The Story Point app concept is designed to enhance children’s engagement with books, informed by UX research on parents’ challenges during storytime, such as maintaining attention, supporting independent reading, and overcoming language barriers. The concept integrates a smart reading pen, enabling children to read books independently while interacting with digital narration.
A central feature is AI voice-cloning technology, which allows parents or caregivers to record custom narrations for stories. Children can choose from these personalized voices to hear familiar tones or select playful character voices, making reading more engaging, emotionally rich, and supportive of independent learning.
Project overview
Children’s reading should be an enjoyable and enriching experience that fosters curiosity, imagination, and learning. However, parents sometimes find storytime challenging due to busy schedules, language barriers, and difficulties keeping children engaged. These challenges can reduce the quality of the reading experience, making it harder for parents to maintain consistent routines and for children to develop a love of reading.
To better understand these challenges and uncover opportunities for improvement, user research was conducted in March 2025. Five parents of children aged 2–8 were interviewed to explore their storytime habits, challenges, and expectations. The research focused on identifying pain points such as time constraints, language difficulties, and maintaining emotional and educational engagement during reading.
The insights gathered from this research informed the development of wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, and user interface concepts, focusing on three main areas: creating an emotionally and educationally engaging storytelling experience, supporting children’s independent reading routines through the smart reading pen, and addressing language barriers with AI-driven voice narration. These design directions aim to make storytime more flexible, inclusive, and enjoyable for both children and their caregivers.
UX Research
In March 2025, user interviews were conducted with five parents to better understand the challenges and motivations surrounding children’s storytime experiences. The goal of the research was to explore children's reading habits, obstacles, and parent's expectations for technology-assisted storytelling. The research aimed to uncover pain points, identify opportunities for digital support, and understand how parents and children interact with storybooks both independently and together.
Insights from the research were used to inform potential design directions — including new interactive features and solutions that enhance engagement and strengthen the parent-child reading experience.
Methodology
Research Approach
A qualitative research approach was used to gain deep insights into parents’ reading habits, challenges, and aspirations. Semi-structured interviews allowed for open discussions while maintaining focus on core topics such as reading routines, child engagement, and use of digital tools.
Participant Profile
Five parents of children aged 2 to 8 years old participated in the study. Each had experience reading storybooks to their child and varied familiarity with educational apps or smart reading tools.
Data Collection
Interviews were conducted remotely and lasted approximately 30-45 minutes. Discussion topics included:
• Current reading habits and routines
• Challenges during storytime
• Language and communication difficulties
• Child engagement levels and preferences
• Expectations for digital reading tools
Key Findings
User interviews with parents revealed four major themes that highlight the challenges and motivations surrounding children’s storytime. These insights provide a deeper understanding of how families experience reading together and where digital solutions can offer meaningful support.
Balancing Time & Engagement
Pain Point
Parents struggle to find enough time for consistent storytime due to busy schedules and fatigue. Reading sessions are often rushed or skipped, leading to reduced engagement and feelings of guilt over missing meaningful bonding moments.
Insight
Parents need flexible and supportive reading solutions that fit into their daily routines. Features like scheduled reminders, short stories, or on-demand narration could help sustain regular engagement and strengthen parent-child connection.
Language Barriers & Challenges
Pain Point
Language differences — including dialect variations and English pronunciation difficulties — disrupt the storytelling flow and lower parents’ confidence during reading. These challenges make it harder for parents to maintain their child’s attention and enjoyment.
Insight
There is an opportunity to integrate language support tools, such as pronunciation guides or assisted narration, to help parents read fluently and deliver a smoother, more engaging story experience for children.
Desire for Convenient Tools & Resources
Pain Point
Parents find it difficult to access suitable reading materials and track their child’s reading development. Limited time and scattered resources make it hard to choose age-appropriate books or monitor progress effectively.
Insight
Parents would benefit from an all-in-one reading companion app that offers progress tracking, personalized book recommendations, and guidance on child development, helping them stay engaged and informed despite time constraints.
Balancing Educational Goals with Emotional Bonding
Pain Point
While parents value storytime for its educational benefits, they place equal importance on emotional bonding. However, distractions, fluctuating child attention, and emotional sensitivity often make it difficult to maintain focus and connection.
Insight
Parents can best use of interactive and emotionally responsive storytelling experiences that combine learning with warmth—using familiar voices, expressive narration, and adaptive story pacing to foster both education and connection.
Design Implications
The insights gathered from user research revealed clear challenges and opportunities in children’s storytime, including time constraints, language barriers, and maintaining engagement. These findings provided actionable guidance for translating user needs into design solutions that enhance both the educational and emotional aspects of reading.
Based on these insights, initial wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, and user interface concepts were developed to explore potential features and interactions. The following design implications highlight key directions for improving the storytime experience, focusing on promoting independent reading, fostering emotional connection, and overcoming language and pronunciation challenges through innovative technology.
Blend Education with Emotional Connection
The app focuses on combining learning and emotional engagement by creating a storytelling experience that fosters curiosity, imagination, and bonding. Through expressive narration and familiar voices, storytime becomes both an educational journey and a comforting ritual that strengthens the parent-child connection.
Support Flexible Reading Routines through Independent Reading
To encourage children’s independence and support parents with busy schedules, the app integrates seamlessly with a smart reading pen. This feature allows children to read and listen to stories on their own, promoting consistent engagement even when parents are unavailable. By combining tactile interaction with digital narration, the reading pen enhances focus, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment in young readers.
Address Language Barriers through AI Voice Cloning
To overcome language and pronunciation challenges, the app integrates AI-driven voice cloning technology that enables parents and caregivers to record or generate personalized narrations. This allows children to enjoy stories read in a familiar and comforting voice, even when parents are unavailable or face language limitations. The feature supports inclusive storytelling while enhancing both accessibility and emotional continuity in the reading experience.
Wireframes and low-fi Prototype
Conclusion
The user research revealed that parents face several challenges during storytime, including time constraints, language barriers, and maintaining their child’s engagement. These insights highlighted opportunities to design a solution that supports both educational goals and emotional bonding while accommodating busy family routines.
Based on the research findings, Story Point focuses on three key design directions: 1. Blending Education with Emotional Connection — creating storytelling experiences that are both engaging and nurturing. 2. Supporting Flexible Reading Routines through Independent Reading — enabling children to read and listen on their own using the smart reading pen. 3. Addressing Language Barriers through AI Voice Cloning — allowing children to enjoy stories in familiar, comforting voices even when parents face pronunciation or language challenges.
Wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, and user interface concepts were developed to visualize and test these solutions. Moving forward, usability testing and iterative refinement will be critical to ensure that the app effectively meets user needs, enhances the reading experience, and fosters a love of stories in children.
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