Mavo
Mavo
Mavo
The Moment a Voice Turns Into Connection
The Moment a Voice Turns Into Connection
The Moment a Voice Turns Into Connection
Individual Project
Individual Project
Individual Project
Role: Product designer(research, UX design, prototyping)
Role: Product designer(research, UX design, prototyping)
Role: Product designer(research, UX design, prototyping)
DURATION
DURATION
DURATION
Jun 2024
Jun 2024
Jun 2024
TOOLS
TOOLS
Figma, ProtoPie
Figma, ProtoPie
Project Overview
Project Overview
Project Overview
Mavo is a word-learning experience for non-verbal children designed around emotional familiarity.
Children responded more to caregivers’ voices and their own drawings, but often stayed within favorite cards.
Mavo is a word-learning experience for non-verbal children designed around emotional familiarity.
Children responded more to caregivers’ voices and their own drawings, but often stayed within favorite cards.
Mavo is a word-learning experience for non-verbal children designed around emotional familiarity.
Children responded more to caregivers’ voices and their own drawings, but often stayed within favorite cards.
By adding storytelling-based interaction cues such as subtle animations and a friendly character inviting exploration, voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards in usability testing.
By adding storytelling-based interaction cues such as subtle animations and a friendly character inviting exploration, voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards in usability testing.
By adding storytelling-based interaction cues such as subtle animations and a friendly character inviting exploration, voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards in usability testing.
What’s the problem?
What’s the problem?
What’s the problem?
Engagement dropped by over 40% with robotic voices and generic visuals
Engagement dropped by over 40% with robotic voices and generic visuals
Engagement dropped by over 40% with robotic voices and generic visuals
Non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged with existing word-learning tools that rely on generic voices and text-based prompts.
Non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged with existing word-learning tools that rely on generic voices and text-based prompts.
Non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged with existing word-learning tools that rely on generic voices and text-based prompts.
The design needed to translate these emotional triggers into an adaptive learning interface.
The design needed to translate these emotional triggers into an adaptive learning interface.
The design needed to translate these emotional triggers into an adaptive learning interface.
What’s the solution?
What’s the solution?
What’s the solution?
Learning the first word—not from a machine, but from a familiar’s voice.
Learning the first word—not from a machine, but from a familiar’s voice.
Learning the first word—not from a machine, but from a familiar’s voice.
Non-verbal children often disengage from text-based tools that rely on synthetic speech.
Observation showed that children responded more to caregivers’ familiar voices and felt stronger attachment to their own drawings, which encouraged speech attempts.
Mavo builds on this insight by combining caregiver-recorded voices with child-created visuals, turning word practice into an emotionally safe and playful learning experience rather than a task-driven exercise.
Non-verbal children often disengage from text-based tools that rely on synthetic speech.
Observation showed that children responded more to caregivers’ familiar voices and felt stronger attachment to their own drawings, which encouraged speech attempts.
Mavo builds on this insight by combining caregiver-recorded voices with child-created visuals, turning word practice into an emotionally safe and playful learning experience rather than a task-driven exercise.
Non-verbal children often disengage from text-based tools that rely on synthetic speech.
Observation showed that children responded more to caregivers’ familiar voices and felt stronger attachment to their own drawings, which encouraged speech attempts.
Mavo builds on this insight by combining caregiver-recorded voices with child-created visuals, turning word practice into an emotionally safe and playful learning experience rather than a task-driven exercise.
Discovery & Insight Synthesis
Discovery & Insight Synthesis
Discovery & Insight Synthesis
Understanding why others failed
Understanding why others failed
Understanding why others failed
I analyzed existing AAC and word-learning tools to understand why non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged over time.
I analyzed existing AAC and word-learning tools to understand why non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged over time.
I analyzed existing AAC and word-learning tools to understand why non-verbal children struggle to stay engaged over time.
Most tools rely heavily on text-to-speech repetition and structured prompts, prioritizing communication output over emotional input.
While these apps support word recognition, they often fail to create emotional connection or intrinsic motivation to express.
Most tools rely heavily on text-to-speech repetition and structured prompts, prioritizing communication output over emotional input.
While these apps support word recognition, they often fail to create emotional connection or intrinsic motivation to express.
Most tools rely heavily on text-to-speech repetition and structured prompts, prioritizing communication output over emotional input.
While these apps support word recognition, they often fail to create emotional connection or intrinsic motivation to express.
competitive analysis
competitive analysis
competitive analysis
Competitive analysis showed that many tools were functionally complete but emotionally distant.
Voice feedback and visuals were largely generic, offering little opportunity for personalization or emotional attachment.
Competitive analysis showed that many tools were functionally complete but emotionally distant.
Voice feedback and visuals were largely generic, offering little opportunity for personalization or emotional attachment.
Competitive analysis showed that many tools were functionally complete but emotionally distant.
Voice feedback and visuals were largely generic, offering little opportunity for personalization or emotional attachment.
From findings to design opportunities
From findings to design opportunities
From findings to design opportunities
Research revealed that engagement increases when learning feels emotionally familiar, personally owned, and creatively expressive.
Research revealed that engagement increases when learning feels emotionally familiar, personally owned, and creatively expressive.
Emotional connection keeps children engaged
Emotional connection keeps children engaged
Familiar voices provide a sense of safety and help children stay focused longer.
Familiar voices provide a sense of safety and help children stay focused longer.
Familiar voices provide a sense of safety and help children stay focused longer.
Personalization increases motivation
Personalization increases motivation
Letting children draw or record helps them stay emotionally connected.
Letting children draw or record helps them stay emotionally connected.
Letting children draw or record helps them stay emotionally connected.
Creative interaction fosters expression
Creative interaction fosters expression
CREATIVE iNTERACTION fOSTERS sELF EXPRESSION
Playful, creation-based interactions encourage speech attempts beyond instruction.
Playful, creation-based interactions encourage speech attempts beyond instruction.
Creative interactions like drawing and play let non-verbal children express themselves without speech
These insights shaped the foundation for an adaptive, emotionally responsive interface.
These insights shaped the foundation for an adaptive, emotionally responsive interface.
These insights shaped the foundation for an adaptive, emotionally responsive interface.
User Journey map
User Journey map
User Journey map
Understanding emotional friction in learning
Understanding emotional friction in learning
Understanding emotional friction in learning
Observing how non-verbal children interact with AAC tools revealed consistent emotional friction points.
Observing how non-verbal children interact with AAC tools revealed consistent emotional friction points.
Observing how non-verbal children interact with AAC tools revealed consistent emotional friction points.
Children often begin with curiosity, but disengage when voice feedback feels robotic or repetitive.
Children often begin with curiosity, but disengage when voice feedback feels robotic or repetitive.
Children often begin with curiosity, but disengage when voice feedback feels robotic or repetitive.
"How might we help non-verbal children build emotional engagement with word learning, so that speech attempts feel natural and playful?"
"How might we help non-verbal children build emotional engagement with word learning, so that speech attempts feel natural and playful?"
This question guided the definition of design principles and interaction patterns.
"How might we help non-verbal children build emotional engagement with word learning, so that speech attempts feel natural and playful?"
This question guided the definition of design principles and interaction patterns.
This question guided the next phase of defining design principles and interaction patterns.
What do users need to stay emotionally engaged?
What do users need to stay emotionally engaged?
What do users need to stay emotionally engaged?
emotional connection builds confidence
Emotional connection builds confidence
emotional connection builds confidence
Children remain focused longer when they hear familiar voices with a warm tone and pacing
Children remain focused longer when they hear familiar voices with a warm tone and pacing
Children remain focused longer when they hear familiar voices with a warm tone and pacing
Personalization increases motivation
Personalization increases motivation
Personalization increases motivation
Drawing and recording help children feel emotionally connected to the learning experience
Drawing and recording help children feel emotionally connected to the learning experience
Drawing and recording help children feel emotionally connected to the learning experience
Creative interaction fosters expression
Creative interaction fosters expression
Creative interaction fosters self-expression
Playful creation encourages speech attempts without pressure.
Playful creation encourages speech attempts without pressure.
Creative interactions like drawing and play let non-verbal children express themselves without speech
From Recognition to Emotional Connection
From Recognition to Emotional Connection
From Recognition to Emotional Connection
The learning flow was designed to feel personal, sensory, and emotionally guided.
This flow combines recognition and ownership, familiar voices and child-created drawings, making practice feel personal and meaningful rather than mechanical.
This flow combines recognition and ownership, familiar voices and child-created drawings making practice feel personal and meaningful rather than mechanical.
The interface connects recognition and creation by combining voice, drawing, and feedback loops into a single adaptive experience.
Screen flow
Screen flow
Screen flow
The screen flow connects recognition, creation, and feedback into one continuous learning loop.
The screen flow connects recognition, creation, and feedback into one continuous learning loop.
The screen flow connects recognition, creation, and feedback into one continuous learning loop.
Prototyping the Experience
Prototyping the Experience
Prototyping the Experience
High-fidelity prototypes explored how emotional familiarity and creative ownership could transform word learning into a personal and playful interaction.
High-fidelity prototypes explored how emotional familiarity and creative ownership could transform word learning into a personal and playful interaction.
High-fidelity prototypes explored how emotional familiarity and creative ownership could transform word learning into a personal and playful interaction.
User Testing & Iterations
User Testing & Iterations
User Testing & Iterations
Early usability testing surfaced an important pattern:
teachers observed that children repeatedly selected only their favorite cards or categories, rarely exploring new content.
Early usability testing surfaced an important pattern:
teachers observed that children repeatedly selected only their favorite cards or categories, rarely exploring new content.
Early usability testing surfaced an important pattern:
teachers observed that children repeatedly selected only their favorite cards or categories, rarely exploring new content.
To address this, I introduced storytelling-driven interaction cues, including:
Subtle card animations to guide visual attention
A friendly character that verbally invites exploration (e.g., “Shall we try learning something new today?”)
A flow without correct/incorrect states, allowing exploration without pressure
To address this, I introduced storytelling-driven interaction cues, including:
Subtle card animations to guide visual attention
A friendly character that verbally invites exploration (e.g., “Shall we try learning something new today?”)
A flow without correct/incorrect states, allowing exploration without pressure
To address this, I introduced storytelling-driven interaction cues, including:
Subtle card animations to guide visual attention
A friendly character that verbally invites exploration (e.g., “Shall we try learning something new today?”)
A flow without correct/incorrect states, allowing exploration without pressure
After these changes, observation-based usability testing showed that voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards instead of staying within a single category.
After these changes, observation-based usability testing showed that voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards instead of staying within a single category.
After these changes, observation-based usability testing showed that voluntary interactions increased by approximately 1.5×, and children explored a broader range of cards instead of staying within a single category.
Learnings:
Learnings:
Learnings:
Speech motivation is ineffective without emotional engagement
Simple, consistent feedback outperformed complex visuals or gamified mechanics
Flexibility through drawings and recordings enabled more personalized learning.
Key Interaction
Key Interaction
Key Interaction
Learning that moves at a child's rhythm
Learning that moves at a child's rhythm
Learning that moves at a child's rhythm
Mavo turns digital word learning into a tactile, emotionally guided experience.
Mavo turns digital word learning into a tactile, emotionally guided experience.
Mavo turns digital word learning into a tactile, emotionally guided experience.
Children swipe or tap to flip cards and hear familiar voices, building a sense of progress through gentle, rhythmic motion that matches their pace.
Children swipe or tap to flip cards and hear familiar voices, building a sense of progress through gentle, rhythmic motion that matches their pace.
Children swipe or tap to flip cards and hear familiar voices, building a sense of progress through gentle, rhythmic motion that matches their pace.
Learning that feels like a conversation
Learning that feels like a conversation
Learning that feels like a conversation
Mavo introduces a friendly mascot that greets children with warm voice prompts and gentle encouragement.
Mavo introduces a friendly mascot that greets children with warm voice prompts and gentle encouragement.
Mavo introduces a friendly mascot that greets children with warm voice prompts and gentle encouragement.
Each interaction feels like a shared dialogue rather than an instruction, helping children stay emotionally supported as they learn.
Each interaction feels like a shared dialogue rather than an instruction, helping children stay emotionally supported as they learn.
Each interaction feels like a shared dialogue rather than an instruction, helping children stay emotionally supported as they learn.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Designing emotion, not instruction
Designing emotion, not instruction
Designing emotion, not instruction
Through testing, I learned that emotional design is less about adding features and more about pacing, tone, and trust.
Through testing, I learned that emotional design is less about adding features and more about pacing, tone, and trust.
Through testing, I learned that emotional design is less about adding features and more about pacing, tone, and trust.
Consistent, predictable feedback helped children stay engaged longer than visually complex or reward-driven systems.
Consistent, predictable feedback helped children stay engaged longer than visually complex or reward-driven systems.
Consistent, predictable feedback helped children stay engaged longer than visually complex or reward-driven systems.
Next
Next
Next
I plan to expand Mavo with personalized voice recording and drawing tools to strengthen connection and motivation between children and caregivers.
I plan to expand Mavo with personalized voice recording and drawing tools to strengthen connection and motivation between children and caregivers.
I plan to expand Mavo with personalized voice recording and drawing tools to strengthen connection and motivation between children and caregivers.
Read more of my other projects
Read more of my other projects
Read more of my other projects
