Project Overview
For the NRF 2020 Vision Show in New York City, IBM partnered with George P. Johnson to create an engaging, hands-on installation that would demystify IBM Cloud for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). As Art Director and Designer, I led a cross-disciplinary team in bringing the concept to life—from ideation to delivery—all within an ambitious 6-week timeline.
My Role
Art Direction & UI/UX Design
Cross-functional team leadership (UX, 3D, PM, CD)
Collaboration with animation studio Koffeecup
Design system and motion direction for all screens
The Challenge
IBM wanted to demonstrate how its cloud solutions could be personalized to help SMEs scale and innovate. The experience had to:
Feel approachable, intuitive, and immersive
Communicate complex tech benefits through tangible storytelling
Create a memorable experience that captured user data for future engagement
Creative Concept
We designed the IBM Dream Store—an interactive, touch-based installation where users could build their own ideal retail store, learning how IBM Cloud could support their unique business needs at every step.
The flow was designed to feel playful, tactile, and meaningful—blending physical interaction with responsive digital content.
Experience Design
RFID Onboarding
Visitors began by placing a ceramic RFID object onto a reader, activating the experience.
Interactive Store Builder (32” Touchscreen)
Users were guided through a journey of style, size, color, and capability customizations, with each decision reflecting how IBM’s solutions could fit their specific business model.
Real-Time Visual Feedback (42.5” Display)
Selections triggered animated visualizations, built in collaboration with Koffeecup, showing how IBM’s technologies support different aspects of retail operations—from supply chain optimization to customer engagement.
Final Reveal (65” Attractor Screen)
At the end, users launched their dream store into a dynamic “world of stores”—a large screen animation that displayed all visitor creations in a shared digital environment.
Outcomes
The installation was a highlight of IBM’s NRF 2020 presence, drawing steady engagement across the show.
The tactile, story-driven interface helped simplify complex technology messaging for a broad audience.
Data collected from each session provided IBM with valuable insights into SME priorities and preferences.
Impact
This project showcased how immersive experience design can humanize tech storytelling. It translated cloud infrastructure into a personal, user-driven narrative—bridging the gap between enterprise-scale services and individual customer needs.
ClientGeorge P. JohnsonServicesArt Direction & Design
