59,000 people slept in shelters or on the streets in Los Angeles County last night.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
The issue of housing instability is profound and close to the heart, impacting many, including those in our close circles. This initiative was not merely a creative task but also a means to shed light on an ongoing systemic crisis affecting tens of thousands in Los Angeles alone. HousingSecureDream, our lens, aimed to breathe life into these cold figures by narrating personal journeys of individuals who have grappled with housing instability. We primarily targeted young adults in high school and college who are regular users of Snapchat—a perfect platform to visually raise awareness in a captivating manner. With this in mind, we curated an immersive AR experience driven by empathy, using narrative storytelling to strike a personal chord with users, hoping to nudge them towards taking proactive steps.
Project Date
Jul 22 - Aug 14, 2024
Mikhail Orlov - UX/AR Developer
Johnna Bianchi - Creative Designer
Gloria Ahn - Project Manager
The Challenge
In Los Angeles County alone, 59,000 people slept in shelters or on the streets last night. Statistics like these often fail to resonate emotionally, especially with younger audiences. Our challenge was to break through the barriers of short attention spans and bring to life the harsh realities of homelessness while making the issue approachable and relatable. We wanted users to feel the stories we were telling, not just see them. This meant creating an experience that was not only informative but also emotionally impactful.
Our key constraints included an 8MB file limit for the lens, which required strategic decisions on asset compression without compromising the visual and narrative quality of the lens. We also had to consider accessibility and ensure that our design was inclusive and intuitive for all users, regardless of their experience with AR.
Research & Strategy
Research was a critical part of the project, informing both our content and design decisions. We started with an in-depth analysis of homelessness and housing insecurity in Los Angeles. We also conducted user research with our target demographic, high school and college students, to understand their preferences for content engagement and how they might react to sensitive issues like homelessness. Our research revealed that empathy and emotional connection were key to driving user engagement. We also found that personal stories had a far more significant impact than statistics alone.
This informed our design strategy, leading us to focus on personal narratives that could humanize the issue for our audience. We leveraged both our own experiences and those of people close to us who had faced housing insecurity to ensure authenticity and relatability.
1 in 4 community college students in Los Angeles has faced homelessness. (Source: Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, 2024 report)
Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, 2024 report
Design & Development
Our solution involved developing an immersive AR experience using Lens Studio that incorporated several advanced features to maximize engagement
360-Degree Environment: We used Blender and Adobe tools (including Photoshop’s generative AI features) to create vivid, 360-degree textures of Los Angeles. These acted as dynamic backdrops to the stories being told, placing users in the midst of real environments where homelessness occurs.
Narrative-Driven Scripting: We utilized behavior scripts in Lens Studio that responded dynamically to user movements and environmental inputs. This allowed us to guide users through different scenarios and narratives, enhancing the empathy-building aspects of the lens.
Text-to-Audio AI for Storytelling: We implemented AI-powered text-to-audio conversion to bring real stories of homelessness to life. By hearing these stories while immersed in the AR environment, users could connect emotionally with the experiences of those facing housing insecurity.
Front and Rear Camera Experiences: The lens featured two distinct camera experiences. The rear camera (world lens) focused on visually representing life on the streets, while the front camera experience invited users to see themselves through the lens of empathy. The front camera showed users wearing 3D sunglasses, crafted in Blender, that reflected the scenes they had just witnessed—symbolizing the idea of "seeing through the eyes" of someone experiencing homelessness.
"Homelessness isn’t just statistics—it’s personal. Each of us has experienced housing insecurity, either directly or through loved ones."
User Engagement & Action
We wanted to turn awareness into action. Our lens was designed to engage users beyond just viewing the experience. We included prompts that encouraged users to share their own stories or resources related to housing insecurity, as well as direct calls to action linking them to non-profit organizations like Housing Works. These were organizations dedicated to addressing homelessness, providing users with tools to contribute to meaningful change in their communities.
To extend the impact, we also conceptualized future iterations of the lens that could include interactive elements such as quick access to petitions, resource directories for community college students, and connections to multiple non-profits working in the space.
Results & Insights
Through this project, we not only raised awareness about housing insecurity but also demonstrated the potential of AR as a tool for empathy-building and social impact. Our research and user testing confirmed that personal narratives, combined with immersive AR elements, can have a profound effect on user engagement. We were also able to strike a balance between the gravity of the issue and the need to offer a hopeful perspective, encouraging users to see ways they could make a difference.
For future iterations, we see potential in expanding the interactive features of the lens, such as allowing users to swipe through multiple trusted non-profits or sign petitions directly within the lens. We believe that these additions will further enhance the user experience and help convert empathy into tangible actions that address the issue of housing insecurity.
