My Reading Academy: Book Player
My Reading Academy: Book Player
My Reading Academy: Book Player
An interactive digital reading interface built to support structured literacy development
An interactive digital reading interface built to support structured literacy development
My Reading Academy (MRA) helps young learners (Pre-K to 2nd grade) master reading and build a strong foundation for reading comprehension and fluency- giving every young learner a personalized pathway.
This adaptive, personalized program provides children with an individualized learning experience and helps empower educators with actionable insight.
My Reading Academy (MRA) helps young learners (Pre-K to 2nd grade) master reading and build a strong foundation for reading comprehension and fluency- giving every young learner a personalized pathway.
This adaptive, personalized program provides children with an individualized learning experience and helps empower educators with actionable insight.
My Reading Academy (MRA) helps young learners (Pre-K to 2nd grade) master reading and build a strong foundation for reading comprehension and fluency- giving every young learner a personalized pathway.
This adaptive, personalized program provides children with an individualized learning experience and helps empower educators with actionable insight.
Role
Role
Experience Designer I
Experience Designer I
Experience Designer I
Duration
Duration
September 2021 - August 2022
September 2021 - August 2022
September 2021 - August 2022
[The Challenge]
[The Challenge]
The MRA legacy product utilized a tradition two-page spread format, which presented a few limitations with our readers in terms of interactivity, adaptivity, and scalability. In addition, educators expressed that it lacked a feature to track student comprehension.
The MRA legacy product utilized a tradition two-page spread format, which presented a few limitations with our readers in terms of interactivity, adaptivity, and scalability. In addition, educators expressed that it lacked a feature to track student comprehension.
The MRA legacy product utilized a tradition two-page spread format, which presented a few limitations with our readers in terms of interactivity, adaptivity, and scalability. In addition, educators expressed that it lacked a feature to track student comprehension.
[The Solution]
[ The Solution]
A sleeker book player experience provided reading content in a dynamic, scalable card-based layout. The adaptive system aligned with educational concepts and modeled advanced reading techniques that students would encounter in later grade levels.
A sleeker book player experience provided reading content in a dynamic, scalable card-based layout. The adaptive system aligned with educational concepts and modeled advanced reading techniques that students would encounter in later grade levels.
[User Testing]
[User Testing]
By speaking to our 1st and 2nd graders, aged 4 to 7, our user research team was able to provide some insightful findings that would help inform early ideas, concepts, and production decisions.
By speaking to our 1st and 2nd graders, aged 4 to 7, our user research team was able to provide some insightful findings that would help inform early ideas, concepts, and production decisions.
By speaking to our 1st and 2nd graders, aged 4 to 7, our user research team was able to provide some insightful findings that would help inform early ideas, concepts, and production decisions.
Possible pain points:
Levels of motivation and engagement can be disrupted by their peers or classroom environment.
Students can be easily distracted or restless if the experience is perceived as too long.
Each book should be the appropriate level for the student and encourage rather than discourage
Possible pain points:
Levels of motivation and engagement can be disrupted by their peers or classroom environment.
Students can be easily distracted or restless if the experience is perceived as too long.
Each book should be the appropriate level for the student and encourage rather than discourage
Possible pain points:
Levels of motivation and engagement can be disrupted by their peers or classroom environment.
Students can be easily distracted or restless if the experience is perceived as too long.
Each book should be the appropriate level for the student and encourage rather than discourage
[User Flow]
[User Flow]
I made an user flow to better visualize the process of beginning and completing a book. This helped me gain more insight on the student’s perspective, determine next steps during the experience , and gain insight on how to support them on completing their goals.
I made an user flow to better visualize the process of beginning and completing a book. This helped me gain more insight on the student’s perspective, determine next steps during the experience , and gain insight on how to support them on completing their goals.
I made an user flow to better visualize the process of beginning and completing a book. This helped me gain more insight on the student’s perspective, determine next steps during the experience , and gain insight on how to support them on completing their goals.
[Simplified UI]
[Simplified UI]
Sleeker book covers with eye-catching typography were created by the art team to better represent diverse topics. The simplified functionality reduced the amount of steps it took to complete a simple task - reducing cognitive load. Core components like buttons and iconography helped with visual feedback during different interactions
Sleeker book covers with eye-catching typography were created by the art team to better represent diverse topics. The simplified functionality reduced the amount of steps it took to complete a simple task - reducing cognitive load. Core components like buttons and iconography helped with visual feedback during different interactions
Sleeker book covers with eye-catching typography were created by the art team to better represent diverse topics. The simplified functionality reduced the amount of steps it took to complete a simple task - reducing cognitive load. Core components like buttons and iconography helped with visual feedback during different interactions
[Key Features]
[Key Features]
Templatized Layouts
This feature was implemented to ease the production process by utilizing templates with standardized layouts to provide guidelines to create a more cohesive and clear visual hierarchy.
Layouts also gave non-designers more flexibility and autonomy when completing their respective tasks.
Templatized Layouts
This feature was implemented to ease the production process by utilizing templates with standardized layouts to provide guidelines to create a more cohesive and clear visual hierarchy.
Layouts also gave non-designers more flexibility and autonomy when completing their respective tasks.
Templatized Layouts
This feature was implemented to ease the production process by utilizing templates with standardized layouts to provide guidelines to create a more cohesive and clear visual hierarchy.
Layouts also gave non-designers more flexibility and autonomy when completing their respective tasks.
Text Features and Infographics
Additional text features like pop-ups and detailed maps with legends were implemented to improve comprehension.
Texture features and supplemental infographics allowed teachers to engage more with their students by asking relevant questions based off the text and imagery.
Text Features and Infographics
Additional text features like pop-ups and detailed maps with legends were implemented to improve comprehension.
Texture features and supplemental infographics allowed teachers to engage more with their students by asking relevant questions based off the text and imagery.
Interactive Quizzes
Great detail was put into creating quizzes that further helped identify gaps in knowledge and highlight any areas within the student’s learning objective that needed more revision.
A competition factor also provided essential motivational benefits to students.
Interactive Quizzes
Great detail was put into creating quizzes that further helped identify gaps in knowledge and highlight any areas within the student’s learning objective that needed more revision.
A competition factor also provided essential motivational benefits to students.
Interactive Quizzes
Great detail was put into creating quizzes that further helped identify gaps in knowledge and highlight any areas within the student’s learning objective that needed more revision.
A competition factor also provided essential motivational benefits to students.
[Accessible Text]
[Accessible Text]
Improvements to accessibility were applied to further create an equitable product for all students and teachers. I followed guidelines stated in WCAG to create two options for highlighting text to provide a better reading experience for those with possible visual impairments. The contrast between background and foreground were tested using a color contrast tester.
Improvements to accessibility were applied to further create an equitable product for all students and teachers. I followed guidelines stated in WCAG to create two options for highlighting text to provide a better reading experience for those with possible visual impairments. The contrast between background and foreground were tested using a color contrast tester.
Improvements to accessibility were applied to further create an equitable product for all students and teachers. I followed guidelines stated in WCAG to create two options for highlighting text to provide a better reading experience for those with possible visual impairments. The contrast between background and foreground were tested using a color contrast tester.
[Outcome]
My Reading Academy is currently being implemented in classrooms nationwide and being used by over 125,000 students from all over the world. I had the honor to travel to a school district in Tallahassee, FL, to observe teachers and students using MRA during their classroom time and tech blocks.
My Reading Academy is currently being implemented in classrooms nationwide and being used by over 125,000 students from all over the world. I had the honor to travel to a school district in Tallahassee, FL, to observe teachers and students using MRA during their classroom time and tech blocks.
My Reading Academy is currently being implemented in classrooms nationwide and being used by over 125,000 students from all over the world. I had the honor to travel to a school district in Tallahassee, FL, to observe teachers and students using MRA during their classroom time and tech blocks.
Overall, students and teachers appeared comfortable navigating the product, and MRA provided the appropriate level of engagement, ease-of-use, and fun.
