Road to Heaven
enable users to embody a fictional character navigating the burnout cycle

Madhu Priya

Project Description

Burnout is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon, yet its gradual onset and subjective nature make it difficult to recognize until critical stages are reached. Running on Empty is an immersive, first-person simulation designed to deepen the understanding of burnout through the lens of Christina Maslach’s five burnout profiles. Using augmented reality and narrative-driven experiences, the project enables users to embody a fictional character navigating the burnout cycle, revealing its psychological and behavioral impacts. By leveraging experiential learning principles, this simulation compresses the burnout timeline, making its progression more identifiable and tangible.

BIO

Madhu Priya is a Product Designer, an ex-Engineer and a storyteller. With experience in designing for digital products such as Windows 11 & 12, Copilot AI, E-commerce and women-centric networking platforms and more. Currently pursuing a M.Des at OCAD, Madhu is deeply interested in Mental Health, Burnout and Speculative Fiction. She also has a deep interest in how things sometimes go right and sometimes go wrong and exploring these possibilities through design.