Branding & Identity // Product Design // Packaging Design // Research & Development
Services
Photoshop // Illustrator
Tools
Year
2021
The GIST stands for Genuine Intrinsic Self Talk and is a developmental spin on the classic board game, Connect Four. I spent my senior year developing and researching this game in order to help young adult, career-oriented women recognize their self-minimizing thought processes and behavior in order to internally and externally promote their skills, accomplishments, credibility, and confidence.
The GIST
It can be played with up to four achievers. Each will receive their own set of colored blocks with one block each being placed on the foundation prior to the game beginning. The achiever will take turns answering vulnerable and developmental questions from a stack of shuffled cards that feature three categories: ambition, internal, and practical. If the achiever answers the question they place one of their blocks on the foundation, if they choose not to answer they have to take one block off the board and another achiever can take on the question.
The winner of the game is the first achiever to connect four of their colors on the foundation and in the event of a tie, the winner is the achiever who answered the most questions.
Did You Know: "Imposter Syndrome" is the belief that one's accomplishments come through luck, not ability. This psychological experience affects 66% of high-achieving women's abilities to get promotions and opportunities due to not being able to articulate their achievements.
Learning a new language activates intrinsic rewards in our brain like when we’re playing a game. Immersion language uses a student’s bilingual abilities to enhance understanding of the language they aren’t as fluent in, Gamification uses typical elements of game playing, like rewards, challenges, and leveling to other areas of activity, and Motivational Design is the art of making learning appealing without becoming too entertaining.
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So by treating empowering speech as its own language, I’m helping young adult, career-oriented women recognize their self-minimizing thought processes and behavior through a motivationally designed board game in order to internally and externally promote their skills, accomplishments, credibility, and confidence.
Read the full research here.
What's Included
x1 Foundation Piece
x20 Blocks of each color (x80 total)
x33 cards for each category (x99 total)
Practical
Internal
Ambition
Cards in this category refer to technical self-talk. This can be goal setting, to-do lists, social planning, etc.
Cards in this category refer to personal self-talk. This can be affirmations, appearance, talent, etc.
Cards in this category refer to professional self-talk. This can be accomplishments, future goals, skills, networking, etc.
The GIST is speaking
your worth.
My former thesis "hip or happiness is present" was about using feelings and memory to change mentality also through the idea of self-development, but I hit a wall working on it and decide to evolve my concept with more research, but stay in a similar headspace.
self development // mentality // interactive // personal connection
Gamification
Immersion
Language
Motivational
Design
uses typical elements of game playing, like rewards, challenges, and leveling to other areas of activity
uses a student’s bilingual abilities to enhance understanding of the language they aren’t
as fluent in
the art of making learning appealing without becoming too entertaining
The Logo & The Name
The GIST is a direct reference to the definition of the word "Gist" which is the substance or essence of a speech or text or the real point of an action. With the game focusing heavily on the users learning how to speak highly of themselves and speak efficiently with confidence, it felt like the perfect choice. I further pushed the name by turning it into an acronym to make the purpose of the game easier for someone viewing it with no context.
developmental // minimal // light // inviting // tranquil
marketing of colors
Research shows women are not drawn to products that are turned pink just for marketing purposes. They actually gravitate toward the above colors because they promote a tranquil experience and they represent serenity, learning, growth, and reflection.
Career women also live in a fast-paced environment, so I juxtapose colors with their lifestyle to show this isn’t another assignment this is self-development on their own time. No sense of urgency involved.
The design of The GIST is minimal as to focus on the content and language of the game, but is paired with colors that are inviting and relaxing. With a playtime of 10-15 minutes and a base of prior popular games, this also ensures the game is easy to follow, read, and play for a busy person, but offers them a unique experience.
the design
moss green, lilac purple, sand brown, and silver grey
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the foundation is made of hard plastic and wood and is an obvious reference to a pyramid being built block by block as you work your way to the top, a symbol often associated with one climbing higher when working hard on themselves or their life.