The Product: ChronoQuest is an award-winning EdTech platform that transforms how 6th–12th grade students analyze complex historical events through interactive global and regional timelines, fostering critical thinking and inquiry-based learning aligned with C3 Dimension 2 standards.

My Role: Lead Product Designer with emphasis on UX Research—spearheading user understanding, defining product vision, and guiding interface design.

Project Snapshot

Tablet screen displaying the game 'ChronoQuest' with a female character in a fantasy outfit, and the words 'Explore. Connect. Learn.' next to a start button.

Context: This evolving project won 1st place at the NYEdTech Hackathon and was provided the opportunity to advance to the EdStart Shark Tank.

Industry: EdTech / K-12 History Education
Team: 5 members (Developers, Educators, UX)
Tools: Sketch, Figma, Zoom
Duration: Ongoing (Initial Hackathon: 1 month)

The Challenge

Beyond Linear History

Students struggle to grasp the interconnectedness of historical events, leading to disengagement and a superficial understanding of cause and effect. Traditional linear teaching methods fail to foster the critical thinking skills needed for deep historical inquiry.

The Solution

Interactive, Inquiry-Based Learning

ChronoQuest transforms history education through dynamic regional and global timelines that enable students to:

Explore simultaneous events across regions
Layer information to reveal connections
Visually trace causes and consequences
Move beyond rote memorization to genuine analysis

Project Goals:

Analytical Skills: Increase student analytical abilities by 30% (measured through post-usage assessments)
Engagement: Drive 40% increase in engagement via interactive features
Standards Alignment: Full alignment with C3 Dimension 2 standards

Understanding Our Users: Provisional Personas

Methodology: Developed data-driven personas based on U.S. demographic data, education statistics, and teaching challenge insights.

Key Personas:

Teachers (e.g., Mr. Alex Carter): Middle/high school history educators
Students (e.g., Jordan Lee): 6th–12th graders with varied learning preferences

Impact: Guided initial feature prioritization around user goals, frustrations, and learning needs, ensuring user-centric early design decisions.

A black and white photo of a man with curly hair, glasses, a beard, and a floral patterned shirt, smiling.

Young woman with dark hair in a bun wearing a jacket, hoop earrings, and smiling, standing in front of a brick wall.

Competitive Landscape Analysis

Methodology: Two-phase research approach:

Market Gap Analysis: Evaluated EdTech platforms for engagement, communication, and digital history exploration (ClassDojo, Nearpod, ChronoZoom, Google Arts & Culture, Mission US, iCivics)
Design Benchmarking: Analyzed leading EdTech products for best practices in gamification, UI, and classroom integration (Duolingo, Quizlet, Kahoot!, Peardeck, StellusAtlas)

Key Insights:

No direct competitor addresses causal history exploration
Interactive multimedia, real-time updates, and gamification drive engagement
Dynamic storytelling enhances learning retention

Strategic Impact: Informed our approach to blend proven engagement tactics with unique causal exploration focus, positioning ChronoQuest as innovative yet user-centered.

A comparison chart of educational platforms with columns for platform name, gamification, multimedia use, classroom engagement, user engagement, accessibility, and notes. Check marks indicate features; no marks indicate absence.

Design Process

Structuring the Experience: Wireframes & Iteration

Initial Wireframes: Crafted low-fidelity wireframes to establish core features and user flow (timeline navigation, event details, interactive elements).

Iterative Refinement: Through collaborative team discussions and design critiques, we identified gaps in the initial approach. Multiple rounds of iteration addressed feedback on navigation clarity, information hierarchy, and the placement of interactive elements.

Impact: The final wireframes differed significantly from initial concepts—reflecting a more refined understanding of user needs and technical constraints. This iterative approach ensured team alignment and a stronger UX foundation.

Screenshot of ChronoQuest user interface showing map view, timeline options, and event overview with interactive controls for historical periods, time range, and navigation buttons.

Visual Design: Thematic Exploration

Process: Explored thematic concepts to enhance engagement while maintaining usability. Selected "Steampunk time machine" theme for its balance of visual interest and functionality—incorporating subtle elements (gears, dials) that immerse without distracting.

Key Screens Designed:

Global Screen: Visualizing interconnected regional and global events
Event Detail Screen: Deep dive into specific events with historical context
Web Timeline / Linear Timeline Screens: Multiple exploration views
Daily Quest Lesson: Gamified learning engagement
ChronoHub: Badges and leaderboard for student motivation

A world map showing historical events from the medieval period to the digital age, with color-coded markers indicating locations such as Florence, Italy, where the Renaissance began in 1450, and other sites across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

A timeline and map of historical events and achievements from 3500 BCE to 1500 CE, centered around the beginning of the Renaissance in Florence, Italy, with images and labels for various milestones such as the first cities, pyramids, empires, revolutions, discoveries, and cultural works.

A digital timeline webpage focusing on the Renaissance begins. It includes a section describing the Renaissance as a cultural and intellectual movement starting in Italy in the late 14th century, with information about its effects on art, science, and exploration. The timeline interface on the left shows options for view modes, time periods, and quick navigation, with a highlighted period from 500 CE to 1500 CE. The main content features a large image of ornate Renaissance architecture with a caption 'Renaissance Begins'.

Screenshot of a digital timeline from ChronoQuest, showing events from 600 CE to 1492 CE, related to the history of the Christian Crusades, Islamic Rise, Viking Age, and other historical periods, with options to view via web, timeline, or map.

A webpage about the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. It includes a timeline with historical information, a brief description of the event, and an embedded video. The page has navigation options for different time periods and civilizations.

Next Steps & Future Impact

Planned Research Validation

To strengthen product-market fit before EdStart Shark Tank, our research roadmap includes:

Qualitative Research:

User Interviews: Deep understanding of student and teacher needs, motivations, and pain points
Co-Design with Students: Direct involvement in the design process for ownership and immediate feedback
User Journey Mapping: Identifying opportunities for seamless learning experiences

Quantitative Research:

Comprehensive Surveys: Gathering broad insights from teachers and students

Iterative Testing:

Usability Testing: Testing prototypes with target users to identify friction points and optimize usability
Persona Refinement: Validating and refining personas with primary research

Strategic Impact: These steps are crucial to validate ChronoQuest's value proposition, secure startup funding, and achieve broader market impact.

Project Impact

Awards & Recognition:

1st Place Winner: NYEdTech Hackathon
Advancing to: EdStart Shark Tank

What I Learned: This ongoing project reinforces the importance of grounding EdTech design in both educational standards and real user needs. By combining competitive insights with provisional personas, we created a strong foundation for an innovative product—one that now requires deep user validation to reach its full potential.

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Commodity Management

Infiniti Touch

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