Chuk Moran

Design & Research

Edtech Music App

Client requested a new user experience for their music training app. A dozen in depth interviews with musicians and people in music tech, usability testing with the current app, and research into the very competitive ear training app space gave us a very strong sense of direction. However, no one was sure whether to move towards a game or keep it as a trainer.

To break the deadlock, we coded two prototypes: a Game Version and a Trainer. Testing and iterating these prototypes, we were able to deliver the client rudimentary empirical data and a checklist of incentive schemes that would help keep users hooked and practicing their music skills!

  • Role: Design, Code, & Illustration
  • Client: Awasu Design
  • Tools: Survey, interviews, Sketch, Processing, usability testing
  • Duration: 2 weeks
  • Year: 2016
Screenshots of hot air balloon ascending from ground to upper atmosphere
An explorable world motivates users to continue training in the gamified prototype. My design, code, and graphics.
Progress screens
Screens to track a player's own progress, compete via leaderboard with social media friends, and collect awards for special accomplishments. Not my wireframes.
Gameplay in original app
Original gameplay. Though pretty, this was too confusing. Players often said "I'm bad at this" in the first thirty seconds, even those who were accomplished musicians! A classic conflict of visual design vs UX design.
Design matrix
We broke down key elements of the app, such as input buttons and target notes, into a series of modular elements, allowing us to more easily imagine possible versions of the app.
Trainer prototype
The trainer prototype showed that relatively simple visual and audio cues could motivate the player to push through the tedium of ear training. Also my code and graphics.