The Aha! Reading App Project

Project Overview
The Aha Reading App project was a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the literacy challenges faced by students who were reading below their grade level. Research indicated that many students who fell behind in reading at a young age struggled to catch up, often leading to long-term academic difficulties. To tackle this issue, we developed the Aha Reading App, designed to equip caregivers with tools and resources to help improve the reading skills of students within the targeted grade range.

Problem Definition
The core problem we aimed to solve was the literacy gap among young students, many of whom were falling behind their peers in reading skills. This gap, if left unaddressed, often resulted in long-term educational disadvantages. Our goal was to create an app that not only provided interactive reading tools but also empowered caregivers to support their children’s reading journey through structured sessions and goal tracking.

My Role as Co-Lead
As the co-lead of the design thinking team, my role was to guide the project from the research phase to the development of the final prototype. I actively engaged with stakeholders—including educators, caregivers, and literacy experts—through interviews, surveys, and workshops to understand their needs and expectations. By analyzing the data collected, I helped define the key challenges and objectives of the app. Using iterative design processes, we ideated and tested various features, such as reading session tracking, progress monitoring, and comprehension tools, which were later incorporated into the app's prototype​(see links above)​. I also collaborated with my team to refine the user interface and onboarding process, ensuring the app was both accessible and engaging for caregivers and students alike.

Key Takeaway
A critical lesson from this project was the importance of understanding the end-user's needs through empathy and continuous engagement. By applying the design thinking process, we were able to create a prototype that not only addressed the literacy challenge but also empowered caregivers to take an active role in improving their children's reading skills. This project reinforced the value of iterative testing and stakeholder collaboration in developing solutions that are both practical and impactful.