Ario
Ario
AI Assistant for Modern Parenthood
AI Assistant for Modern Parenthood
AI Assistant for Modern Parenthood
Ario is an AI-powered mobile app designed to support busy parents in managing their everyday family logistics. From decoding chaotic school emails to detecting calendar conflicts, Ario aims to reduce the mental load of household coordination by turning scattered information into actionable plans. I led the UX/UI design of the Ario mobile app, working closely with product and engineering teams to shape an intuitive, AI-integrated experience from onboarding to daily use. The app currently runs on iOS, with Android in the pipeline.
This project stems from a thesis research on the use of gamification as a playful methodology to enhance the digital reading experience within the manga reader niche. The objective was to design a gamified manga reading app that fosters social interaction, increases reading motivation, and promotes community building.
Role
UX/UI Design, User Research, Wireframing, Visual Design, Design System
Duration
1 Year
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop
Problem Statement
Modern parenting involves juggling dozens of invisible tasks: tracking school events, managing grocery deliveries, scheduling playdates, and keeping calendars aligned. Ario was created to help alleviate this "invisible labor," yet turning that goal into a fluid digital experience presented several design challenges. How do you create an AI assistant that feels helpful, not invasive? How do you simplify chaotic inputs—like school emails or messy group chats—into calendar entries that feel effortless? The initial versions lacked consistency in interaction flows and clarity around AI actions, and user trust was still forming.
Problem Statement
Modern parenting involves juggling dozens of invisible tasks: tracking school events, managing grocery deliveries, scheduling playdates, and keeping calendars aligned. Ario was created to help alleviate this "invisible labor," yet turning that goal into a fluid digital experience presented several design challenges. How do you create an AI assistant that feels helpful, not invasive? How do you simplify chaotic inputs—like school emails or messy group chats—into calendar entries that feel effortless? The initial versions lacked consistency in interaction flows and clarity around AI actions, and user trust was still forming.
Project Goals
The main goal was to make Ario feel like a seamless, trusted layer between a parent's mental load and their digital tools. The app needed to make complex actions—like parsing emails or organizing family schedules—feel like one-tap experiences. At the same time, the interface had to communicate exactly what the AI was doing, ensuring transparency and control. Design had to be clean, calm, and frictionless, especially for time-starved users navigating dozens of tasks per day. Ultimately, the app had to become a partner, not just another productivity tool.
Project Goals
The main goal was to make Ario feel like a seamless, trusted layer between a parent's mental load and their digital tools. The app needed to make complex actions—like parsing emails or organizing family schedules—feel like one-tap experiences. At the same time, the interface had to communicate exactly what the AI was doing, ensuring transparency and control. Design had to be clean, calm, and frictionless, especially for time-starved users navigating dozens of tasks per day. Ultimately, the app had to become a partner, not just another productivity tool.
Research
Research
The team conducted interviews with parents across different family structures to understand their needs, pain points, and habits. A consistent theme was decision fatigue and the overload of mental tabs—from remembering themed school days to juggling meal planning and doctor appointments. Many parents relied on email inboxes and mental reminders rather than structured systems. Our research also revealed that trust in AI came primarily through small, repeatable wins—like getting an accurate school event into the calendar without having to manually parse the email. These insights shaped how we prioritized features and designed touchpoints.
The team conducted interviews with parents across different family structures to understand their needs, pain points, and habits. A consistent theme was decision fatigue and the overload of mental tabs—from remembering themed school days to juggling meal planning and doctor appointments. Many parents relied on email inboxes and mental reminders rather than structured systems. Our research also revealed that trust in AI came primarily through small, repeatable wins—like getting an accurate school event into the calendar without having to manually parse the email. These insights shaped how we prioritized features and designed touchpoints.
Users and Profiles
Users and Profiles
Our primary user persona was the "default planner"—typically the parent who takes on the majority of household coordination. Their journey with Ario often began in a moment of stress: a missed email, an overbooked afternoon, or a forgotten deadline. From there, Ario needed to intervene with just-in-time support—like decoding an email, flagging a scheduling conflict, or reminding them of a task they hadn’t yet logged. This led us to focus the app around contextual entry points and push notifications that delivered high value in low-effort moments.
Our primary user persona was the "default planner"—typically the parent who takes on the majority of household coordination. Their journey with Ario often began in a moment of stress: a missed email, an overbooked afternoon, or a forgotten deadline. From there, Ario needed to intervene with just-in-time support—like decoding an email, flagging a scheduling conflict, or reminding them of a task they hadn’t yet logged. This led us to focus the app around contextual entry points and push notifications that delivered high value in low-effort moments.
Ideation and Wireframes
Ideation and Wireframes
Wireframing focused on how to surface Ario’s intelligence in ways that felt natural and actionable. We explored flows where users could forward school emails, snap photos of schedules, or integrate with existing tools like Google Calendar or DoorDash. The challenge was minimizing manual input while still giving users clarity and control. Early wireframes tested different ways of presenting AI suggestions—like pending calendar entries or conflict warnings—in formats that felt easy to confirm, edit, or dismiss. We also prototyped “weekly snapshots,” a digest view of upcoming family activities with embedded suggestions.
Wireframing focused on how to surface Ario’s intelligence in ways that felt natural and actionable. We explored flows where users could forward school emails, snap photos of schedules, or integrate with existing tools like Google Calendar or DoorDash. The challenge was minimizing manual input while still giving users clarity and control. Early wireframes tested different ways of presenting AI suggestions—like pending calendar entries or conflict warnings—in formats that felt easy to confirm, edit, or dismiss. We also prototyped “weekly snapshots,” a digest view of upcoming family activities with embedded suggestions.
UX/UI Design
UX/UI Design
The visual system for Ario balances warmth and clarity. We leaned into soft gradients, gentle animations, and approachable microcopy to create a tone that felt empathetic rather than robotic. Components were designed for speed and clarity—cards, quick actions, and alert banners that work well under time pressure. Icons, typography, and motion were all chosen to reduce friction and elevate focus. A key element was the feedback system: every AI-driven action included subtle confirmations, edits, and explanations to help users build trust in the assistant over time.
The visual system for Ario balances warmth and clarity. We leaned into soft gradients, gentle animations, and approachable microcopy to create a tone that felt empathetic rather than robotic. Components were designed for speed and clarity—cards, quick actions, and alert banners that work well under time pressure. Icons, typography, and motion were all chosen to reduce friction and elevate focus. A key element was the feedback system: every AI-driven action included subtle confirmations, edits, and explanations to help users build trust in the assistant over time.
Results & Final reflections
Results & Final reflections
Designing Ario pushed me to explore the intersection between trust, automation, and emotional design. We weren’t just building a tool—we were stepping into people’s domestic lives, which meant the experience needed to be as invisible as it was empowering. The project taught me that designing AI interactions isn’t about hiding complexity; it’s about surfacing just the right amount of logic and feedback to build confidence. I also gained experience working in fast-paced, early-stage environments where product direction evolves rapidly and systems must stay adaptable.
Designing Ario pushed me to explore the intersection between trust, automation, and emotional design. We weren’t just building a tool—we were stepping into people’s domestic lives, which meant the experience needed to be as invisible as it was empowering. The project taught me that designing AI interactions isn’t about hiding complexity; it’s about surfacing just the right amount of logic and feedback to build confidence. I also gained experience working in fast-paced, early-stage environments where product direction evolves rapidly and systems must stay adaptable.