Product Type
Social Math App
Target Users
Kids 6–14 + Schools
Platform
iOS & Android
Stage
Open Beta Launch
Understanding
Scope of the Project
Cuemath Circle was built to turn daily math practice into a social, competitive, and joyful experience — an ecosystem where students choose to practice because it's genuinely fun.
New games weekly, a live global leaderboard, and a custom avatar system gave students a real sense of identity inside a “secret math club.”
01
Daily Gamified Practice
Compelling daily habit loop through new puzzles, streaks, and lightning-bolt rewards.
02
Social Competition
Live leaderboards and head-to-head gameplay encouraging friendly peer competition.
03
School Admin Tool
Track progress, assign challenges, and run group competitions for teachers and admins.
04
Accessible Onboarding
Playful, frictionless signup using birthdate as a 'special number' — built for kids.
My Contribution
The Only Designer
in the Room
1
UX Designer← me
1
Design Manager
4+1
Illustrators + Animator
4
Developers
2
Subject Matter Experts
1
Product Manager
Responsibilities
01
User Research & Testing
Conducted sessions directly with children aged 6–14 to understand motivation, attention spans, and usability pain points.
02
Wireframes & Prototyping
Built end-to-end flows — login, gameplay, avatar creation, leaderboards, and error states — then iterated on test feedback.
03
Gameplay & Gamification UX
Designed interaction models for all game types including win/lose states, reward animations, and real-time opponent UX.
04
Design System Creation
Built a cohesive component library with Lottie animation specs, icon sets, and motion guidelines for developer handoff.
Research
Understanding
Our Users
🧒
Learners (Age 6–14)
Students who needed math practice but found conventional apps boring. They wanted challenges that felt like play — with social validation, visible progress, and a sense of adventure.
🏫
School Administrators
Teachers and school leads who wanted tools to run group math competitions, assign practice, and track progress in a structured environment with minimal setup.
⚡️
Reward loops work
Kids responded to ⚡ points — even +1 felt meaningful when others could see it.
🏅
Identity drives engagement
A custom avatar and 'math name' made kids significantly more attached to the app.
🕐
5-minute windows matter
The ideal session was brief but intense — 5–7 mins kept drop-off low.
🤝
Social pressure = practice
Seeing a friend on the leaderboard was the #1 trigger for returning the next day.
😤
Failure needs care
"Better luck next time" required careful copy — kids had strong loss reactions.
🎒
Parent trust is a gate
Using a birthday as a 'special number' reduced friction while building safe access.
Design Process
How We Built It
🔍
Discover
Research with kids, stakeholder interviews, competitive audit
🗺️
Define
User personas, journey maps, problem framing
💡
Ideate
Math community concept + gamification model
📐
Design
Wireframes, prototypes, design system, motion specs
🚀
Ship
Usability tests → iteration → open beta launch
Ideate
Why Circle?
The name wasn't arbitrary — it came from a deliberate design concept rooted in both geometry and human connection.
Avatar System
Your Math Identity
Every student needed their own face. Avatars were built from a coloured circle + a pixel-art expression, creating thousands of unique combinations kids could truly call their own.
●
Coloured Circle
╳╳
Expression
🏅
Accessories
😤
Your Avatar
⚡
Earn points, unlock accessories
Lightning points weren't just for the leaderboard — students could spend them to accessorise their avatar, creating a second motivation loop: personal expression alongside ranking.
Prototype
See It in Action
Signup & Login flow — playful language, minimal friction, and game-native patterns like numpad inputs and avatar selection.
Features
Gamification
at Every Layer
⚡️
Lightning Points
Every puzzle solved earns ⚡ points. Even losing earns +1 — so no one walks away empty-handed.
🏆
Live Leaderboards
Global and group leaderboards with countdown timers. Seasonal prizes drove daily return visits.
🎭
Custom Avatars
A 'math name' + circular avatar created ownership and emotional connection with the app.
🧩
Weekly Puzzles
New games weekly: Rook's Move, Cut the Strip, Number Crunch. Variety kept the feed fresh.
♟️
Real-Time Multiplayer
Head-to-head live matches with graceful handling for inactive opponents.
🔔
Circle Windows
Scheduled play windows created a shared ritual. Countdowns built anticipation.
TESTING
Validation
Tested With
Real Kids
🎯
Username creation was a hit
Kids spent the most time on 'Create your math name'. Error states (taken, too long) needed clear inline recovery copy.
⚡
XP points needed to feel real
Real-time point animations after every action reinforced the reward loop and drove continued engagement.
😤
Losing needed gentle UX
Softer copy with visual emphasis on the opponent's win rather than the user's loss reduced emotional friction.
📡
Error states were critical
Invalid OTP, wrong password — kids gave up if errors felt confusing. Inline states with clear recovery paths fixed this.
Outcomes
What We Shipped
3mo
From first wireframe to live open beta — designed, tested, and shipped in under 3 months
6+
Game types designed and handed off with full specs, win/lose states, and edge case coverage
10
Team members aligned through a shared design system and tight cross-functional collaboration
"
Designing for children taught me that clarity and delight aren't opposites — they're the same thing. The best UX for a 10-year-old is also the best UX for everyone: no jargon, instant feedback, a sense of identity, and the feeling that winning is always possible.