A music-based platform that expands students’ cultural awareness.
2026
project
Medley App
The Challenge
Driven by a rise in misinformation and racism in the UK and Ireland, the core challenge was to design a solution that fosters empathy and cultural understanding from a young age. Recognising that music is a universal language, Medley was created as a digital platform connecting secondary school classrooms globally to play and learn music together. The primary logistical hurdle was recruiting young users for testing; consequently, the project pivoted to a teacher-led experience, relying on strict scheduling to balance user research, teacher testing, and prototyping within the limited timeframe of a solo project.
Wireframes
The wireframing and early structural phase relied heavily on the integration of AI tools to accelerate the design process and ensure a strong foundation. ChatGPT was utilized initially for rapid competitor analysis and gathering research sources, while Figma Make was fed the project design brief to generate early wireframe concepts. These AI-generated layouts served as a crucial springboard for brainstorming essential features and were subsequently cross-referenced during user testing to ensure the interface met recognized accessibility standards.
UI DESIGN
Translating Medley’s core values of collaboration and shared culture into a visually appealing interface required significant iteration, moving from initially harsh bold colors to a refined, desaturated palette. To metaphorically emphasize global connection, a “glass effect” was applied to UI elements, implying that partner classrooms were just behind the screen. The entire visual identity was built into a robust Figma design system using advanced auto-layout features, though time constraints meant some polished animations and complex user journey details had to be omitted from the current build.
DESIGN GUIDES
The design guide for the Medley brand includes instruction for how to use the various elements of the brand, such as the colour scheme, logo and wordmarks. It also overviews the design process, and the step-by-step strategy for the product’s successful launch. Additionally, it touches upon the research involved in the creation of the product, from online reading to user interviews and testing.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Medley successfully fills an untapped gap in the educational market by offering a comprehensive, cross-cultural digital service that utilizes music and video calling to subtly combat societal prejudice. While future iterations would benefit from more granular features like student-specific tasks, manual group pairing, and personalized lesson tailoring, the current product stands as a robust, research-backed platform. Developing the project was also a highly valuable personal learning experience, cementing advanced software skills and AI integration techniques that will be foundational for future design career endeavors.
