Impact: Boosting At-Home Engagement
DISCLAIMER: All 3D ninja characters, branding elements, and the Impact website referenced in this project are official assets owned by Code Ninjas/Impact. They are included only to provide context for my design work and are not my own creations.
Project Overview
We observed a pattern at our Code Ninjas center: students struggled to retain advanced concepts and rarely engaged with Impact from home. To close this gap, I designed an Impact feature addition that introduces daily missions, streaks, and Ninja Bucks tied to real dojo rewards. The extension lives inside Impact’s existing IA and visual style, aiming to boost at-home practice and make progress visible to both students and parents.
Role: Product/UX Designer
Timeline: 6 days alongside part time work
Tools: Figma
The Problem
Outside scheduled sessions, at-home practice is infrequent, and advanced topics decay if there's extensive time between visits. Without clear guidance, many parents don’t know how to help their kids sustain practice at home.
Selecting flower arrangements can be a difficult and frustrating process. Shops tend to have a seemingly unlimited number of options which is often attractive to many customers because they have a better chance of finding something that matches their preference. However, convoluted descriptions and poor organization can make it nearly impossible for customers to settle on an option they feel confident in. As a result, customers can be left feeling like their time and money is wasted.
The Problem
Flora & Folio is a mobile app designed to help users build or select flower arrangements perfect for any occasion. The app provides a comprehensive list of browsing categories, options for customization, and fast and easy checkout in order to create a seamless experience for customers.
The Solution
The Problem
Selecting flower arrangements can be a difficult and frustrating process. Shops tend to have a seemingly unlimited number of options which is often attractive to many customers because they have a better chance of finding something that matches their preference. However, convoluted descriptions and poor organization can make it nearly impossible for customers to settle on an option they feel confident in. As a result, customers can be left feeling like their time and money is wasted.
Research
In order to better understand how and if students were engaging with the curriculum outside the center, we ran a poll and followed up with interviews in the dojo. As a result, we identified three main barriers for students learning at home.
Around
70 %
of students do not use, or have only once used, the sandbox feature at home to build their own projects
Barriers
Confused on topics with no at home support to answer questions
Unsure of what to make when no instructions, requirements, or examples are given
Lack of motivation. Not interested in engaging with curriculum when they don't HAVE to
So what ARE students engaging with, and how can we meet them were they are?
As a Sensei, I can say that the overwhelming response to what students are engaging with is Roblox and Minecraft. Even in the more educational route Blooket, Kahoot, and Quizlet Games are what students consistently use. With this in mind, a common theme became clear: Games, Competition, and Rewards.
Ideation
After revisiting the research insights, I began brainstorming implementation approaches
Standalone Web App
Our center would have to host the site. Additionally, students would need a separate login, and their coding platform would not be integrated or easily accessible through a separate app.
In-App Expansion
Integrates into the Impact app and doesn't disrupt the existing flow students are accustomed to.
Having established the delivery method, it was important to consider the constraints that came along with integrating into the existing Impact app. Once those constraints were identified, I was able to begin translating the findings into product features.
Limited time frame
Design with Impact's System
No analytics access
Pain Points
Product Features
Review Access
The center I teach at provides reviews students can complete in center; however, they do not have easy, consistent access to those reviews at home
Concepts & Reviews
Offer permanent digital access to the same reviews available in the center. Additionally, provide easy access to documentation for commonly misunderstood concepts
Personalization
Impact assigns students a randomly generated username for peer reviews. Outside of that kids have no way to personalize their accounts which is a major factor for most games they're intersted in
Custom Character
Incorporate a ninja character that students are able to personalize. Items become available by completing curriculum tasks or games.
Rewards
My Code Ninjas center also has a reward system for students called Ninja Bucks. But the ways to earn Ninja Bucks are limited to completing riddles and completing a belt.
Boost Reward System
Allow ninjas to view their Ninja Bucks online. They will also be able to earn rewards by completing extra projects, challenges, and maintaining streaks.
Design
Introducing the Impact: At-Home Engagement Expansion
Original
My Design
Iteration
Due to the tight timeframe of this project, I was not able to run usability testing, so that is the next step. I will measure 4 main outcomes and based on that response make changes to my design. These measurements will include the following.
Method: 8 participants unmoderated tasks on a clickable prototype; timed with a stopwatch; notes captured in a tally sheet
Activation Speed
Time to complete "daily challenge" (target: <30s)
Comprehension
Can they explain how to earn ninja bucks? (target: >=65% say Yes)
Unprompted Discovery
Do they find character customization and shop? (target >=65% say Yes)
Streak Understanding
Ninja points to the streak and says what happens tomorrow (target >=65% correct)
If any target falls short, I’ll adjust entry points, copy, and visual cues and re-test to confirm the fix
Considering the goals and pain points outlined at the beginning of this design process, I feel that I met the needs and
This project sits at the intersection of two things I care deeply about: design and the kids I work with. I wanted to build something that genuinely helps my students—something that makes practice feel rewarding and keeps their momentum between sessions.
Reflection
I’ve been meaning to start this for a long time, and now that it’s real, I’m excited to hear from students and learn what works for them. My goal has always been simple: help students learn. If this feature moves the needle on that, then I’ve done my job.
requirements of our users. To further improve Flora & Folio I would conduct another usability to determine if there are features that could further benefit users. Based on original goals and initial feedback, I believe that adding a page dedicated to flower care would improve the experience of users unfamiliar with purchasing flower arrangements. This is the first feature I would address, but further research would be essential in identifying improvements for users.
Thank You!
I hope you enjoyed this case study. Check out my other work.