In collaboration with The Strong: National Museum of Play, our team of six designers and three developers was tasked with creating a game show inspired exhibit to serve as a creative prototype for the museum’s upcoming 2027 exhibit, Beyond the Buzzer, which explores the history of game shows. Together, we developed Eye on the Prize, an interactive and fast paced memorization game designed for up to three players simultaneously.
Challenge
Our primary challenge for this project was designing a game show style exhibit inspired by 'Simon Says,' where players memorize a sequence of shapes and repeat them to earn points. Key difficulties included constructing three wooden podiums, each with four distinct buttons, and developing a cohesive visual style based on our host, Simon. An additional layer of complexity came from coordinating as a team, which pushed us to communicate clearly, stay aligned, and support each other's contributions throughout the process.
Results
Imagine RIT, a large campus-wide event that draws thousands of visitors each year, was a huge success for our team. Around 900 people walked through our exhibit, with lines forming throughout the day and wait times reaching up to 30 minutes. Both adults and children were able to quickly understand and enjoy the game, especially after watching the short onboarding video at the start. Representatives from The Strong: National Museum of Play visited our exhibit and were thrilled with the final result.
Process
Research & Analysis: Our project began with a four week ideation phase where we developed three distinct and carefully planned game concepts for The Strong National Museum of Play. We pitched ideas, explored visual directions for each host, and fully mapped out how all three game concepts would play.
Pitch To The Strong: After reviewing all three concepts, the museum chose the one that became our final exhibit, Eye on the Prize. They loved its focus on memorization, its appeal to all age groups, and the interactive format with three game show podiums for multiple players.
Prototype: Over the next five weeks, we collaborated to develop visual assets, finalize the host, design the logo, and establish a cohesive visual style. We also built a functional cardboard prototype podium to test gameplay and avoid issues before constructing the wooden versions. At this stage, it only supported one player, and The Strong was very impressed with our progress and loved the direction we took the project.
Final Design: In the final weeks before Imagine RIT, we finalized the onboarding experience and host animations so Simon could speak to players and react to their performance. We refined the visual style, introduced our characters Heartly, Eppee, and Teebee with custom animations, and reworked some key design elements. We also built three wooden podiums, created 3D printed buttons, and connected everything with Arduinos for full functionality.
Imagine RIT: Our exhibit was a standout at Imagine RIT, drawing steady crowds and keeping visitors engaged throughout the day. Nearly 900 people played the game, with some waiting up to a half hour for their turn. The Strong was enthusiastic about the final product and impressed by how well it connected with a wide audience.
Social Media
The Team
The Exhibit
Conclusion
Eye on the Prize was a rewarding blend of creativity, collaboration, and hands on problem solving. From pitching early concepts to building the final exhibit, our team worked closely to create a fun and accessible game show experience. We combined design, animation, and physical prototyping while staying open to feedback and refining every detail. Working as a team was one of the most valuable parts of the process, and I genuinely loved the energy and support we shared throughout the project. Seeing so many people enjoy our work at Imagine RIT, and hearing such positive feedback from The Strong, made it all incredibly fulfilling.
