How I Crafted UX for an Edutainment Game on the Amazon Glow
Immersive Learning for Kids through National Geographic
The Amazon Glow was an innovative device designed to bridge the gap between remote families, combining video calling with interactive learning and tactile play for children. Our team partnered with Amazon to create Disney-themed experiences, and I spearheaded the design of an edutainment game for National Geographic.
The game centered around young users stepping into the role of junior explorers. Kids would travel virtually across global habitats, helping a scientist gather findings and fill out a field journal. Along the way, they learned about ecosystems, flora, and fauna, all through playful, tactile interactions on the Glow’s projected mat. The goal was to seamlessly blend education and adventure, creating a hands-on learning experience that connected curiosity, exploration, and play.
The Challenge
The goal was to create, in partnership with Amazon, a game that immersed children in diverse habitats, teaching them about global ecosystems while blending education with fun.
The challenge was designing for completely new hardware, the Amazon Glow, a device combining a screen, a projection reflector, and a tactile mat where kids could interact physically with projected activities. The gameplay had to feel intuitive not just on a screen, but on a surface kids could touch, trace, puzzle through, and read along with. Every design decision needed to account for this hybrid digital-tactile interaction while staying true to NatGeo's iconic brand identity.
Though the game was ultimately shelved due to the discontinuation of the Amazon Glow, the project was an exciting opportunity to push creative boundaries and design for emerging tech.
My Role
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Mapped out user flows to structure gameplay and storyline, ensuring an engaging and logical progression for players.
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Worked closely with Amazon developers twice a week to review beta builds and provide feedback on UI structure, user flow, and gameplay functionality.
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Crafted the visual branding based on National Geographic’s brand guidelines, working with their team for asset approvals.
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Expanded the game’s content database with a large collection of animal and landscape assets to address replayability challenges.
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Provided detailed notes on UI elements, from the look and feel down to specific hex codes, ensuring visual consistency.
Mapping out gameplay
Process & Approach
Understanding the Audience
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Designed for children aged 5-12 and their relatives, focusing on shared activities that went beyond standard video calls.
Creating the Gameplay Experience
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Developed user flows that mapped out how kids would interact with the game, from exploring habitats to collecting facts and assisting virtual scientists.
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Collaborated on the storyline, ensuring it encouraged curiosity and exploration while seamlessly integrating educational content.
Collaboration with Developers
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Reviewed beta builds regularly and provided actionable feedback on game mechanics, UI structure, and visual elements.
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Worked closely with Amazon developers to address constraints and refine how users interacted with Glow’s unique projection technology and tactile mat interface.
User Testing​
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Conducted internal demos and user testing to observe how players navigated the game and interacted with the tactile mat interface. This informed how I adjusted gestural UI to better fit an experience that was being played out on a 12" x 16" surface.
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Testing with target audience indicated that there wasn't enough content to keep the game going long, or enough incentive to keep coming back to the game.
Addressing Replayability
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Tackled replayability by expanding the database of facts, images, and animations, ensuring kids encountered new content with each playthrough.
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Visual Branding
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Designed the game’s visual elements in alignment with National Geographic’s guidelines, blending their iconic aesthetic with a kid-friendly tone.
Homescreen
Demo testing
Reflections
This project was a rewarding challenge that pushed the boundaries of design in such a fun way. It reinforced my ability to adapt to emerging technology, craft meaningful user flows, and collaborate with developers to create a cohesive, engaging experience. While the game didn’t make it to the market, the process was a testament to the potential of edutainment, a passion dear to my heart.