Making Machine Learning Accessible for Beginners and Educators
Zelda is an educational deep learning framework designed to make machine learning (ML) accessible to beginners and educators. I was responsible for designing and implementing an intuitive web platform using Tilda, creating a brand style, and developing custom illustrations that simplify technical concepts.
Problem
Machine learning frameworks often overwhelm newcomers with:
Dense, technical documentation
Interfaces designed for advanced users
Lack of approachable teaching tools
Zelda needed a platform that made ML concepts easy to understand, visually engaging, and supportive for both learners and educators.
Challenges
No-code constraints: Working with Tilda meant limited customization and interactivity.
No developer support: Required creative solutions to deliver complex features without code.
Diverse audience: Needed to balance clarity for beginners with enough depth for educators.
Research
User Interviews
Beginners struggling with jargon and complex onboarding
Educators seeking structured resources for teaching
Personas & Flows
Developed personas and mapped user flows to define intuitive pathways to tutorials, documentation, and installation guides.
Competitive Analysis
Benchmarked against TensorFlow and PyTorch, identifying opportunities for clearer navigation and friendlier onboarding.
Feature Prioritization
I used MoSCoW method to prioritize quick-start guides, code examples, and interactive tutorials while deferring advanced tools unnecessary for the audience.
Outcome
I delivered a professional, scalable, and fully responsive web platform that empowers users with interactive tutorials, streamlined learning paths for faster onboarding, and a vibrant community hub for Q&A and collaboration.
Visual Style
Created a brand style inspired by The Legend of Zelda series, incorporating a green-gold palette, soft gradients, and approachable typography to make learning feel less intimidating.
Designed a cohesive illustration system featuring icons, diagrams, and thematic artwork to explain technical processes visually.
Interactivity & Navigation
Streamlined navigation for seamless access to tutorials, documentation, and installation steps.
Designed clear CTAs placed strategically based on A/B testing results.
Key Learnings
Designing for accessibility in technical education requires visual storytelling and progressive complexity.
No-code platforms can deliver high-impact experiences when combined with strategic UX and brand consistency.
Custom illustrations are powerful in breaking down complex ML concepts for a broader audience.