Timeline
Feb 2022 - Sep 2022
Project
Self-initiated
Responsibilities
UX Research
Prototyping
Interaction Design
User Interface Design
Gameplay Design
Tools
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustration
Adobe Premiere Pro
Challenge
Children struggle to stay engaged in music education due to limited theory integration, poor learning tools, and lack of social interaction, making independent learning unsustainable.
Opportunity
How might we help children learn music theory in a playful and interactive way that connects directly to their experience of playing music?
OVERVIEW
The Process
1
Research
Desk Research
User Interview
Field Research
Expert Interview
Competitor Analysis
2
Synthesis
User Persona
Empathy Map
Stakeholder Map
3
Ideation
Design Concept
5W1H
Design Exploration
Flow Chart
Prototype
4
Design
Visual Design
UI Display
Detailed Design
5
Reflection
User Test
Iteration
Takeaways
RESEARCH
Desk Research
01. Music Education in China
In China, parents are motivated by a variety of reasons to get their children to learn music.
Pre-school children - Cultivating interests and fostering spirit
K12 - Improving self-improvement and reducing academic stress
02. Problems of music education in China
Musical sensibility is the ability to respond to and feel music. But Chinese children lack the ability to sense music, for three reasons.
03. Consequences
Musical sensibility is the ability to respond to and feel music. But Chinese children lack the ability to sense music, for four reasons.
RESEARCH
Interview
01. Goal
Face-to-face interviews with 5 children learning a musical instrument about the difficulties they encountered in learning music, their performance in the school orchestra, and their preferences for the software they like to use.
02. Some of Interview Questions
· Have you had any difficulty learning to play an instrument?
· What do you know about elements of music?
· Do you think elements of music when you play a piece of music?
· What do you know about the melody in your orchestra's scores?
· Do you like any of the features and styles of the software?
03. User statements
Musical sensibility is the ability to respond to and feel music. But Chinese children lack the ability to sense music, for three reasons.
I knew the basic components of music, but I didn't really understand how they affected the music.
In the orchestra I usually played very softly to avoid making mistakes. I like software that is a bit more cartoonish and cute and has a story as well as fun.
When I play music, I don't know what each melody is trying to say, and I just do it randomly, so my teacher always criticizes me in the orchestra.
I love playing games, and it would be awesome if learning music was as easy as playing games!
Pitch, harmony are a bit complicated for me, I'm not sure how they work. My teachers always say I have bad rhythm because I'm not good at music theory. So I wanted a private teacher who could help me understand the relationship between music theory and music
RESEARCH
Field Research
01. Observation Points
· Play wrong notes
· Poor music pitch
· Unsynchronized playing tempo
· Play games during breaks
· The melody was played too softly
02. Insights
Music training needs to emphasize the use of the ear
In a band, the children's differences in pitch, rhythm, playing style, etc., are mainly due to the fact that they are not using their ears to listen to themselves and the other children, and are not adapting their own playing habits.
The conductor has no time for individual instruction
The conductor of the orchestra will be concerned with the overall effect of the piece and will not have the time to individually instruct a particular student, resulting in some students not experiencing a sense of participation in the performance.
RESEARCH
Experts Interviews
RESEARCH
Competitor Analysis
SYNTHESIS
User Persona
SYNTHESIS
Empathy Map
SYNTHESIS
Stakeholder Map
IDEATION
Desgin Concepts
Insights
Needs
Design Concepts
The music education experience for children is dull, with limited music theory instruction, and independent learning is challenging for them to sustain.
Children wish for a more enjoyable and relaxed way of learning, along with a reduction in the difficulty, to make their learning more sustainable.
Gamified learning experience
In children's music education, there is a lack of systematic theoretical guidance that integrates theory with practice.
More professional knowledge arrangement, and it can help them perform better both in solo and in a band.
Systematic music learning
Music software cannot meet the needs of children due to issues such as insufficient content depth, a mismatch with user habits, and poor user experience.
Children require more encouragement and guidance. Furthermore, the software's interface and user experience should align with a child's need.
Child-friendly experience
Children lack interaction with friends, leading to a diminished sense of musical perception and reduced enthusiasm.
Children need encouragement and guidance, as well as the joy of sharing, in order to engage in learning music.
Increase product interactivity
IDEATION
5W1H
IDEATION
Design exploration
IDEATION
Flow Chart
IDEATION
Prototype
DESIGN
Visual Design
LOGO
The logo depicts a cuckoo bird searching for notes in the forest to create beautiful music.
Typography
Chose ZCool QingKe HuangYou with a graffiti-like feel & readability.
Color
Choosing illustrations and common colors found in nature.
DESIGN
UI Display
DESIGN
Music Forest
DESIGN
Master Stage
DESIGN
Rhythm Cabin
DESIGN
Album Studio
DESIGN
User Journey
REFLECTION
User Test
DESIGN
Iteration
Reflection
Takeaways
1. Playfulness must come with usability
While gamified elements attracted children, the experience highlighted the importance of clear guidance and a more intuitive interface, especially for first-time users.
2. Structure and creativity need balance
A systematic approach to music theory helped learning, but too much rigidity limited creative exploration—especially in composing. Future designs need to offer both guidance and freedom.
3. Emotional engagement matters
The character's limited feedback reduced children's emotional connection. Designing more expressive, responsive interactions can better sustain motivation.
4. Design should meet different skill levels
Not all children start at the same level. Involving users across a range of abilities is essential for creating accessible, scalable learning tools.