This project reimagines the traditional dictionary as an interactive cultural companion for young Mandarin learners, particularly second-generation Chinese immigrants. Designed for mobile and tablet, the app connects vocabulary with traditions, history, and values through bite-sized reading and listening experiences, helping children build both language proficiency and cultural identity. By supporting voice, handwriting, and Pinyin input, the system removes barriers for learners who are not yet comfortable typing Chinese characters, ensuring equitable access to authentic content in an intuitive and emotionally engaging way.

Given the young target audience, I grounded the design in child-centered UX principles. I focused on cognitive load management, accessibility, progressive disclosure of information, and emotionally engaging visual language. Interaction patterns were simplified and structured to align with children’s mental models while maintaining clarity on both mobile and tablet form factors.

The final solution balances usability, delight, and cultural resonance. It reflects my belief that effective UX is not only intuitive and accessible, but also emotionally meaningful and visually joyful.

This project reinforced a core belief I bring to AI product design: the hardest problem is not making something powerful — it is making something powerful feel simple, safe, and human.

Role: Product Designer

Contribution: UX research, child-centered interaction design, multi-input system design, information architecture, visual system, accessibility strategy, mobile and tablet responsive framework