Designed a prototype MVP for an obsolete educational game
Problem
The game has limited replay value
Team
3 Product Designers
Time
20 weeks
Stakeholders
FJ Lennon - The client - Game Design Veteran
Dr. Elisabeth Bonsignore & The KidsTeam - Playtesting & Codesign partners
Contribution
Co-design session planning, High fidelity prototyping
Reviving Cool School
Cool School taught 4-8 year olds essential life skills:
🤝 Sharing
🛡️ Conflict resolution
💚 Anti-bullying
It's a flash-era educational game waiting for revival
FJ Lennon, the game designer who worked on Cool School, wanted to bring it back to life.
The Revival Plan
Create a prototype to help FJ secure funding for development
🎮 Improve Replay Value
Ensure Cool School stays relevant for years to come
🎨 Modernize Visual Style
Fresh look for today's audience
🤝 Ensure Inclusivity
Meet current standards
Final Prototype
We followed the Google design sprint approach
We designed the game over 4 design sprints
Each sprint began with multi-source research (competitors, academic papers, KidsTeam feedback), followed by sketching, voting, prototyping, and testing.
Research
Competitor analysis
Research papers
KidsTeam data
Design
Sketch solutions
Vote with FJ
Storyboard
Prototype
Playtesting
Test with KidsTeam
Analyze results
Planning
Present findings to FJ
Set next sprint goal
In the 5th sprint, the final prototype combined elements from all iterations and underwent expert review.
Combined Unique Features
A prototype encompassing work from all 4 sprints
Expert Review
Game Designers, Developers, and Academic Experts
Improving the replay value
The original game's linear plot limited its replay value
It follows a linear plot, where solving conflicts gets you a trophy. The game ends on collecting all 26 of them.
Personalization
KidsTeam data - which game do you play a lot and why?
Research paper - avatars are effective
We added avatars that you can customize in many ways. You can make it unique by choosing your favorite animal sound and get accessories from the in-game shop to personalize it even more.
We created a sense of identity within the game through this, as well made the players associate the actions of the main character with their own.
Exploration
Competitors - Cuphead
Research paper - Exploration as reward
Previous version also had a map with multiple locations, we enriched the exploration aspect and filled it with learning opportunities.
We introduced interactions with non-player characters (NPCs) and challenges that you can encounter as you move around different places in the game.
This feeds kids' curiosity, motivating them to explore more and making it more exciting to play again and again.
Progression rewards
Research paper
Market research
The previous version had trophies for solving a conflict. We have that and customization, exploration, etc.
We implemented a leveling system that rewarded players with new locations, accessories, and achievements as they advanced through the game, keeping them motivated to continue playing.
Creating a modern, inclusive feel
New art style
compatible with Flutter or something, easier to develop, feedback from game developers
A mix and match system with a large number of possibilities
Retained authority figures to stick to brand identity
We've developed a fresh art style for characters, along with modern assets and animations that give a contemporary look and feel.
Inclusivity
og had school items as characters
so is gender neutral shape a better solution for inclusiveness?
emojis
gender neutral voices
text captions
We ensured inclusivity in the game by using shapes for most in-game characters, including the player's avatar, and representing voice options with emojis instead of gender labels.
We added text dialogues to make the game more accessible for kids with hearing difficulty.
Game design veterans and researchers loved our prototype.
Feedback
🌎 Open World
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"Encourages natural exploration"
Expert: Game Designer
Validated:
⭐ Discovery Freedom
⭐ Engaging Environment
👤 Avatar System
───────────────
"Creates strong player connection"
Expert: Developer
Validated:
⭐ Personalization
⭐ User Engagement
🎨 Art Direction
───────────────
"Resonates perfectly with today's kids"
Expert: Game Designer
Validated:
⭐ Visual Style
⭐ Modern Appeal
🏆 Reward System
───────────────
"Thoughtfully designed achievements"
Expert: Educational Expert
Validated:
⭐ Meaningful Progress
⭐ Sustained Motivation
Key Opportunities
Experts identified several ways to enhance the experience:
Matching gameplay pace with children's natural energy
Introducing more complex content to satisfy curiosity
Personal Impact & Growth
Adapting design sprints, Embracing perspectives
This project taught me how to strategically adapt design sprints by adjusting roles, timelines, and workflows - a skill I'll carry forward to optimize future collaborative projects.
Working with diverse stakeholders - from young users to industry experts - taught me how to effectively gather and integrate multiple perspectives to create better solutions.
