Purrfect Zero

Empowering Communities Through Interactive Learning for a Greener Tomorrow

Game Design

Installation Making

6 min read

Individual Project

Time

Nov. 2023 - Feb. 2024 

Skills

Field Research, Interviews,

Visual Design, Game Design,

Prototyping, User Testing

Context

Plateau Environment Threatened

Dejia Zero Waste Community

My journey to Sanjiangyuan leads to Dejia community, who is the first zero-waste community on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, pioneering a path towards environmental sustainability in a region known for its ecological significance and vulnerability.

Even though the Dejia community has promoted zero-waste initiatives, I still observed some environmentally unfriendly behaviors. Living in educationally undeserved areas has made it challenging for local residents to fully understand and implement this concept.

Challenge

How can I help residents in the

Dejia community better

understand zero waste principles

and enhance their practices?

The further goal of my design:

  1. Extend this concept to other communities on the Plateau.

  2. Encourage prospective visitors to contribute to the sustainability of the plateau environment.

Solution

Purrfect Zero is an educational game created to bridge environmental ideals with actionable steps, helping the Dejia community adopt zero-waste practices. Players guide a snow leopard, a local symbol, through three key challenges: sorting trash, composting, and repurposing. Designed as a capsule toy machine, the game combines offline accessibility with playful and engaging interactions, making sustainable learning both practical and enjoyable.


I also keep in touch with the community leader, Bajiu. He told me that the game was well-received by the local youth, and they have learned to compost. To date, 72 households have lived more sustainably after learning through the game. He hopes we continue to collaborate with more green stores to facilitate zero waste principles.

Presentation @BUY FOR TWO Charity Store in the Jiangning Community, Shanghai

Research

What is Zero Waste?

Definition by Zero Waste International Alliance(ZWIA)

The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials without burning them and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.


Version 8.0 — Last updated May 19, 2022

Zero Waste in Dejia

Background

Field Research

On my journey, I visited the Dejia Community, talked to the locals, and took photos of their zero-waste practices.

Interview

Later, when I came back home, I had remote interviews with the community leader and a volunteer who had worked there before.

Case Study

Definition by Zero Waste International Alliance(ZWIA)

What they do:

  • Excellent home composting practices.

  • Promote recycling at a circulation store and achieve good profits.

What I learn:

  • Composting is a crucial part of building zero-waste communities.

  • Economic income can boost the development and implementation of zero-waste practices.

Brand Marketing: Charu, Sanjiangyuan

What they do:

This brand has a mature range of products, aiming to introduce Tibetan culture and environmental awareness to a wider audience, thereby supporting the livelihood of herders.

What I learn:

Dejia could collaborate with Charu to promote zero-waste practices to urban residents.

Tibetan Café: SHARDAA TSANG, Shanghai

What they do:

This store sell Tibetan crafts like carpets and handmade soaps.

What I learn:

With visitors coming merely to consume, the store lacks eco-friendly concept in promotion despite its Tibetan elements, .

Define Design Requirements

Design

Design Concept

Promotion

Reach out to city

  • Open to new concepts and embrace innovations in cities like Shanghai

  • High urban consumption and purchasing power

IP design

  • Representative image of Dejia

Educational Games

Interactive & Interesting

  • Learn more about Dejia and zero waste, thus spur people’s desire to buy products.

Cooperate with mature brands like Charu to sell products

  • Quick fame and startup funds for Dejia.

  • Proven business model and e-commerce presence.

    Recognized brand within Tibetan culture circles.

Games for Learning

Empathy in Design

I chose to create a role-playing game rooted in cultural narratives to enhance the player’s sense of identity and belonging. For instance, I drew a snow leopard as the main character, a familiar animal to the herders. Furthermore, I crafted the games’s storyline based on the situations that herders on the plateau often encounter.

Tangible Interaction

WASD

Space

Game Name: Purrfect Zero

It fuses the idea of a 'perfect' zero-waste goal with the comforting and satisfied sound of a snow leopard's 'purr’, reflecting the player's journey as a snow leopard achieving eco-friendly practices.

Game Design

Game Assets

I use a hand-drawn style to create cute designs, selecting features from Dejia and Tibetan culture.

presentation

Develop in Unity

Installation Design

I developed a prototype for the first two levels in Unity, which involved creating frame animations, dialogue systems, UI canvas, level transitions, and game logic coding.

Making Process

Takeaways

Human-Centered Design Through a Cultural Lens

This project taught me how important it is to understand and respect cultural differences. By bringing in local traditions and features, the design felt more relatable and natural for the community. It’s a reminder that empathy isn’t just about listening—it’s about creating something that truly fits people’s lives.

Inspiring Change for the Next Generation

I wanted this project to feel fun and energetic, especially for young people and kids. It’s about showing them how small actions can lead to meaningful change. This aligns with the UN’s goal of “repairing the next generation,” and I hope this design encourages them to take the first step.

The Joy of Giving Back

Helping others is always rewarding. Through this project, I realized how much I enjoy using design to make a difference. It’s not just about solving problems—it’s about creating something that brings value to others and makes the world a little better.

Cover

Context

Challenge

Solution

Research

Design

Takeaways