Naureen Raza



Hi, my name is Naureen! I’m a third-year Digital Experience Design student at George Brown College, passionate about transforming ideas into accessible digital experiences. I am gaining experience in systems analysis & design, usability testing and storytelling as a Platform & Automation Analyst at EC Studios. I’m eager to take on a product design or UX-related internship to further expand my expertise. Outside of my design career, you can find me in a pilates studio training to be an instructor.



I’m a third-year Digital Experience Design student at George Brown College, passionate about transforming ideas into accessible digital experiences. I am gaining experience in systems analysis & design, usability testing and storytelling as a Platform & Automation Analyst at EC Studios. I’m eager to take on a product design or UX-related internship to further expand my expertise. Outside of my design career, you can find me in a pilates studio training to be an instructor.

NBA Raptors AR Game




PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the NBA Raptors with an interactive Augmented Reality game on TikTok. 
TIMELINE:
November 2024
8 Weeks

MY ROLE:
Product Designer
TEAM:
Naureen Raza
Iris Yu
Eric

TOOLS:
Tiktok Effect House 
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Premiere Pro

THE RAPTORS LEGACY 


The Raptors has been bringing the people of Toronto together for the past 30 years, sharing their love for basketball and the city. The Toronto Raptors, Canada’s only NBA team, was established in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada. 




PROBLEM 


  • Engagement with Younger Audiences: Younger fans are increasingly glued to their phones, resulting in less physical activity and a decline in live sports engagement.
  • Underutilized Community Courts: Despite being central to city life, many of Toronto's community basketball courts are underused, which decreases opportunities for local youth to engage in physical sports.
  • Lack of Localized Experiences: Fans have limited opportunities to interact with the Raptors in their communities, making it harder to maintain long-term fan engagement outside of games.



SOLUTION


The solution was to design an AR game that encouraged physical activity and community engagement by integrating digital gameplay with real-world locations. By scanning QR codes on community basketball nets, users could access the AR filter, where they flicked a virtual basketball into the digital net to earn points. The highest daily scores were entered into a raffle for a chance to win a custom Raptors 30th anniversary jersey.

Key features:

  • QR Code Interaction: Users were prompted to visit local basketball courts and scan the QR code, bridging the gap between digital and physical worlds.
  • AR Basketball Net: The game used AR to display a digital basketball net and scoreboard, creating an immersive experience.
  • Raffle System: Fans who scored the most points were rewarded with a chance to win exclusive Raptors merchandise, fostering competition and engagement.

HOW IT WORKS





RESEARCH & INSIGHTS

Why a basketball game?

Toronto and basketball has grown in the past decade. Key moments such as the NBA All- Star Game hosted in Toronto (2016 ) and the Toronto Raptors Championship win (2019) encouraged Toronto to support the basketball community and sport!

The City of Toronto Basketball Development Plan was proposed in 2016 to build strong and healthy communities by increasing accessibility and availability around Toronto.

in 2015 the City of Toronto provided :
  • 11,000 hrs of drop-in indoor-court access
  • 725 programs with 12,000 registrants
  • Welcome Policy and community centres programs are free and 60% of program registrations were subsidized to no cost for residents
  • Additional 7000 hrs of basketball permits



INITIAL PROTOTYPES





KEY TAKEAWAYS


  • User-Centered Design: The project reinforced the importance of designing experiences that connect digital interactions with real-world behavior. The AR filter was intuitive and simple, motivating users to engage physically while celebrating the Raptors.
  • Increased Engagement through Gamification: The game’s point system and raffle incentivized users to return and interact with the game regularly, ensuring consistent engagement and excitement.
  • Community Impact: The project highlighted the value of creating experiences that encourage fans to engage with their communities. By making basketball courts the focal point, the game directly promoted local participation and outdoor activity.
  • Collaboration: Working with a team of designers, we were able to brainstorm and execute an idea that combined our individual strengths and expertise in UX, AR, and gamification.


FINAL PROTOTYPE





VISUAL SCRIPTING CLOSE UP


TRY THE GAME





FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES 

  • Collaborations with community basketball courts; more access codes across area codes. 
  • Earnable digital raptors memmorabilia that fans can showcase on social media.
  • Live events; tournaments where fans can compete together.