JYOO — a speaking-first way to keep a heritage language alive.
A mobile learning experience focused initially on Newari, designed for Nepali families living abroad who want their children to stay connected to their cultural and native languages.
- Product Designer
- Visual/UI, UX, Design System, Prototyping, Interaction, Typography
- Mobile app
Project overview
JYOO is a speaking-first heritage language learning experience focused initially on Newari. Nepal has many local and regional languages including Newari, Maithili, Tamang, Rai and others.
The product is intended particularly for Nepali families living abroad, such as in the UK and USA, who want their children to maintain a connection with their cultural and native languages. It can eventually expand to additional languages.
The problem
“How can a modern digital learning experience help younger generations living outside Nepal learn and maintain a connection with their native and cultural languages?”
Heritage languages are usually spoken before they are read. Existing tools optimise for widely-taught world languages and text-based drills, which leaves smaller languages — and the speaking practice they depend on — underserved.
A cat from the bahals of Patan.
Born under the shadow of a bronze bell in a hidden bahal of Patan, Jyoo isn't just an average street cat—he is a Haku Myau with a mission.
For centuries, his ancestors were the silent guardians of the Kathmandu Valley, eavesdropping on the ancient stories, songs, and secrets whispered in Newari.
Noticing the courtyards grew quieter as the years passed, Jyoo decided to leap from the temple rafters and into the digital world. Now, he's a mischievous, wide-eyed mentor on a quest to bring those voices back to life.
Mischievous, wise, and always on your side.
Jyoo's voice is that of a mischievous yet wise neighborhood friend, the one who knows all the best shortcuts through the bahals of Patan.
Jyoo speaks with high energy and infectious curiosity, using simple, punchy sentences that turn every lesson into a game.
Whether the user gets an answer right or misses a streak, Jyoo's responses are always emotionally resonant; he is your biggest cheerleader when you succeed and a slightly dramatic, “tearing-up” companion when you need that extra nudge to keep going.
User flow
Core flow: Onboarding → Choose Language → Select Chapter → Lesson → Listening Quiz → Streak → Achievement
Wireframes
Low-fidelity frames were used to test hierarchy, lesson pacing and how much a single screen should ask of a young learner.
Typography & Colors
Type had to hold both Devanagari and Latin comfortably, at sizes a child can read while speaking along.
The palette balances warmth, energy, and calm—yellow adds playfulness, navy provides structure, soft blue creates a gentle learning environment, and off-white keeps the UI clean.
Final UI
High-fidelity screens across onboarding, learning, progress and profile.
Key product experiences
The moments that carry the product: hearing a word, saying it back, and being noticed for showing up again tomorrow.
Listening quiz
Hear the word, choose what you heard.
Basic word lesson
Short, speakable units instead of long drills.
Streak counter
Gentle continuity, not pressure.
About language
Cultural context alongside vocabulary.
Achievement
Jyoo celebrates the small wins.
Profile
Progress that a parent can also read.
Prototype
An interactive prototype connects onboarding through to a completed lesson. Click below to open the live Figma prototype.
BYJU'S
A mobile learning experience redesigned around parent visibility, learning progress and subscription transparency.
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