Syntea
Syntea
Syntea
IU
IU
(
(
2023-2024
2023-2024
)
)
Personalized AI learning support for IU students, on demand.
Personalized AI learning support for IU students, on demand.
Personalized AI learning support for IU students, on demand.
Client
Client
IU
IU
Year
Year
(
(
2023-2024
2023-2024
)
)
Services
Services
UX/UI
UX/UI
,
,
Design Systems
Design Systems
,
,
Product Design
Product Design
The Goal
The Goal
Design a humanized, intuitive AI companion that empowers students through personalized learning support.
Syntea was developed to reimagine the online learning experience — blending the efficiency of AI with the empathy of a tutor. The goal was to craft a platform that felt conversational, adaptive, and accessible, while aligning with IU’s vision of pioneering AI-powered education.
Design a humanized, intuitive AI companion that empowers students through personalized learning support.
Syntea was developed to reimagine the online learning experience — blending the efficiency of AI with the empathy of a tutor. The goal was to craft a platform that felt conversational, adaptive, and accessible, while aligning with IU’s vision of pioneering AI-powered education.
Process & Challenge
Process & Challenge
Built a scalable design system that could evolve with Syntea’s AI features — while staying clear, consistent, and student-friendly.
At 1042 Studio, we partnered with IU to define Syntea’s dialogue structure, persona, and conversational framework.
In Figma, we explored multiple interaction models before aligning on a streamlined system adaptable to evolving learning scenarios.
The Challenge: Maintaining clarity as Syntea’s AI capabilities evolved
As new features rolled out, we had to ensure the experience stayed trustworthy and easy to navigate — without overwhelming students.
To support usability, we prototyped rapidly through hackathons and tested early with students. A core challenge was preserving Syntea’s identity as a non-human assistant while still making her feel reliable.
Thoughtful UX language, clear visual cues, and intentional guardrails helped guide users through new functionality without losing clarity.
Built a scalable design system that could evolve with Syntea’s AI features — while staying clear, consistent, and student-friendly.
At 1042 Studio, we partnered with IU to define Syntea’s dialogue structure, persona, and conversational framework.
In Figma, we explored multiple interaction models before aligning on a streamlined system adaptable to evolving learning scenarios.
The Challenge: Maintaining clarity as Syntea’s AI capabilities evolved
As new features rolled out, we had to ensure the experience stayed trustworthy and easy to navigate — without overwhelming students.
To support usability, we prototyped rapidly through hackathons and tested early with students. A core challenge was preserving Syntea’s identity as a non-human assistant while still making her feel reliable.
Thoughtful UX language, clear visual cues, and intentional guardrails helped guide users through new functionality without losing clarity.
The Outcome
The Outcome
Shipped a voice-enabled AI learning assistant used by 10k+ students — improving usability and redefining academic support at scale.
Syntea launched across IU’s digital programs as a 24/7 AI learning companion.
The system we designed now powers all major interactions — from asking questions to navigating coursework — reinforcing IU’s commitment to innovation in online learning.
Core features included:
Voice-to-type functionality
Contextual call-to-actions
Conversational UI
Picture-in-picture support
Voice-activated triggers
These features improved student interaction speed and overall usability, while creating a strong foundation for future iterations of Syntea’s AI-powered experience.
Shipped a voice-enabled AI learning assistant used by 10k+ students — improving usability and redefining academic support at scale.
Syntea launched across IU’s digital programs as a 24/7 AI learning companion.
The system we designed now powers all major interactions — from asking questions to navigating coursework — reinforcing IU’s commitment to innovation in online learning.
Core features included:
Voice-to-type functionality
Contextual call-to-actions
Conversational UI
Picture-in-picture support
Voice-activated triggers
These features improved student interaction speed and overall usability, while creating a strong foundation for future iterations of Syntea’s AI-powered experience.
What’s next?
What’s next?
What’s next?
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