AWDIO

AWDIO(initially calledPlayphonic) started as a project under LEGO Ventures aiming to revolutionize kids' entertainment through interactive audio experiences. The project emerged at the end of 2021, transitioning from a proof-of-concept phase into a standalone startup focused on children up to K12.

The children's entertainment landscape often lacks balanced interactive content, either passive or overloaded with commercial incentives. AWDIO aimed to fill this gap by providing engaging, educational, and interactive audio content without in-app monetization. Initially envisioned for road-trip entertainment, the concept expanded to broader interactive audio experiences.

Joining as CTO, my core responsibilities were designing and building the product, technical architecture, and user-testing infrastructure. Despite my formal title, I embraced a hands-on approach, being directly involved in product strategy, coding, prototyping, and UX design.

Collaboration was tight-knit: alongside CEO Matthias (partnerships and creators) and CPO Jonas (content creation), we maintained flexible, ad hoc decision-making. Regular standups and weekly demos fostered a transparent, dynamic working environment. I held full responsibility for the technology stack and development processes.

Our project timeline was initially limited to nine months due to LEGO's budget constraints, later slightly extended due to internal delays. A significant uncertainty was whether kids would embrace interactive audio or whether parents would find enough value in subscribing. Additionally, the rapid advancements in generative AI significantly reshaped our approach later on.

Early research involved analyzing competitors like Toniebox and Yoto alongside kids' podcasts. We discovered a clear opportunity in interactive audio experiences as existing solutions lacked genuine interactivity. However, the high production costs of professionally created content surfaced as a critical issue, prompting us to explore generative AI solutions later.

Guided by LEGO's "4 Cs" philosophy Connect, Construct, Contemplate, Continue. We prioritized educational and creative experiences and encouraged active participation. The onboarding process introduced users to our host, Audie 📷 awdio_04, guiding users through interactions and permissions 📷 awdio_01 📷 awdio_02 📷 awdio_03 📷 awdio_04 📷 awdio_05 📷 awdio_06 📷 awdio_07 📷 awdio_08.

We emphasized intuitive navigation, showcasing new stories through engaging visual cards on the Explore screen 📷 awdio_09, and offered a straightforward browsing experience 📷 awdio_11 📷 awdio_02 📷 awdio_13. The interactive audio player allowed seamless user interaction, clearly indicating choices and timelines 📷 awdio_14 📷 awdio_15 📷 awdio_16 📷 awdio_17.

The technical architecture, built modularly with React Native, Node.js, and PostgreSQL, supported complex audio storytelling interactions. One standout achievement was the bespoke story creator backend, where episodes relied on structured JSON files that dynamically managed story flows and interactions based on user choices.

A notable technical challenge was achieving an "offline-first" experience without overwhelming users during onboarding. We solved this by carefully orchestrating background downloads for initial story segments.

Recognizing the high cost of producing original content, we pivoted toward incorporating external podcasts and audiobooks. This adaptation expanded our content library and allowed quicker scalability, albeit deviating slightly from our original interactive-first vision.

We developed a polished app containing five professionally produced interactive audio stories alongside engaging quizzes 📷 awdio_18 📷 awdio_19 📷 awdio_20 📷 awdio_21 📷 awdio_22. User tests with 100 families showed promising engagement, confirming our approach resonated strongly with children. Unfortunately, a full-scale public launch didn’t materialize because we pivoted into genAI and what became Superland.

I take pride in crafting the intuitive story creator backend and overcoming UX complexities involved in interactive storytelling. The project deepened my technical skills, particularly in React Native and app deployment processes. The experience reinforced my belief in shipping at the 80% mark, iterating openly, and prioritizing user needs.

I’d ensure the app made it to full market launch if given another chance. Nonetheless, AWDIO remains a testament to innovative product development, strategic adaptability, and thoughtful user-centred design.