Starbright
Product Design | Visual Design | Prototype
A mobile app empowering kids and parents to learn English together through engaging, tailored lessons.
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
3 months
Tools
Figma
Illustrator
Procreate
Contributions
UX Research
Concept Ideation
Branding
Rapid Prototyping
Project Overview
Starbright is a semester-long capstone project over an innovative mobile application that promotes enhanced learning for children and parents interested in studying English. While learning English, the objective of the application is to balance gamification with enriching, tailored lessons to help keep children engaged.
About
Design Process
01
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
Existing platforms don't meet both kids' learning needs and parents' desire to be involved.
Confronting the Problem
Challenge
Traditional language learning methods can often be dull and lack engagement, especially for young learners. Parents struggle to find effective tools that not only teach English but also keep their children excited about learning.
02
RESEARCH
Secondary Research
Research Process
To fully understand the scope of the problem, I did a deep dive into the world children’s English learning and parental involvement. This section explores my journey of discovery, from user personas to competitive analysis, as I shaped the foundation of the app for an ideal learning platform.
After researching several studies on the correlation between video games and children’s literacy levels, the studies have all led to the same conclusion that the games can stimulate their cognitive abilities and early development literacy skills.
Games DO Enhance Literary Skills
Interviews & Surveys
Reviewing Insights
In order to grasp a greater knowledge on the demographic of the app, I conducted interviews and a survey that gathered several responses from both children interested in English learning games and parents who wanted to further their children’s knowledge.
What activities do you find the most fun for learning English?
For the Children
Playing games
52%
Reading together
24%
63%
Games
Stories
45%
Videos
30%
Songs
22%
Other
10%
What [features] motivate you to learn English?
Progress Tracking
34%
Rewards/Badges
46%
Challenges
20%
What kind of help do you like from your parents when you’re learning English?
Explaining difficult questions/words
24%
For the Parents
of parents believe that it’s important to be able to track their children’s progress
of parents dedicate roughly around 1-2 hours a week to help their children learn English
of parents find that time is their biggest constraint when it comes to supporting their children’s learning
Research
Key Insights
After conducting comprehensive interviews, surveys, and research, I synthesized key insights into the preferences, challenges, and desires of both children and parents. These insights provide a holistic view of the landscape, highlighting the diverse needs and motivations of our target users.
Progress Visibility 📈
Providing progress tracking features is essential for parental involvement and support.
Gamification and Engagement 🕹️
Children respond positively to gamified elements, indicating the importance of incorporating rewards, games, and activities.
Personalization 🖼️
Tailoring lessons to children's interests and learning styles is key for engagement and motivation.
Parental Involvement 👩👧👦
Supporting parents with tools that fit into their busy schedules and encourage collaborative learning experiences can enhance the app's impact.
Understanding the Market
Competitive Analysis
Key Insights
Opportunities for Improvement
Enhanced Parental Involvement
Provide detailed progress reports, goal-setting features, and at-home activity recommendations for parents
01
Multimodal Learning Approaches
Incorporate a variety of learning modes to cater to different learning styles and enhance retention and engagement
02
Based on the competitive analysis between the existing apps on the market, they shared characteristics that provide a foundation for understanding industry standards and user expectations in English learning platforms.
Comprehensive Content Variety
Offer a wide range of content, including phonics, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and writing skills
03
By synthesizing these insights, Starbright can differentiate itself from competitors by providing an engaging, comprehensive, and user-friendly English learning platform that actively involves parents and supports children's ongoing development.
Defining the Users
Personas
Alyssa
Mother, 35 years old
Marketing manager
“I want my child to enjoy learning English while making progress. Being involved is important to me.”
Frustrations
Limited time due to work commitments
Unsure about how to make English learning engaging for her child
Needs
Tools to track her child's learning progress
Recommendations on how to support her child's English learning at home
Elodie
Daughter, 8 years old
Student
“Learning English is more fun when it feels like playing a game!”
Frustrations
Easily gets bored with repetitive lessons
Finds it hard to concentrate on traditional learning materials
Needs
Engaging and interactive English learning activities
Fun and rewarding experiences to stay motivated
03
IDEATION
Wireframes
Low-Res Wireframes
04
DESIGN
Visual Identity
Brand Style Guide
Design Solutions
Final High-fidelity Design
Personalized Onboarding
These screens showcase the app's splash screen and onboarding process, introducing personalization through two example questions. By selecting topics of interest, students can tailor their learning experience for a more engaging and focused journey.
The dashboard plays a key role in keeping both parents and students engaged. By visualizing learning milestones and achievements, it empowers users to stay motivated and informed about their educational journey.
Process Insights
Engaging Learning Games
Different game types cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring that each child stays motivated and excited about their progress. A mix of activities helps prevent boredom and enhances the overall learning experience.
This playful animation reinforces positivity by celebrating small wins, boosting the user’s sense of accomplishment. Positive reinforcement like this encourages students to stay motivated and excited about their learning progress
Celebrating Achievements
Daily Challenges
By offering a new task each day, it keeps students engaged, motivates them to return to the app regularly, and helps build a daily learning habit. The challenge fosters a sense of routine and progress, making learning feel dynamic and rewarding.
This section showcases static designs of the Profile Page, Discover Page, and Leaderboard Page. These screens highlight essential features that support user engagement, personalization, and a sense of community within the app.
They contribute to ensuring both students and parents can easily navigate and stay motivated.
Additional Key Screens
REFLECTION
Final Thoughts
Reflection
Working on this project allowed me to deepen my understanding of designing for diverse user needs, balancing engaging elements with educational value. The process reinforced the importance of user research and iterative design, showing me how real-world insights can lead to more user-friendly outcomes. I learned the value of balancing aesthetics with functionality and the impact of clear communication in guiding users effectively. These experiences have not only strengthened my design skills but have also prepared me to approach future projects with a more user-centered, adaptable mindset.