Design experiences for audience participation can be categorized in various ways depending on the level of interaction, the number of participants, and the nature of the experience. These categories can overlap, and many experiences might incorporate elements from more than one category to create a rich, multifaceted interaction for participants.

1. Communal Experience:
   • Designed for multiple participants simultaneously.
   • Encourages group interaction and shared experiences.
   • Examples: Interactive installations where everyone contributes to a collective outcome, such as collaborative art projects or communal VR experiences.
2. Solo or One-Person Experience:
   • Tailored for individual engagement.
   • Focuses on personal reflection, immersion, or interaction.
   • Examples: VR experiences designed for a single user, interactive storytelling, or personal sound installations.
3. Collaborative Experience:
   • Involves participants working together towards a common goal or outcome.
   • Often requires communication and teamwork.
   • Examples: Group problem-solving games, co-creation in digital spaces, or interactive theater where the audience contributes to the narrative.
4. Interactive Spectator Experience:
   • Participants observe and interact passively or with minimal involvement.
   • Allows for controlled interaction without full immersion.
   • Examples: Responsive light installations where the presence of an audience affects the outcome, or interactive screens that react to movement.
5. Immersive Experience:
   • Fully engages participants, often blurring the line between reality and the experience.
   • Can be either communal or individual.
   • Examples: Immersive theater, 360-degree video experiences, or interactive rooms that change based on user input.
6. Sequential Experience:
   • Designed for participants to engage one after another, often affecting subsequent experiences.
   • Creates a chain of interaction where each participant's input influences the next.
   • Examples: Relay-style interactive games, or sequential storytelling installations.
7. Exploratory Experience:
   • Participants explore a space or narrative at their own pace.
   • Often non-linear and allows for personal discovery.
   • Examples: Interactive exhibits in museums, or augmented reality experiences in outdoor spaces.
8. Competitive Experience:
   • Involves participants competing against each other or the system.
   • Encourages a sense of challenge and achievement.
   • Examples: Interactive games with leaderboards, or timed challenges in digital environments.