Pickled Worksafe
Pickled is an online game that encourages better safety habits. It’s fun, interactive and builds an understanding of risk that can be applied right away.
Pickled guides users through work site risks in short, 3-minute segments, facilitating faster learning and information retention. To develop this game, we conducted numerous sessions with workers across various industries to gather valuable insights and ensure comprehensive understanding.
Creating the characters
Each character embodies a distinct persona commonly encountered in diverse work settings. It was important that their unique personalities resonate with users.
Using vegetable characters instead of humans serves a dual purpose. Not only does it add a whimsical element to the narrative, but it also mitigates any potential sensitivities that may arise from depicting human-like figures experiencing workplace risks.
Crafting the game
As the lead designer for Pickled.nz, I led the development of the game's user experience and visual identity. Our team focused on UI design, animation, and game development.
I meticulously crafted layouts, navigation, and visual elements for a seamless user journey. Emphasizing a clean, modern aesthetic, I aimed to enhance user engagement and facilitate learning, especially considering the diverse backgrounds of our users, many of whom may have English as a second language. Therefore, we relied heavily on simple messages and clear iconography.
Animating the game
Animation played a pivotal role in bringing the website to life. Using Adobe Illustrator, I designed characters, and After Effects was used for animation. To ensure smooth loading across various devices and network connections, we exported the animations using Bodymovin (Lottie) so they could be embedded on the code.
Scenes and modules
We designed various game modules to address different safety concepts. Our aim was to encourage users to engage and retry without the pressure of winning or losing, so we opted not to include scoring or a win/loss approach.
