Role: Creative Technologist
Overview
Cisco Networking Cloud Puzzle was a gamified digital experience designed for Cisco Live, translating complex cloud infrastructure concepts into a fun and accessible learning format. The project combined UI/UX design and game mechanics to create an experience that simplifies technical content and enhances engagement.
Problem / Purpose
The experience overcomed a common challenge in technology communication: networking and cloud systems are often difficult to understand for non-technical audiences, especially within fast-paced event environments where attention is limited. The game was designed to quickly communicate key ideas behind Cisco’s Networking Cloud in a way that felt intuitive, approachable, and easy to grasp without prior knowledge.
Process
I designed the end-to-end user experience and interface, focusing on how gameplay could reinforce learning. I structured the experience in two stages, beginning with a short series of trivia questions that introduce key concepts in a simple and low-pressure format. Each correct answer rewards the player with extra lives for the main game. The second stage is inspired by Minesweeper, where players uncover tiles to gradually reveal a hidden cloud system while avoiding mines that represent cloud issues or bugs.
I chose this classic game structure to create an immediate sense of recognition and nostalgia, reducing the learning curve and making the experience more inviting for users who may not be familiar with cloud computing. The interaction design translates abstract cloud components into visual elements within the grid, using feedback, motion, and progression to educate players on the complex system behind multi-cloud computing. Through iteration and testing, I refined how gameplay and learning content were integrated so that progression felt natural and meaningful.
Outcome
The final experience seamlessly applied gamified learning to technical topics, with intuitive user interfaces and interactions, and made complex systems accessible and fun.