Typeverse : Let's Learn Typography!
EDUCATION PRODUCT | UX CASE STUDY
OVERVIEW
Typeverse is an online platform that offers an interactive and comprehensive learning experience for typography enthusiasts, covering everything from the basics to its rich history.
SCOPE
User Research
Low Fidelity
Usability Testing
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PRODUCT TYPE
Educational:
Gamified Learning
YEAR
2025
DESIGN PROMPT
Design a feature or mechanic that enhances social interaction in online education. We understand that learning becomes more enjoyable and effective when learners collaborate with friends or even strangers.
How can your design encourage engagement or competition, build community, and facilitate peer-to-peer learning ?
The educational theme of our product is...
WHY TYPOGRAPHY?
I chose typography as the subject due to my passion for it as a designer. What’s also worth highlighting is that many people don’t realize how pervasive typography is — it’s not limited to designers.
Typography is everywhere - from the logos we see on restaurant menus to street signs, advertisements, packaging, book covers, websites, social media posts, and even movie credits.
OBJECTIVE & SCOPE
How might we create a collaborative and engaging platform for design students and professionals to learn and share about typography?
USER RESEARCH
AFFINITY MAPPING
EMPATHY MAP
USER JOURNEY MAP
LOW FIDELITY PROTOYPES
TYPOGRAPHY EXERCISES
USABILITY TESTING DIMENSIONS
Total 5 users for Usability Testing
ACTION PRIORITY MATRIX
Based on these key insights, we refined our low-fidelity design and incorporated strategic recommendations to develop the final version.
DESIGN RECOMMENDATION - 1
Pivoted to inspiration board layout instead of community forum layout.
Community page - Initial Layout in low fidelity
Community page - Layout after usability testing
Designers and students struggled to engage with the community because project posts didn’t appear clickable and felt like part of an endless scrolling feed. Community events were also easily overlooked, as they weren’t all visible on the first screen.
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NOW: Projects are displayed as cards in a Pinterest-style grid rather than forum-style posts. The navigation bar has been moved to the left to align with natural reading patterns. Events are now featured in the sidebar, with the most recent upcoming event displayed and an option to "view all" for better accessibility.
DESIGN RECOMMENDATION - 2
Clear highlighting by mapping area of feedback when viewing feedback comments from other users. ​​
Initial Layout in low fidelity - leaving feedback
Layout after usability testing - leaving feedback
Previously, marked areas for feedback were numbered consistently and remained visible, allowing users to click a number to view the corresponding comment. However, usability testing revealed that users found the numbers confusing and unclear. Additionally, when multiple comments were left on an image, the numbers cluttered the space, obstructing the view of the image.
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NOW: Users can highlight specific text in a project or mark an area on an image to zoom in and leave a comment. When another user hovers over a comment, the corresponding text or image area is highlighted, making it clear which part of the project the feedback refers to.
DESIGN RECOMMENDATION - 3
Students have a preference for more visual and practical lessons and exercises when it comes to learning typography - prioritize that.​​
Initial Layout in low fidelity for Bauhaus typography lesson in History of Type
Learning Page with all lessons categorized as either practical or theoretical learning
Students preferred visual and hands-on exercises for learning typography, finding practical activities more engaging than theory-based lessons. Lesson formats, titles, and descriptions could be more descriptive and engaging, with mixed opinions on the current lesson structure.
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NOW: The new learning page features two distinct lesson categories—practical and theoretical—prioritizing practical exercises first. Theoretical lessons now include visual learning tools for better engagement. Lesson formats, titles, and descriptions have been improved for clarity and appeal.
Technical Exercise - Kerning Lesson
DESIGN RECOMMENDATION - 4
Users often lack motivation to learn typography. Create a short daily quiz with a streak feature to boost engagement and consistency.
Users struggle with motivation when learning typography, as there is no way to track progress or set study goals. Currently, the daily quiz has only one entry point, and users have shown interest in the 'font pairing' feature.
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NOW: A dedicated home dashboard has been introduced, allowing users to view and track all their activities, including the daily quiz, font pairing, and font of the month. A learning progress tracker and quick access to courses have been added to the homepage.
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The visibility and enjoyment of the daily quiz feature have been enhanced with multiple entry points, and the font pairing feature is now prominently featured on the homepage to engage users.
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DESIGN RECOMMENDATION - 5
Students seek mentors with expertise in tools and typefaces aligned with their career goals. I built a Mentor Hub feature to connect them with the right guidance.
There was strong interest in the “Mentor Hub,” where users can book 1-on-1 sessions with industry professionals to receive valuable feedback on their portfolios and design work.
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NOW: A Mentor Hub page will be created, featuring key details such as the mentor's company, expertise areas, and ratings. Users can view a list of available mentors, check if they are “Available now,” and read reviews from the community before booking a session for personalized feedback.
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Designing Typeverse was both an educational and exciting experience, allowing us to explore typography in a new way while integrating gamification and community-driven learning. Through this process, we identified key takeaways and opportunities for future growth.
Educational Design & Gamification
Gained valuable experience in designing educational tools with gamification elements.
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Fun & Discovery
Enjoyed the process of creating an unconventional product while deepening our knowledge of typography.
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Stronger Value for Professionals
Strengthened the product’s value for design professionals by refining its proposition.
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Encouraging Engagement
Recognized the importance of leveraging incentives to encourage user feedback and engagement.
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Monetary Potential
Explored potential revenue streams, including earnings from the Mentor Hub, licensing fonts and typographic assets, and offering advanced-level lessons.
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Career Support
Identified an opportunity to support users beyond learning by integrating a job board to help them find typography-related careers.
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Overall, working as a team on Typeverse was both a rewarding and collaborative experience. We navigated team dynamics, learned from each other’s strengths, and gained valuable insights through feedback from industry professionals. This process not only strengthened our design and problem-solving skills but also reinforced the importance of collaboration.