Monkey Hunt
Designing a Playful Experience Through Intentional Structure
A self-initiated exploration that evolved into a structured experience system.
By mapping 88 artworks and designing constraint-based distribution logic, I transformed curiosity into coordinated discovery. This project demonstrates how thoughtful structure enables joyful interaction.
Context
Self-Initiated Systems Experiment
My Role
Experience & System Designer
Location
Upper Thomson MRT station
Scope
Research, Dataset Creation, Rule Engine Design, Live Operations, Scoring Logic
Overview
Monkey Hunt began as a simple idea — explore the artwork Lost in Our (Concrete) Jungle with friends. There was no official list of monkeys, no guide, no way to track them meaningfully. What started as play quickly revealed a systems problem.
The challenge
How do you design fairness in physical space — without digital infrastructure?
Without structure: teams cluster in the same zones. Easier monkeys dominate scoring. Movement stalls. Confusion interrupts flow. The goal was not complexity — it was clarity.
Key risks without design
Risk 01
Spatial clustering
Teams gravitating to the same zones, causing congestion
Risk 02
Scoring imbalance
Easy monkeys dominating, harder ones ignored
Risk 03
Participant disadvantage
Some teams feeling the distribution was unfair
Risk 04
Verification chaos
No clear process for confirming finds in real time
Research & dataset
Before designing the experience, I designed the system
LTA shared illustration materials, but no indexed documentation of monkey locations existed. I conducted a full on-site reconnaissance and built a structured Excel dataset from scratch.
- 88 monkeys documented
- 4 zones categorised
- Adjacency mapped
- Difficulty tagged
Live day operations
No app. No automation. Just intentional structure.
Execution included a 3-minute participant briefing, individualised team scorecards, and artwork reference sheets. A dedicated Game Master managed verification throughout.
Role of AI
Human-defined architecture, AI-accelerated validation
The distribution constraints were human-defined. AI was used to simulate combinations, detect adjacency conflicts, and ensure Multi? separation — reducing manual error without replacing design judgment.
Reflection
“Good experience design isn't about adding complexity. It's about arranging conditions so interaction feels natural. Structure protects delight.”
Whether designing enterprise workflows or physical activities, the principle remains consistent: clarity supports confidence, and structure enables freedom.
