AlgoAce
Building an AI-Gamified Learning and Interview Prep Platform for Software Engineers
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
10 weeks
Team
2 PMs, 3 Designers, 6 Engineers, 1 Marketer
CONTEXT
AlgoAce is a B2C iOS app that helps students and early-career software engineers practice coding problems and build communication skills for interviews. Through personalized exercises and adaptive feedback, the platform blends gamification to make coding and preparing for interviews engaging for all learner types.
CONTEXT
AlgoAce is a B2C iOS app that helps students and early-career software engineers practice coding problems and build communication skills for interviews. Through personalized exercises and adaptive feedback, the platform blends gamification to make coding and preparing for interviews engaging for all learner types.
THE PROBLEM
Interviews are stressful :(
When recruiting season begins, students spend hours practicing coding problems and doing mock interviews to prepare for technical roles. However, many lose motivation after facing repeated rejections.
After research and speaking with students recruiting for SWE and technical roles, we uncovered three recurring pain points:
😞 Low Motivation
Low Motivation
Many users struggle with consistency, leading to gaps in their learning progress
❓ Unclear Progress
Unclear Progress
Existing metrics like streaks or badges often fail to reflect true skill development
🗣️ Lack of Verbal Practice
Lack of Verbal Practice
Most learners want to build up confidence explaining solutions
During user interviews, 85% of students reported feeling anxious about articulating their thinking during job interviews— despite spending over 50+ hours on coding platforms.
How might we make coding practice more motivating and build confidence in technical interviews?
THE PROBLEM
Interviews are stressful :(
When recruiting season begins, students spend hours practicing coding problems and doing mock interviews to prepare for technical roles. However, many lose motivation after facing repeated rejections.
After research and speaking with students recruiting for SWE and technical roles, we uncovered three recurring pain points:
😞 Low Motivation
Many users struggle with consistency, leading to gaps in their learning progress
❓ Unclear Progress
Existing metrics like streaks or badges often fail to reflect true skill development
🗣️ Lack of Verbal Practice
Most learners want to build up confidence explaining solutions
During user interviews, 85% of students reported feeling anxious about articulating their thinking during job interviews— despite spending over 50+ hours on coding platforms.
How might we make coding practice more motivating and build confidence in technical interviews?
THE GOAL
Designing a coding prep tool that trains not just the brain — but the voice, too.
Build a mobile-first platform that:
⭐ Drives consistent practice through gamification
⭐ Visualizes tangible growth across topics
⭐ Builds real communication confidence via verbal AI-interview simulation
THE GOAL
Designing a coding prep tool that trains not just the brain — but the voice, too.
Build a mobile-first platform that:
⭐ Drives consistent practice through gamification
⭐ Visualizes tangible growth across topics
⭐ Builds real communication confidence via verbal AI-interview simulation
THE SOLUTIOn
Customized Onboarding
• Avatar selection
• Diagnostic quiz to customize learning path
Explore Exercises via "Worlds"
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
AI Voice-Based Interviews
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
Community and Quests
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
THE SOLUTIOn
Customized Onboarding
• Avatar selection
• Diagnostic quiz to customize learning path
Explore Exercises via "Worlds"
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
AI Voice-Based Interviews
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
Community and Quests
• Themed coding "worlds" grouped by topic
• Assessments to skip ahead based on skill
Market RESEARCH
Understanding the Gamified and Educational Market
There isn’t really an existing app like AlgoAce in the current market, so we analyzed similar apps to better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and how AlgoAce could differentiate itself as a product.
Market RESEARCH
Understanding the Gamified and Educational Market
There isn’t really an existing app like AlgoAce in the current market, so we analyzed similar apps to better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and how AlgoAce could differentiate itself as a product.
USER INTERVIEW
Uncovering Frustration in Coding Prep
Most aspiring software engineers use coding platforms and problem banks to prepare for technical interviews — but the experience often feels like grinding without meaningful progress or fun.
To better understand how the process is like, I interviewed 10 undergrads and grads to uncover learning patterns, and unmet needs that current tools overlook.
USER INTERVIEW
Uncovering Frustration in Coding Prep
Most aspiring software engineers use coding platforms and problem banks to prepare for technical interviews — but the experience often feels like grinding without meaningful progress or fun.
To better understand how the process is like, I interviewed 10 undergrads and grads to uncover learning patterns, and unmet needs that current tools overlook.
USER FLOW
Navigating Like Users
USER FLOW
Navigating Like Users
USABILITY TESTING AND ITERATIONS
Going Through with Users and Iterating Over and Over
After conducting usability testing, we identified opportunities to enhance the app experience. We focused on understanding where users struggled and how we could improve the app.
Key Change #1: Users want to see their progress.
Most users mentioned that they prefer to see their progress and want the answers to be the same size as the others. We added a progress bar and experimented with different color choices.
Key Change #2: Adding to New Spaces
I explored different visual styles for how saved quotes would appear. Through user testing, I found that users preferred a cleaner look.
USABILITY TESTING AND ITERATIONS
Going Through with Users and Iterating Over and Over
After conducting usability testing, we identified opportunities to enhance the app experience. We focused on understanding where users struggled and how we could improve the app.
Key Change #1: Users want to see their progress.
Most users mentioned that they prefer to see their progress and want the answers to be the same size as the others. We added a progress bar and experimented with different color choices.
Key Change #2: Adding to New Spaces
I explored different visual styles for how saved quotes would appear. Through user testing, I found that users preferred a cleaner look.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Refining with Cool Tones and Retro Type for an Immersive Feel
We expanded our universe theme with a cool-toned palette and retro-inspired typography to balance playfulness with a polished, game-like design system.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Refining with Cool Tones and Retro Type for an Immersive Feel
We expanded our universe theme with a cool-toned palette and retro-inspired typography to balance playfulness with a polished, game-like design system.
Takeaways
Always be adaptable when designing
This app wouldn’t be what it is without all the late-night work sessions, tiny debates over button placements, and constant “wait… does this actually make sense for the user?” moments. Building something meaningful is never a linear path — it’s full of trials, errors, and unexpected breakthroughs. And honestly, that’s what made it fun.
Emphasize with users and consider different perspectives
Testing features, analyzing competitors, and stepping into users' shoes made me realize product design isn’t just about just making something look cool - it’s about making intentional decisions that genuinely improve user's experience. Every button, flow, detail, and iteration needs to serve a functional purpose.
Takeaways
Always be adaptable when designing
This app wouldn’t be what it is without all the late-night work sessions, tiny debates over button placements, and constant “wait… does this actually make sense for the user?” moments. Building something meaningful is never a linear path — it’s full of trials, errors, and unexpected breakthroughs. And honestly, that’s what made it fun.
Emphasize with users and consider different perspectives
Testing features, analyzing competitors, and stepping into users' shoes made me realize product design isn’t just about just making something look cool - it’s about making intentional decisions that genuinely improve user's experience. Every button, flow, detail, and iteration needs to serve a functional purpose.