From Zero to One

Amira AI Learning

Designing an AI-powered reading platform proven to accelerate student learning outcomes

Led end-to-end product and experience design for an adaptive learning game used by top institutions, combining AI, storytelling, and gameplay to improve literacy outcomes.

Impact Bar

Proven to match or exceed human tutoring outcomes
Used in partnership with Carnegie Mellon & Johns Hopkins
Shipped end-to-end from concept → product
Led cross-functional team of 15+

Platform: Mobile & Web App

Date: Aug 2020

"Amira accelerates reading mastery by recommending appropriately challenging stories, listening as a student reads aloud, and intervening when helpful. Amira was built in partnership with top institutions including Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, and The UT-Health Science Center at Houston."

The Opportunity

Kids were spending more time on mobile, but existing learning tools failed to balance engagement with real educational outcomes.
We saw an opportunity to build a system that adapts to each student—combining gameplay, storytelling, and AI-driven feedback.

The Challenge

Low engagement in traditional learning apps
Lack of personalization at scale
Gap between entertainment and measurable learning outcomes

The Solution

We designed an adaptive learning platform that:
Listens and responds to students in real time
Personalizes difficulty and pacing
Embeds learning into gameplay loops

Key Product Decisions

Prioritized engagement loops over static learning modules
Introduced adaptive difficulty instead of fixed curriculum
Designed character-driven storytelling to sustain retention

Impact

Improved engagement through game-based learning loops
Delivered a scalable AI-driven learning system
Established foundation for adaptive education products

What This Project Proved

AI + storytelling can outperform traditional learning models
Engagement is the gateway to education outcomes
Systems thinking is required to scale learning experiences

My Role

Defined product vision and experience strategy for an AI-driven learning platform
Led a cross-functional team across design, engineering, and education
Translated research and learning science into scalable product systems
Drove alignment between product, gameplay, and educational outcomes

Team

Cross-functional team of 15+ including:

Head of UX Game Design (2)
Game UX Designers (4)
Game Artist (3)
Engineering (8)
Education Researchers (2)
Product Manager (1)

Areas of Ownership

Product & UX Strategy
Game System Design
Creative Direction
Roadmap & Delivery

Versus screen - Amira

World build - levels

The Opportunity

Kids were spending more time on mobile—but most learning apps failed to hold attention or deliver measurable outcomes.
The challenge wasn’t access to content.
It was designing a system that could engage, adapt, and teach effectively at scale.

The Approach

Adapts to each student’s reading level in real time
Combines gameplay loops with educational progression
Uses storytelling to drive engagement and retention
Provides feedback comparable to human tutoring

"Research shows that Amira accelerates reading growth as much or more than hiring a certified human tutor."

Key description of the project

This project involves defining the key student experience changes needed to make Amira a success as a parent-purchased subscription. Areas of design focus include the
nature of the Amira Avatar, the degree of gamification, the balance of oral reading versus other activities, and overall engagement/user experience.

Target Audience:

a.) The need to make Amira dramatically more engaging, with
b.) The goal of shipping in the early fall and attaining an MVP by EOY, with
c.) A constrained set of development resources, with
d.) The advantages and disadvantages inherent in having a working platform.

Design Process

Defining the characters

Moble + User Flow