both as documentation and preservation of cultural place/space but also doubled as a medium for designers to explore augmentation and bridging of virtual and physical space in an immersive, interactive and there

Nurobodi Qi Gong – Digital Course Design & Development

#EducationDesign #InstructionalDesign #CourseDevelopment
#CurriculumDesign #LearningExperienceDesign #DigitalLearning
#OnlineEducation #WebDevelopment #FullStackDevelopment
#FrontEndDevelopment #UXDesign #UIUX #ResponsiveDesign

Introduction

Nurobodi Qi Gong – Heart of the Mountain – is a six-week online wellness course I designed and developed to blend traditional Qi Gong practice with a modern digital learning experience​. As both the instructor and technical lead, I built the front-end interface and the full-stack course infrastructure, integrating secure payment processing and an intuitive user experience. The project showcases my unique combination of educational content creation, web development expertise, and user-centered design. It stands as a prime integration of my holistic Qi Gong practice, instructional and education design skills, and my ability to translate complex holistic training program into an engaging online platform for a global audience.

Overview

Nurobodi Qi Gong is part of Nurobodi’s mission to make mind-body practices accessible through technology. The Heart of the Mountain program offers foundational Qi Gong training delivered over six weeks, featuring a rich mix of instructional content and interactive support. Participants receive weekly practice videos covering Qi Gong, Wu Gong, and Wuji Gong exercises (with clear theory and benefits)​. The curriculum also includes transformational intention-setting techniques, advanced routines like the Wuji-Gong “Earth Cycle,” and bonus materials such as Nada Yoga vocal toning exercises and a 15-minute binaural audio meditation track​. To support different learning styles, the course integrates multimedia content – over 90 minutes of high-quality video lessons plus guided audio sessions​ – giving users a comprehensive, immersive experience. The platform was designed for flexibility, allowing learners to engage at home or on the go (mobile-responsive design)​. Overall, the project’s goal was to deliver ancient wellness practices in a clear, user-friendly digital format that encourages consistent practice and personal growth.

Project Summary

Drawing on my 15+ years of Qi Gong practice, I designed a progressive six-week curriculum that built learners' skills incrementally. I wrote lesson notes, filmed and edited demonstration videos, and recorded audio meditations to provide a comprehensive learning experience.

On the technical side, I managed the full web design and development process. I designed the front-end to reflect Nurobodi’s calm and professional brand identity, using serene imagery and clean layouts to create a welcoming user experience. I optimized the interface for simplicity and clarity, ensuring intuitive navigation for users to sign up, log in, and access course materials.

Beyond the interface, I built the full-stack course structure — handling user registrations, course content delivery, and secure payment processing. I integrated an e-commerce system to support one-time payments, discount codes, and automated confirmation emails. I also created a members-only area where students could log in to stream weekly content and download resources.
Throughout, I focused heavily on user experience design: streamlining enrollment, clarifying calls to action, and enabling additional support options such as one-on-one coaching sessions and free consults — all seamlessly embedded into the platform.

This project allowed me to fully align content and technology, creating a smooth and engaging learning journey where the platform structure supported the educational flow at every stage.

Deliverables

• Online Course Platform: Fully responsive web platform for the six-week Heart of the Mountain course, with a public landing page and secure members-only area.

• Curriculum & Multimedia Content: Complete curriculum design including over 90 minutes of video instruction, multiple audio meditations, written theory notes, and downloadable practice materials.

• E-Commerce Integration: Secure payment setup for course enrollment, including discount code functionality and automated onboarding emails.

• User Experience & Visual Design: End-to-end UX design with an emphasis on calm, accessible navigation and mobile responsiveness, styled consistently with the Nurobodi brand.

• Support & Interaction Features: Built-in options for users to schedule 1:1 coaching sessions and consultations, offering personalized learning support beyond the self-paced content.

Key Insights

• Holistic Ownership Improves Quality: Owning both the content and technical development allowed me to ensure a seamless integration between the course material and the platform design. Every element of the experience reinforced the educational goals.

• User Experience is Critical for Online Learning: By prioritizing intuitive navigation and clear structure, I made it easy for learners to stay engaged over six weeks — significantly improving course completion and satisfaction.

• Multimedia Enhances Learning Outcomes: Offering video, audio, and written materials helped support different learning styles, increasing retention and accessibility across a diverse student base.

• Technical and Creative Skills Combined Deliver Stronger Results: The ability to handle design, development, and educational strategy meant I could quickly adapt the platform based on feedback and ensure the entire experience — from marketing to learning — felt cohesive and professional.