Research-led tutorial redesign for a shipped educational game, built to cut onboarding friction.

OVERVIEW

A tutorial redesign for a shipped educational game

A game that teaches responsible data science, where the tutorial lost players before they ever started. As UX/UI designer, I ran playtests, started the comparative analysis, and built the animated prototypes that aligned the team on a new direction.

IMPACT

Redesigned a shipped tutorial backed by research, dropping player hesitation from 18 seconds to under 6.

ROLE

UX/UI Designer alongside 1 PM, 2 developers, and 2 character/environment designers.

YEAR

2025

IMPACT

Redesigned a shipped tutorial backed by research, dropping player hesitation from 18 seconds to under 6.

ROLE

UX/UI Designer alongside 1 PM, 2 developers, and 2 character/environment designers.

METHODS

Playtesting, comparative analysis, prototyping

YEAR

2025

PROBLEM

Friction in the mini-game tutorials risked losing players before the learning started.

The tutorial asked players to act without a clear prompt to begin, so they hesitated and waited for the game to move first. In an educational game, every stalled moment is a chance for players to disengage before they reach the lessons the game exists to teach.

TESTING INSIGHT

Players weren't confused. They were waiting.

During playtesting, we found that players understood the instructions, but they still waited for the game to show them what to do next. They didn’t need more information. They needed a breakdown.

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COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

How do the best mini-games teach a mechanic in under 10 seconds?

I researched how games teach new mechanics, combining playtesting with established tutorial design practices. I analyzed eight mini-games to identify how effective tutorials introduce information, direct attention, and prompt action.

Introduce information just in time.

Strong tutorials teach one mechanic when it's needed instead of front-loading every rule.

Use narration to create order.

Voice gives players a sequence to follow, directing their attention from one element to the next.

Prompt the next action.

A little motion, a glow, or a clear cue can show players where they’re supposed to act next.

Just-in-time information

One mechanic at a time, introduced when it's needed, not front-loaded.

Narration creates order

A wall of text has no reading order. A narrator's voice does. It moves through the screen and tells players where to look next.

Prompting the players

Motion, glow, or a direct cue. Without one, an empty space reads as "done," not "your turn."

Just-in-time information

One mechanic at a time, introduced when it's needed, not front-loaded.

Narration creates order

A wall of text has no reading order. A narrator's voice does. It moves through the screen and tells players where to look next.

Prompting the players

Motion, glow, or a direct cue. Without one, an empty space reads as "done," not "your turn."

HYPOTHESIS

If narration and visual cues work together to direct attention, players should know what to look at and when to act without needing explicit instructions.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

From static modal to narrated sequence.

The narrator introduces each element one at a time, while the interface highlights it as it's mentioned. Instead of reading a set of instructions and figuring out what to do next, players are guided through the interaction as it happens.

OUTCOME

Shipped a guided tutorial that cut player hesitation by over 60%.

In initial playtests, players hesitated for 15–18 seconds before making their first move, which dropped to under 6 seconds after introducing our narrated, cue-driven sequence. The animated prototypes aligned the team on a clear direction and shipped directly to the live educational game.

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