Personal Vision
We are passionate about making foundational learning a simple, joyful, and accessible universal baseline.
Project Topic
Build an app to help educate children and adults.
Initial Assumptions
The "Who"
The target audience is children and adults, whether they are struggling with learning subjects or are having issues due to inadequate or missing education resources, either in the past or present.
The “Why”
The deeper motivation driving our audience is a profound desire for empowerment and self-worth. Beyond simply wanting to learn, they are seeking freedom from the frustration of feeling left behind. They want the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are capable, the pride and confidence of truly understanding foundational concepts, and the sense of belonging that opens the door to new, life-changing opportunities. Ultimately, they aren't just looking for education—they are looking for a key to unlock their own potential without fear or barriers
The Status Quo
Many are relying on a patchwork of static search engines, YouTube tutorial videos, and increasingly, AI assistance. Many adults resort to methods to hide gaps in their foundational skills. There are also programs that provide relief and tutors in disaster areas and war zones as well as offline digital libraries in the event that there is inadequate or no physical access to those resources.
The Emotion
Many people facing these difficulties may experience deep-seated feelings of inadequacy or shame. Driven by the fear of being perceived as “not smart enough,” they may simply pretend to understand. It would likely be overwhelmingly stressful and frustrating for them, as well as exhausting.
User Interviews
Interviewee 1: Marcus (Persona 1: The Corporate Masker)
Q: Can you walk me through a specific time recently when a gap in your education created an obstacle for you, and how you managed it in the moment?
Marcus’s Answer: "Just last week, my manager asked me to draft an official memo analyzing a quarterly budget report. Because my foundational math and grammar confidence is shaky, my heart just dropped. Instead of asking for help, I waited until everyone went to lunch, locked my office door, and spent an hour using incognito tabs and AI to rewrite sentences I wasn't sure about. I was terrified someone would walk by and see me struggling with basic calculations."
Q: What kind of manual workarounds or temporary fixes have you created to deal with this issue right now?
Marcus’s Answer: "I rely entirely on templates. If I have to write anything from scratch, I panic. I also avoid taking phone calls where I might have to spell complex words on the spot, preferring email so I can run everything through a checker first."
Q: How did that specific challenge impact the rest of your day, and what was your predominant feeling at the time?
Marcus’s Answer: "It completely drained me. The predominant feeling wasn't just stress—it was pure exhaustion and shame. I spent the rest of the afternoon second-guessing every single thing I submitted, feeling like an impostor who doesn't belong."
Interviewee 2: Leo (Persona 2: The Overwhelmed Student)
Q: Can you walk me through a specific time recently when a gap in your education created an obstacle for you, and how you managed it in the moment?
Leo’s Answer: "During math class last Tuesday, the teacher put a fractions problem on the board and asked everyone to solve it independently. I completely blanked out on the steps we learned the day before. Instead of raising my hand to ask for help, I just stared at my blank paper, doodled in the margins, and pretended to be looking for my eraser so nobody would notice I had nothing down."
Q: What kind of manual workarounds or temporary fixes have you created to deal with this issue right now?
Leo’s Answer: "I sit in the very back row so the teacher doesn't make eye contact with me. If there's group work, I let the other kids do the talking and I just copy down their answers at the end so I don't look stupid."
Q: How did that specific challenge impact the rest of your day, and what was your predominant feeling at the time?
Leo’s Answer: "I felt super anxious and sick to my stomach the whole class period. I was just praying the bell would ring before the teacher called on me. I felt like I was broken because everyone else seemed to get it so easily."
Empathy Map
