Context
2 month project in 2015
Project Type
Apple Developer Academy challenge
Role
Project manager, design researcher, information architecture
Team
Maria Seves, Meyrele Torres, Tamyres Freitas
Shooting for the Stars: Encouraging Reading through Technology
📚 How can we use technology to encourage reading?
My Galaxy was born from the idea of using tablets to bring interactive experiences for children that could provide educational gains. We aimed to create an engaging and informative app for children in the early stages of learning to read. Through extensive research, development, and testing, we successfully developed an iOS app called MyGalaxy that allows children to discover our solar system and learn about its fascinating celestial bodies.
Key Insights
📖 Reading interest amongst children
During our interviews, we discovered that many children had lost interest in traditional books. We aimed to provide an alternative that would be entertaining and informative, introducing children to the joy of reading.
Impacts
📱Over 2,000 downloads for iPads
Upon launching, the app quickly gained popularity, receiving over 2,000 downloads and earning a 5-star rating on the App Store. As one of the first apps to use 3D models, it capitalized on the increasing popularity of iPads in Brazil.
The Creative Process
🕵🏻♀️ Research goals
At the beginning of the project, our research aimed to understand children's reading habits and preferred subjects. We conducted interviews with parents and educators and visited multiple bookstores to gather insights. Our focus was on children who were learning to read and write.
🎤 Interviews
During the interviews, we explored the following questions:
- Are you comfortable letting your children play with a tablet or electronic device?
- What types of apps do you allow your kids to use?
- Which are their favourite apps?
- Is your child interested in reading? What genres or topics do they enjoy?
- What is your child's favourite topic?
💡 Insights
Through our interviews, we discovered that most parents allowed their children to use tablets, but they preferred educational apps. Surprisingly, only about 20% of the interviewed parents mentioned their children's interest in reading.
Based on the results, our team decided to create an app that would present information and written content fun and stimulatingly. We chose the Solar System as our theme due to its popularity among children and its potential for future expansion, including sections on multiple stars, black holes, astronauts, and spaceships.
Wireframes
Using the insights gathered from our research, we began defining the elements that would be part of our app. We created wireframes to visualize the three main functionalities: the initial app screen, the universe screen, and specific planet screens.
User Flow
The user flow within the MyGalaxy app includes:
- Opening the app reveals an animated display of the sun and revolving planets, providing an engaging introduction to the solar system.
- From the main screen, users can easily navigate to the universe screen to explore different planets.
- Tapping on a planet opens a dedicated screen with a general description and fun facts.
- Users can engage with a special "selfie" mode, which offers a 3D model of the planet's surface so they can observe it from different angles.
- Thoughtfully designed user flows ensure a seamless and immersive experience as users discover and learn about the wonders of our solar system.
Visual Design
Our approach to designing the MyGalaxy app aimed to create an immersive and educational experience for children, capturing the awe-inspiring beauty of our solar system. Inspired by real pictures from NASA, the design showcases three key aspects:
- Engaging Environment: We crafted a playful and visually captivating atmosphere, where each celestial body's patterns, derived from NASA photos, transport users into a world of wonder.
- Optimal Format: The landscape layout was chosen to present the abundant information effectively. Exclusive screens for each planet feature a "selfie" of the planet, fun facts, and a general description, enabling users to explore and learn about each celestial body.
- Interactive Exploration: Through the special "selfie" mode, users can interact with 3D models of the planets' surfaces. Manipulating the models offers different perspectives and variations, facilitating an immersive and interactive learning experience.
By combining aesthetics with educational content, our design inspires curiosity and engagement, transforming the exploration of the solar system into an enjoyable and enriching journey for young learners.
User Testing
Before launching the app, we conducted user testing with children aged 5 and 6 years old. Our primary goal was to observe their interactions with the main screen and gather feedback. The key questions we sought to answer were:
- Did the children pay attention to the fun facts? Was it easy for them to grasp the information?
- Which sections of the app did they engage with the most?
The children enjoyed playing with the animation of the planets orbiting around the sun. Their favourite feature was observing the planets in 3D using the "selfie" mode. However, they have shown more interest in the detailed planet profiles, focusing more on the fun facts. Based on this feedback, future updates should consider revising the amount of written content and its presentation.
Reflections & Lessons Learned
This was my first completed project, from ideation to development and launch. To provide an optimal interactive experience for our target audience, we decided to launch the app exclusively for iPads. The app received over 2,000 downloads during its availability on the App Store and even appeared in the top 100 highlights.
🤔 Advice for my future self
- Conducting research with parents was a valuable step, but more extensively involving the target audience would have been even better.
- User testing should be an ongoing process throughout the entire design cycle to identify and address areas for improvement.