Forest Friends is an interactive, changing forest at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. The experience, consisting of “windows” located throughout the wing, invites pediatric oncology patients and their families to explore and change the landscape, and calls a magical woodland friend to follow younger patients around as they go through their course of treatment.

As the lead designer for this project, I spearheaded the user research, concept, and visual design of this project. Although the concept of a forest and some of the aesthetic of this interactive was derived from a sister hospital (Nationwide Children’s Hospital) to OSU, the design of the characters and other interactive elements were all original. I also worked closely with Wachtenheim and Marianetti to bring the characters I’d designed to life and ensure that they seamlessly integrated into the software. A major factor in the design of this experience was in creating something that patients could see for 15 days, and still discover new and unexpected things in. I designed the interface to be effective as a passive distraction, and created a parent control to allow staff and parents to prompt young patients to go to the next room with their companion.