Bookworm

The eBook app for K-8 students.

Scope: UI/UX Design + Brand Identity

Industry: Education

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Create an app for students to connect with their school library by reading eBooks, managing reading assignments, and tracking progress.
Bookworm is intended for grades K-8.
The user experience is focused on students, but functions extend to schoolteachers, librarians, and parents.
As an app designed to help young students read, the design needs to be stimulating, but not distracting.
Friendly mascots like the worm and apple make the platform fun, while tutorials and extra features keep it learning-focused.
I developed this system using the Design Thinking Process: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

1. Empathize

Target Users

Students looking for ease of access + a more stimulating reading experience
Parents seeking to keep track of their children’s academic progress
Teachers who want their students to stay engaged outside of the classroom

Research Methods

Qualitative research (user testing)
Quantitative research (survey)
Competitive Analysis

User Personas

Persona 1: Catie

8 years old | Student | Playful, Introverted

User Statement: “Mom, my screen time isn’t even that bad!”

Pain Points

Unsure how to spell or sound out big words
Not enough library books at school

End Goal

Get ahead in class by practicing reading at home

Persona 2: Diana

37 years old | Parent | Attentive, Detail-Oriented

User Statement: “To go to a good college, my kids need to stay on track.”

Pain Points

Her kids get distracted when a screen is in their hands
Doesn’t feel involved in her kids’ learning

End Goal

See what her kids are reading and how quickly they progress

2. Define

Requirements

Product

This app is for students to borrow, read, and return eBooks owned by their school.

The app enriches learning with features like vocabulary terms and read aloud.

User

Primary users are students, parents, and teachers.

Satisfies needs to support learning and enhance communication about lessons.

Technical

Intended for use on iPads & computers, but the design can adapt to multiple screen sizes and orientations.

Business

Competitors: Libby, Kindle

Bookworm differentiates by offering read-aloud features, animations, and integration with school libraries.

User Flows

Flow 1: Sign in & borrow an eBook.

Flow 2: Read & engage with digital-exclusive features.

Flow 3: Track a user’s reading progress.

3. Ideate, Protoype, + Test

The Prototyping + Testing Cycle

During the user testing phase, my process consisted of:

Cardsorting
Paper testing
Low-fidelity journey testing

I created low- and medium-fidelity prototypes for users to test and provide feedback. I looked for the users’ thought process as they navigated, taking note of the UX’s strengths and shortcomings.