Houlin Pan
(he/him)
Hi, I am a game designer and developer. I want to use games to explore real-world experiences and contemporary issues. I enjoy combining visual design and gameplay mechanics to create interactive experiences that encourage players to think, reflect and engage with a topic in a different way.
FOCUS: A Game Exploring Attention Fragmentation in Digital Work
FOCUS is a serious game project exploring attention fragmentation in digital work environments. As digital work increasingly involves emails, notifications, multiple browser windows and frequent task switching, attention can be repeatedly redirected between competing sources of information.
The project investigates how these often unnoticed experiences can be represented through interactive game mechanics. In FOCUS, players complete simple computer-based tasks such as organising files, typing and closing browser windows. As the game progresses, interruptions and information demands gradually increase, making it more difficult for the player to maintain concentration and complete familiar tasks.
Rather than simply explaining attention fragmentation through text or statistics, the game allows players to experience a designed representation of digital interruptions themselves. The project aims to make these everyday patterns more noticeable and encourage players to reflect on how digital working environments may affect their own attention, mental tiredness and working habits.