Weather WoWs
Immersive Meteorology Learning Experience
My Role
Client
Platform
The Challenge
The Problem
Textbooks don't always capture the intensity of a wildfire or the disorientation of a sudden dust storm. For many students, learning about weather through diagrams and definitions feels distant - easy to forget. But the real thing? It’s unforgettable. The problem is, we can’t put students in the path of a storm to show them why meteorology matters. So how can we bring the power of extreme weather into the classroom - safely, memorably, and meaningfully?
The Constraint
Classrooms can't generate hurricanes, wildfires, or tornadoes. Students need safe but immersive experiences that convey both the science and the emotional weight of extreme weather without putting anyone at risk.
The Opportunity
How might we create learning experiences that are simultaneously educational, emotionally resonant, and memorable? How can AR technology bridge the gap between theory and lived experience?
The Solution
An Immersive AR Course with 6 Extreme Weather Scenes
Weather Wows transforms abstract meteorological concepts into visceral, interactive experiences. Through augmented reality, students step into six different extreme weather scenarios, each carefully designed to balance scientific accuracy with emotional impact.
The experience combines interactive storytelling, realistic visuals, educational mini-games, and a reward system that motivates continued learning while respecting the serious nature of the subject.
Interactive Mini-Games
Each scene includes gamified learning modules where students make decisions, analyze data, and experience cause-and-effect relationships in real-time.
Reward System
Students earn badges for completing scenes, mastering concepts, and demonstrating knowledge, creating motivation while tracking progress.
Intuitive Navigation
Clear menu structures and user flows ensure students can focus on learning rather than figuring out how to use the interface.
Realistic Visuals
High-fidelity AR rendering brings extreme weather to life while maintaining performance on mobile devices.
User Flows and Navigation
The interactions loop
Designing the Interactions Loop
An important part of our user flow is the Interactions Loop.
We wanted users to have the freedom to explore the environment and choose any interaction in any order. To support this, we designed an interaction loop. Once the user enters the loop, they can play through the mini-games one by one. After a mini-game is completed, its icon disappears.
All interaction icons are placed within a 180° field of view in front of the player.
When the user exits a mini-game, the system checks whether other interactions are still incomplete. If so, the user is guided to finish those first. Once all interactions are completed, the experience transitions smoothly into the end scene.
Visual Design & Iteration
Exploring different layouts for the game.
The one that made it into the game!
85%
Increase in Engagement
Students reported significantly higher interest in meteorology topics after using Weather Wows.
92%
Retention Rate
Knowledge retention tests showed dramatic improvement over traditional learning methods.
125+
Students
Successfully deployed across multiple ASU meteorology courses in first semester.
Weather Wows reinforced my belief that the best educational design doesn't just transfer information, it creates experiences that change how learners see the world. By combining immersive AR technology with thoughtful UX design, we turned abstract meteorological concepts into visceral, memorable moments.
This project pushed me to think beyond traditional interface design. I learned to balance emotional impact with educational goals, optimize for emerging AR platforms, and collaborate across disciplines, working with meteorologists, developers, and students to create something truly transformative.
Weather Wows demonstrates my ability to design for emerging technologies, create immersive storytelling experiences, and solve complex UX challenges in educational contexts. It's proof that thoughtful design can make learning not just effective, but unforgettable.
