Redesigning the learning experience using AI for youth with disabilities with a focus on interactivity and inclusivity
Redesigning the learning experience using AI for youth with disabilities with a focus on interactivity and inclusivity
🏆 Won “Best in the show” title
Project overview
Project overview
What is Transition Discoveries
What is Transition Discoveries
Transition Discoveries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth with disabilities as they navigate the shift from high school to higher education and employment. Their mission is to create an inclusive platform that provides personalized resources and guidance for youth, their families, and professionals.
Transition Discoveries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth with disabilities as they navigate the shift from high school to higher education and employment. Their mission is to create an inclusive platform that provides personalized resources and guidance for youth, their families, and professionals.
As part of a design team, I helped redesign their existing website to make it more user-friendly, accessible, and emotionally engaging.
As part of a design team, I helped redesign their existing website to make it more user-friendly, accessible, and emotionally engaging.
My Role
My Role
UX Designer + Researcher
UX Designer + Researcher
Platform
Platform
Education
Education
Client
Client
Transition Discoveries
Transition Discoveries
Timeline
Timeline
18 Weeks
18 Weeks
Team
Team
Kanak Sahu
Karthiga Bhavani
Varuun Reddy
Arati Ghimire (Me)
Kanak Sahu
Karthiga Bhavani
Varuun Reddy
Arati Ghimire (Me)
Tools
Tools
Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Google Docs, Notion
Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Google Docs, Notion
Current Platform Challenges
Current Platform Challenges
🧑🤝🧑 Youth with disabilities (ages 13–20)
🧑🤝🧑 Youth with disabilities (ages 13–20)
These users are navigating a critical life phase — moving from high school into higher education or employment — and require support that is clear, personalized, and empowering.
These users are navigating a critical life phase — moving from high school into higher education or employment — and require support that is clear, personalized, and empowering.
🧭 Difficult Navigation
🧭 Difficult Navigation
Dense layouts and unclear paths made it hard for users—especially those with cognitive challenges—to find information easily.
Dense layouts and unclear paths made it hard for users—especially those with cognitive challenges—to find information easily.
🎯 Lack of Personalization & Interactivity
🎯 Lack of Personalization & Interactivity
The current experience does not cater to the wide range of users, making the experience feel generic and less engaging.
The current experience does not cater to the wide range of users, making the experience feel generic and less engaging.
Guiding Question
Guiding Question
How might we transform this platform into a meaningful tool that empowers youth with disabilities to navigate their futures with confidence and clarity?
How might we transform this platform into a meaningful tool that empowers youth with disabilities to navigate their futures with confidence and clarity?
Tackling the Challenges Through Design
Tackling the Challenges Through Design
Here’s an overview of the key solutions we implemented before diving into the full design process.
Here’s an overview of the key solutions we implemented before diving into the full design process.
Solution 1 - Homepage Redesign at a Glance
Solution 1 - Homepage Redesign at a Glance
🔴 Painpoint
🔴 Painpoint
Cluttered homepage with overlapping elements
Confusing layout for users with varied abilities
Low engagement and unclear next steps
Cluttered homepage with overlapping elements
Confusing layout for users with varied abilities
Low engagement and unclear next steps
🟢 Solution
🟢 Solution
Simplified layout to reduce cognitive load
Clear messaging and visual hierarchy
Added prominent CTA to guide user action
Simplified layout to reduce cognitive load
Clear messaging and visual hierarchy
Added prominent CTA to guide user action
Homepage Before Redesign
Homepage Before Redesign
Final Design Demo
Final Design Demo
Solution 2 - Discovery Board Redesign
Solution 2 - Discovery Board Redesign
🔴 Painpoint
🔴 Painpoint
Complex and inconsistent layout
Difficult for users to navigate and access modules
Missing engaging elements to keep users motivated
Complex and inconsistent layout
Difficult for users to navigate and access modules
Missing engaging elements to keep users motivated
🟢 Solution
🟢 Solution
Improved readability with clearer layout
Structured content around functionality for intuitive navigation
Added Goals, Badges, and a Forum to increase engagement
Improved readability with clearer layout
Structured content around functionality for intuitive navigation
Added Goals, Badges, and a Forum to increase engagement
Discovery Board Before Redesign
Discovery Board Before Redesign
Final Design Demo
Final Design Demo
Solution 3 - Motivation & Collaboration Features
Solution 3 - Motivation & Collaboration Features
🔴 Painpoint
🔴 Painpoint
Clients requested an AI-driven motivational companion
Needed ways to foster collaboration among students and mentors
Clients requested an AI-driven motivational companion
Needed ways to foster collaboration among students and mentors
🟢 Solution
🟢 Solution
Added conversational AI to support users through module completion
Introduced floating notes for easier content capture and reflection
Added conversational AI to support users through module completion
Introduced floating notes for easier content capture and reflection
Final Design Demo - Resources
Final Design Demo - Resources
AI Campanion and Taking Notes
AI Campanion and Taking Notes
Result and Impact
Result and Impact
Accelerated task efficiency by 1.5× — reducing completion time by 35%, increasing success rates by 40%, and boosting satisfaction by over 50%.
Accelerated task efficiency by 1.5× — reducing completion time by 35%, increasing success rates by 40%, and boosting satisfaction by over 50%.
Behind every intuitive experience is a thoughtful process — here’s how we arrived at ours.
Behind every intuitive experience is a thoughtful process — here’s how we arrived at ours.
Process Overview
Process Overview
📌 Phase 1: Research & Analysis
📌 Phase 1: Research & Analysis
Focused on understanding users, aligning with stakeholders, and uncovering key insights to inform design decisions.
Focused on understanding users, aligning with stakeholders, and uncovering key insights to inform design decisions.
🎨 Phase 2: Design, Testing & Handover
🎨 Phase 2: Design, Testing & Handover
Turned research into action through iterative design, continuous validation, and stakeholder collaboration.
Turned research into action through iterative design, continuous validation, and stakeholder collaboration.
Research Foundation
Research Foundation
To ensure our design decisions were grounded in real user needs and industry context, we began with a robust research phase. This included literature reviews, user surveys, focus groups, and early evaluations to identify usability challenges and opportunities.
To ensure our design decisions were grounded in real user needs and industry context, we began with a robust research phase. This included literature reviews, user surveys, focus groups, and early evaluations to identify usability challenges and opportunities.
Evaluation
Evaluation
📌 Heuristic Evaluation
📌 Heuristic Evaluation
To uncover usability issues early in the process, we conducted a heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen’s 10 principles. This helped us identify gaps in consistency, feedback, and efficiency that were impacting user experience and prioritize design improvements.
To uncover usability issues early in the process, we conducted a heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen’s 10 principles. This helped us identify gaps in consistency, feedback, and efficiency that were impacting user experience and prioritize design improvements.
Inconsistent UI Elements
Inconsistent UI Elements
across pages — buttons, text, and layout lacked standardization, disrupting visual flow.
across pages — buttons, text, and layout lacked standardization, disrupting visual flow.
Poor System Feedback
Poor System Feedback
-skipped content marked as completed and no confirmation for bookmarks, reducing user trust.
-skipped content marked as completed and no confirmation for bookmarks, reducing user trust.
Redundant Interactions
Redundant Interactions
-unnecessary clicks and duplicated filters created friction in task completion.
-unnecessary clicks and duplicated filters created friction in task completion.
Visual Findings from Heuristic Evaluation
Visual Findings from Heuristic Evaluation
The bookmark function lacks confirmation feedback and bookmarked resources are hard to find.
💭 Think-aloud Sessions
💭 Think-aloud Sessions
To uncover the primary user challenges during platform interaction and collect both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate three core user metrics.
To uncover the primary user challenges during platform interaction and collect both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate three core user metrics.
6 Participants
6 Participants
Performed a cognitive walkthrough involving six young participants with disabilities
Performed a cognitive walkthrough involving six young participants with disabilities
5 Tasks
5 Tasks
Participants were ask to perform 5 task and then respond to follow up questions
Participants were ask to perform 5 task and then respond to follow up questions
2 Usability Metrics
2 Usability Metrics
Converted the collected data into quantitative metrics using the following measures.
Converted the collected data into quantitative metrics using the following measures.
Homepage
Homepage
1
1
Finding the help or support section took considerable time and effort.
Finding the help or support section took considerable time and effort.
2
2
Lacked a clear call-to-action and overloaded users with information, making decision-making difficult.
Lacked a clear call-to-action and overloaded users with information, making decision-making difficult.
3
3
The platform's purpose and functionality were not immediately clear to users.
The platform's purpose and functionality were not immediately clear to users.
Discovery Board
4
Visuals felt juvenile and caused cognitive overload.
5
The task modules fail to provide an interactive and engaging experience for users.
6
Certain features like rewards, stores and stickers did not have expected motivating impact.
Onboarding Page
7
The process of completing the onboarding was excessively lengthy and exhausting for users.
Resources Page
8
The filter tool's ineffective checkboxes hindered content retrieval, prolonging task completion.
Discovery Board (Main Page)
4
Visuals felt juvenile and caused cognitive overload.
5
The task modules fail to provide an interactive and engaging experience for users.
6
Certain features like rewards, stores and stickers did not have expected motivating impact.
Onboarding Page
7
The process of completing the onboarding was excessively lengthy and exhausting for users.
Resources Page
8
The filter tool's ineffective checkboxes hindered content retrieval, prolonging task completion.
Secondary Research
Secondary Research
📒 Literature Review
📒 Literature Review
What key factors should we prioritize when designing for youth with disabilities?
Accessible learning opportunities and adaptive eLearning content are critical to meet diverse needs.
Accessible learning opportunities and adaptive eLearning content are critical to meet diverse needs.
Self-assessment opportunities empower students to track and monitor their own progress.
Self-assessment opportunities empower students to track and monitor their own progress.
Large, high-contrast fonts and non-flashing visuals improve accessibility and comprehension.
Large, high-contrast fonts and non-flashing visuals improve accessibility and comprehension.
Universal Design for Learning highlights the need to tailor resources to individual learner needs.
Universal Design for Learning highlights the need to tailor resources to individual learner needs.
🏪 Market Analysis
🏪 Market Analysis
We explored emerging technologies that could be leveraged to further enhance the platform’s functionality and user experience.
We explored emerging technologies that could be leveraged to further enhance the platform’s functionality and user experience.
Relevant Features
Relevant Features
Interactive lessons, videos, and role-play activities tailored for students with disabilities.
Interactive lessons, videos, and role-play activities tailored for students with disabilities.
Personalized learning paths based on each student’s needs.
Personalized learning paths based on each student’s needs.
AI-driven real-time feedback to adapt content dynamically.
AI-driven real-time feedback to adapt content dynamically.
Generative Research
Generative Research
📖 User Survey
📖 User Survey
We conducted a user survey to understand resource accessibility challenges faced by youth with disabilities.
Key supports identified included accessible online resources, adaptive technology, mentorship, community involvement, personal resilience, therapy, vocational training, and online engagement — highlighting the wide range of needs in their transition journeys.
We conducted a user survey to understand resource accessibility challenges faced by youth with disabilities.
Key supports identified included accessible online resources, adaptive technology, mentorship, community involvement, personal resilience, therapy, vocational training, and online engagement — highlighting the wide range of needs in their transition journeys.
📖 Focus Group Study
📖 Focus Group Study
We conducted a focus group study with current and novice users to gain deeper insights into the platform’s usability, uncover real-world pain points, and identify opportunities for improving engagement, navigation, and overall accessibility. Key Insights:
We conducted a focus group study with current and novice users to gain deeper insights into the platform’s usability, uncover real-world pain points, and identify opportunities for improving engagement, navigation, and overall accessibility. Key Insights:
10+ Participants
10+ Participants
current expert users with disabilities.
current expert users with disabilities.
5 Particpants
5 Particpants
novice users with disabilities.
novice users with disabilities.
🧭 Navigation
🧭 Navigation
Simplify account setup with less data collection.
Simplify account setup with less data collection.
Improve navigation with clear, intuitive labels.
Improve navigation with clear, intuitive labels.
📄 Content
📄 Content
Balance text and visuals to improve clarity.
Balance text and visuals to improve clarity.
Add interactive element for a more engaging use.
Add interactive element for a more engaging use.
🎯 Engagement
🎯 Engagement
Simplify onboarding to reduce user frustration.
Simplify onboarding to reduce user frustration.
Develop accessible, inclusive learning platforms.
Develop accessible, inclusive learning platforms.
👥 Community
👥 Community
Strengthen peer and family support networks.
Strengthen peer and family support networks.
Enable personalization and flexible content nav.
Enable personalization and flexible content nav.
💬 Expert Interview
💬 Expert Interview
We interviewed 2 professors with over 30+ years combined experience in assistive technology and special education to gather best practices for designing inclusive platforms. Key insights:
We interviewed 2 professors with over 30+ years combined experience in assistive technology and special education to gather best practices for designing inclusive platforms. Key insights:
Clear language and adjustable reading levels are crucial for accessibility and emotional support.
Clear language and adjustable reading levels are crucial for accessibility and emotional support.
Collaboration tools help connect youth, professionals, and support networks.
Collaboration tools help connect youth, professionals, and support networks.
Universal design principles and gamified engagement ensure flexibility and motivation.
Universal design principles and gamified engagement ensure flexibility and motivation.
Thorough WCAG testing and improving auto-translate captions strengthen inclusivity.
Thorough WCAG testing and improving auto-translate captions strengthen inclusivity.
Guided instruction is vital for smoother user interaction with educational content.
Guided instruction is vital for smoother user interaction with educational content.
Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Data from all the research methods were put together to categorize them based on recurring themes/patterns and placed them on a priority scale to inform design direction.
Data from all the research methods were put together to categorize them based on recurring themes/patterns and placed them on a priority scale to inform design direction.
Before
Before
After
After
Pain Points
Pain Points
Key pain points discovered...
Inconsistent design, complex navigation, and varied visuals disrupted usability.
Inconsistent design, complex navigation, and varied visuals disrupted usability.
Overloaded text and visuals made content hard to read and process.
Overloaded text and visuals made content hard to read and process.
Lack of standardized components increased user confusion and task time.
Lack of standardized components increased user confusion and task time.
Insufficient mentorship, parent, and community support reduced user confidence.
Insufficient mentorship, parent, and community support reduced user confidence.
Limited motivational and interactive features failed to sustain engagement.
Limited motivational and interactive features failed to sustain engagement.
Need for customizable interfaces to accommodate diverse user challenges.
Need for customizable interfaces to accommodate diverse user challenges.
Ideating on the solution
Ideating on the solution
Based on our research findings and usability evaluations, we crafted a set of core and supporting solutions to improve navigation, engagement, and overall user experience.
Based on our research findings and usability evaluations, we crafted a set of core and supporting solutions to improve navigation, engagement, and overall user experience.
🧩 Core Solution #1:
🧩 Core Solution #1:
Simplified navigation and visuals to reduce cognitive load and speed up decisions.
Simplified navigation and visuals to reduce cognitive load and speed up decisions.
🛠️ Supporting Solution #2:
🛠️ Supporting Solution #2:
Introduced an AI companion to guide and engage students.
Introduced an AI companion to guide and engage students.
🛠️ Supporting Solution #3:
🛠️ Supporting Solution #3:
Added note-taking, quizzes, and forums to boost interactivity.
Added note-taking, quizzes, and forums to boost interactivity.
Ideation Sketches
Ideation Sketches
Ideation Sketches Iteration
Ideation Sketches Iteration
📖 Revamped the website
📖 Revamped the website
Improved the website's usability and visual appeal by refining colors, typography, and layout, aligned with their brand identity to declutter the interface.
Improved the website's usability and visual appeal by refining colors, typography, and layout, aligned with their brand identity to declutter the interface.
📖 Enhanced Learning Experience through UX
📖 Enhanced Learning Experience through UX
Simplified the interface to reduce cognitive load and added interactive elements like AI support, gamification, and whiteboards to boost engagement and active participation.
Simplified the interface to reduce cognitive load and added interactive elements like AI support, gamification, and whiteboards to boost engagement and active participation.
📖 Streamlined the onboarding screens
📖 Streamlined the onboarding screens
Simplified onboarding into three steps with two-column layout, progress tracking, and clearer data input instructions.
Simplified onboarding into three steps with two-column layout, progress tracking, and clearer data input instructions.
Remaining Hi-fi Designs
Remaining Hi-fi Designs
Resources PDF
Resources PDF
Through the Discovery Board, students can easily access resources and explore lessons, videos, and PDFs on topics of their interest.
Through the Discovery Board, students can easily access resources and explore lessons, videos, and PDFs on topics of their interest.
Forum or Community
Professors can create forums where students can ask questions, discuss specific topics, and engage in meaningful conversations with their peers.
Professors can create forums where students can ask questions, discuss specific topics, and engage in meaningful conversations with their peers.
Key Takeaways & Learnings
Key Takeaways & Learnings
01
Developed clearer communication strategies to convey complex data insights to non-technical stakeholders.
Developed clearer communication strategies to convey complex data insights to non-technical stakeholders.
02
Learned to manage expectations and foster collaborative relationships with a team of diverse background.
Learned to manage expectations and foster collaborative relationships with a team of diverse background.
03
Enhanced my ability to identify core usability issues based on analyzed data and and ideate creative solutions effectively.
Enhanced my ability to identify core usability issues based on analyzed data and and ideate creative solutions effectively.
04
Refined my critical thinking skills to evaluate the effectiveness of design choices against user data and research findings.
Refined my critical thinking skills to evaluate the effectiveness of design choices against user data and research findings.
Won the “Best in Show” title at the graduate capstone project poster presentation, selected by visiting professors from other universities and industry professionals.
Won the “Best in Show” title at the graduate capstone project poster presentation, selected by visiting professors from other universities and industry professionals.
View my Other Projects
Let's join forces and create design magic!
Together, we'll make pixels dance and users smile.😎
Let's join forces and create design magic!
Together, we'll make pixels dance and users smile.😎