As a Design Manager at McGraw Hill, I led the concept development and design for Music Studio, an innovative digital program aimed at making music education accessible and engaging for students and educators.
Concept Development
The vision for Music Studio was to create a dynamic platform that would modernize music instruction by combining interactive technology with proven pedagogical methods. I collaborated with educators, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to understand classroom needs, ensuring the program would resonate with diverse learning styles and age groups.
Design Execution
I crafted a user-centered design that transformed traditional music instruction into an interactive, immersive experience:
Developed an intuitive interface that allowed seamless navigation for teachers and students.
Designed interactive sheet music with playback functionality, allowing students to practice and receive feedback in real-time.
Incorporated multimedia elements like videos, audio samples, and interactive instruments to enhance engagement.
Ensured the platform was WCAG-compliant, making it accessible for all learners.
Key Features
Lesson customization tools for educators to tailor instruction to their classrooms.
Integrated assessments to track student progress and provide actionable insights.
A vibrant visual identity that appealed to young learners while maintaining a professional tone for educators.
Style Guide and Design kit
Developed a document to establish a set of guidelines to govern the aesthetics of the classroom presentation screens of the McGraw-Hill MUSIC STUDIO web application. It is a reference point for those working on this project and should help to inform its development and the development of future iterations of the application.
Within this document I define the foundation of the site structure through an explanation of our grid system, the rules of global site components such as the masthead, time-based navigation and footer and graphic design elements. These include color and pattern swatches, (below) button attributes and behaviors, sprites, tab features, typography and more.
Outcome
The Music Studio program launched successfully, providing an innovative solution for music education that bridged the gap between traditional teaching methods and modern technology allowing for learning to leave the classroom. The design not only supported educators in delivering impactful lessons but also fostered creativity and enthusiasm in students.