Revolutionizing Young Learners' Coding Experience: C3 Jr AI Chat Assistant
Matt Herndon August 11, 2025
C3 Jr Coding Challenge
Discover how C3 Jr, an AI-powered coding assistant, transformed the Mississippi Children's Museum's Coding Challenge experience for young learners.
Overview
By integrating intuitive user experiences with AI technology, C3 Jr offers personalized coding assistance, enhancing engagement and learning outcomes for children.
We developed C3 Jr to provide instant coding help to children participating in the museum's coding challenge. This project bridged the gap between technology and child-friendly design, offering a seamless, interactive learning experience.
Role & Responsibilities
- UX Designer & AI Integration Specialist - End-to-end design ownership
- Interface Design - Created child-friendly UI components and interaction patterns
- Prototyping - Built interactive Figma prototypes with AI conversation flows
- Design System Development - Established consistent visual language aligned with museum branding
- Developer Handoff - Created comprehensive documentation and specifications
- Stakeholder Communication - Presented design concepts and rationale to museum team
Strategy & Methods
From High-level Goals to Local Execution
Focused on user-centered and agile design processes to ensure an effective and engaging solution.
Key methods included:
- Rapid Prototyping - Iterative design and testing in Figma
- AI-Assisted Testing - Used AI to simulate various user interaction scenarios
- Accessibility Evaluation - Ensured design meets child accessibility standards
- Design System Creation - Built reusable components for consistent experience
“We weren’t just migrating platforms — we were building a foundation for design consistency and growth across five countries.”
C.H.A.R.L.I. - Code Helping AI Robotic Learning Instructor
Challenges & Solutions
Building While Flying — Scaling Design and Delivery Simultaneously
⛔️ Challenge:
Creating age-appropriate AI interactions and design for diverse skill levels
✅ Solution:
Developed adaptive conversation flows with encouraging, simplified language
⛔️ Challenge:
Balancing educational value with entertainment for sustained engagement
✅ Solution:
Integrated gamification elements and positive reinforcement patterns
⛔️ Challenge:
Ensuring scalability for multiple simultaneous users during live events
✅ Solution:
Designed efficient interaction patterns and clear conversation flows
⛔️ Challenge:
Maintaining museum brand consistency while creating distinct AI personality
✅ Solution:
Created C3 Jr character design that complemented existing museum visual identity
⛔️ Challenge:
Handoff complexity for AI conversation logic to development team
✅ Solution:
Created detailed conversation flow documentation and interactive prototypes
Outcomes & Results
Reliable Results at Scale
📈 Successfully deployed the assistant for live use during the coding challenge
📱 +30% Improved engagement among young learners
🚀 Reduced the need for live facilitators by 50%, optimizing resources
"These metrics weren’t just wins for marketing — they were the result of tight UX strategy, technical execution, and scalable systems thinking."
Reflection & Leadership Takeaways
What This Project Proved About AI
This project significantly expanded my expertise in AI-integrated design and educational technology UX. I learned to balance complex AI capabilities with simple, child-friendly interfaces, developing new skills in conversational design and AI testing methodologies.
The experience taught me the importance of designing for scalability in live event scenarios and how to create documentation that bridges the gap between AI conversation logic and development implementation. Working with the museum team enhanced my stakeholder collaboration abilities, particularly in translating educational goals into engaging digital experiences.
Most importantly, I gained confidence in pioneering emerging technology solutions and learned how to advocate for innovative approaches while maintaining user-centered design principles. This project demonstrated my ability to lead design initiatives in unfamiliar technology spaces and deliver measurable impact for educational institutions.
Looking for someone who can lead global strategy, connect design and business, and scale teams through complexity?