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Designing intuitive learning experiences for early readers

Created a vocabulary game from scratch, redesigning interactions to reduce confusion and support independent learning through guided feedback.

Timeline 

8 Week Design Sprint
(February – April 2025)

Role 

Product Designer (0 → 1)

Tags 

0 → 1
EdTech
Interaction Design
Back

Designing intuitive learning experiences for early readers

Created a vocabulary game from scratch, redesigning interactions to reduce confusion and support independent learning through guided feedback.

Timeline 

8 Week Design Sprint
(February – April 2025)

Role 

Product Designer (0 → 1)

Tags 

0 → 1
EdTech
Interaction Design

IMPACT METRICS

2 usability tests (with iterative interaction improvements)

↑ 100% task completion across 2 usability tests
↓ Misclick rate reduced from ~77% to ~33%
↑ Improved usability score after redesign
↓ Reduced incorrect interactions during gameplay

Pirate Word Hunt is a vocabulary learning experience designed for early readers.

However, children struggled to navigate interactions independently and often relied on external guidance.

Players struggled to understand what to do, demonstrating:

• Hesitation at the start of tasks

• Confusion during sorting interactions

• Reliance on hints to progress

Making the first action obvious

Children struggled to understand how to begin and what actions meant during gameplay.

I redesigned onboarding with clearer prompts and guided cues to make the first interaction immediately understandable.
Reduced hesitation at the start of tasks

Clarifying what actions mean

Sorting and spelling tasks were not immediately intuitive.

I refined instructions and visual cues to make actions clearer and reduce confusion during interactions.
Reduced confusion during interactions

Supporting learning through guidance

Children needed more support when completing reflection tasks.

I introduced structured prompts and examples to guide responses.
Improved response quality

Reinforcing engagement through rewards

Players responded strongly to rewards and progression.

I strengthened feedback and reward systems to encourage continued interaction.
Increased engagement and motivation

Structuring the experience through a repeatable flow

The experience follows a loop of discovery, interaction, feedback, and reward — designed to support learning through repetition while maintaining engagement.

reflection

Pirate Word Hunt taught me that clarity is critical when designing for learning.

• It’s not just about content — it’s about how interactions guide understanding and build confidence.