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PandaPro was a school project developed from start to finish, encompassing research, design, and full coding to create a fully functional app.
PandaPro is a fun, interactive app for kids that inspires creativity and learning through engaging animal-themed minigames. From artistic animal drawings to vocabulary-boosting sound games, PandaPro turns playtime into a world of adventure and discovery!
Many educational apps fail to engage children, making learning uninteresting. Parents need resources that both entertain and support developmental skills, combining play with education in a fun, creative way.
I conducted an ethnographic observation session of a 2nd grade classroom using the 5 Human Factors observation framework to gather some insights on how children interact with systems, products, and a learning envrionment. I was able to garner some valuable insights that would inform my design choices.
The next step in the development process was to create a user flow diagram for one of the proposed minigames to identify pain points, streamline processes, and optimizing navigation.
Based on real people in my life, I created 2 user personas to help me empathize wit hthe users and guide design choices that better cater to the audience.
I started the wireframing process by making low-fidelity paper prototypes. Paper prototypes allowed for rapid iteration with low-commitment. I sketched out some basic layout ideas, focusing on the structure of the information rather than colour and typography.
After making some adjustments and additions to the low-fidelity paper prototypes, I illustrated all my drawings in Adobe Illustrator. Using these illustrations, I made a hi-fidelity mockup of the wireframes in Figma.
During the early stages of the development process, I realized that the API I had chosen to support the app didn't include images or icons of the animals, which was nessecary for the minigame. To combat this, I decided to redesign the minigame and switch to a data source that provided icons and sounds instead.
Introducing, PandaPro! It is an interactive educational app, offering a variety of engaging minigames. The app combines fun with learning, helping children develop essential skills like creativity, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fine motor skills through playful minigames.
Pick your animal themed creative minigame!
Unlock the power of play! Listen to animal sounds, guess the animal using voice input, and unlock surprises with every correct answer. A helpful hint system ensures learning and satisfaction.
In this interactive painting game, you’ll receive a random animal prompt. Use the vibrant color palette to bring your creation to life. When you’re done, save your masterpiece and keep the fun going with a new surprise every time!
Designing this web app from start to finish provided me with valuable insights into research-informed design decisions. It was my first experience designing for a young audience, and the research I conducted beforehand guided my choices and gave me a solid foundation. The project successfully achieved its goal of creating an educational app that is both engaging and fosters creativity.
