Liquid, together with the Renée Crown Wellness Institute (Crown Institute) at the University of Colorado Boulder, have been recognised at the Australian Good Design Awards 2024 for their innovative approach to social and emotional education for young children showcased in the interactive learning app, InsideU.
Winning the Digital Design – Game Design and Animation category, the jury commented:
“InsideU uses Disney and Pixar’s film Inside Out as a foundation for social and emotional learning. The Jury was captivated by its clever and thoughtful design, which leverages engaging content to improve mental and emotional wellness, demonstrating how design can make a meaningful difference in educational resources.”
InsideU is the result of a high-profile global collaboration between the Crown Institute, Liquid, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and Pixar Animation Studios. Created by researchers at the Crown Institute and led by Dr. Sam Hubley, a clinical psychologist and assistant research professor at the Crown Institute, the app provides an innovative approach to social and emotional learning through interactive storytelling and play. Delivered alongside familiar characters and scenes from Pixar’s blockbuster movie Inside Out, InsideU creates accessible emotional education for children in a way that is entertaining and can make a difference later in life.
Following extensive co-design with Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver to determine the content and structure that would be most effective and popular with young users, Dr. Hubley and the Crown Institute turned to Liquid to help bring the experience to life. With over 20 years of experience working with Disney and creating engaging digital learning solutions, Liquid’s learning design, engagement, animation and content expertise complemented the academic rigour and clinical expertise of the Crown Institute team.
Liquid and the Crown Institute worked directly with Pixar Animation Studios to create the platform set in the Inside Out universe, incorporating clips from the film, interactive learning opportunities, and the creative application of social and emotional learning skills to real-world scenarios faced by children.
Released in early 2024, this recognition by the Australian Good Design Awards is testament to the careful consideration of the holistic design approach used in InsideU and the widespread impact it will have on the social and emotional wellbeing of future generations of children.
Sam Daley, Partner at Liquid and lead for the project, stated: “The InsideU team is immensely proud of what we have achieved with this app. We've created a powerful and accessible resource for millions of young people to learn about their emotions and foster better relationships with others throughout their lives. The real magic is what happens in real life, away from the app.”
Dr. Hubley stated: “By combining science, health education and brilliant animation, InsideU helps young people, their educators and their families have more open, frequent and authentic conversations about their emotional lives.”
The app is available for free, with 4 interactive episodes and more planned for release.
Rachel Wye, Managing Director of Good Design Australia, remarked, “This year’s Awards reflect the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. The projects honoured in these Awards exemplify how thoughtful design can drive meaningful change, not only enhancing user experiences and the way people interact with the world, but also contributing to a more sustainable and more prosperous future. The Australian Good Design Awards are proud to recognise the truly inspirational work that is being done across different design disciplines, sectors and industries in Australia and overseas.”
The 2024 Awards highlighted excellence across 12 design disciplines, covering more than 32 categories.
The Awards recognise a diverse range of projects from Australia and abroad, encompassing architectural design, engineering, digital and communication design, and emerging fields such as design strategy, social impact and policy design – a new standalone category introduced in 2024.
This year's entries were rigorously evaluated by more than 80 distinguished jurors from around the globe, including designers, engineers, architects and industry leaders.
The evaluation process focused on three core criteria: Good Design, Design Innovation and Design Impact, ensuring that each winner demonstrated outstanding design quality and effectiveness. The Awards showcase the best in design, reaffirming the critical role design plays in shaping a better, more sustainable future for businesses and society alike.
“The Australian Good Design Awards celebrate the transformative power of design in solving complex business, environmental and societal challenges. This year's winners showcase how design can help drive innovation, generate growth and embed sustainability principles,” Ms. Wye added.
With its roots dating back to 1958, the Australian Good Design Awards, is the country’s most prestigious international accolade for design and innovation. As the Awards mark another year of excellence, they continue to reflect the rich heritage and future potential of Australian and international design.
Ms Wye concluded, “We are honoured to celebrate this year’s Winners, whose work not only represents design excellence, but also inspires future designers, architects and innovators. These projects stand as a testament to the power of good design and its ability to make a significant, positive impact in our world.”
At the Renée Crown Wellness Institute, our mission is to create a world where every young person thrives supported by caring relationships and inner resources needed for a lifetime of wellness. Our vision invites many disciplines, perspectives, and people to come together to co-design and study transformative practices, programs, and policies that promote wellness across the lifespan. We partner with children and youth, families and communities, and educators recognizing that the wellness of young people is deeply interconnected with the wellness of the systems and adults who support them.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver changes lives. From the first day of kindergarten through high school graduation, we help kids succeed in school, develop good character and citizenship, and live healthy lives. At 27 neighbourhood Clubs and our summer camp in Ward, CO, we provide our members with safe, supportive, fun, and enriching environments that inspire and empower them to achieve their greatest potential.