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Articulate | A Private Speech Rehearsal Studio

Category EdTech, AI SaaS
Year 2026
My role Product designer

Overview

Articulate is a distraction-free, AI-powered desktop environment designed to help users master their pacing, expand their vocabulary, and eliminate filler words through interactive speech practice.

Articulate Desktop Environment Overview

Design process

For the design process, I followed 4 non linear critical steps.

[Empathize] → [Problem & Goal Definition] → [Ideation] → [Prototype & Testing] → [Iterations]

The Problem

Clear communication is one of the most valuable skills in the modern world, yet most people struggle to articulate their thoughts under pressure. Whether during a job interview, on a podcast, or in a boardroom, verbal friction holds people back.

The Goal

The Goal is to provide a judgment-free, data-driven practice environment where users can actively improve their articulation, reduce filler words, and build public speaking confidence through interactive feedback.

Research Methodology

To solve the problem I engaged people- including users in similar industries, in series of user interview sessions, and proceeded to design user personas to easily understand the data received.

User Persona - David, 28 years old, Mid-Level Product Designer User Persona - Ella, 45 years old, Marketing Director

Competitor’s analysis

To understand the current landscape of AI communication tools, we evaluated three market leaders based on their primary use cases, user experience (UX), and practice environments.

The market leaders include:

Yoodli Yoodli
Poised Poised
Orai Orai
Competitor's Analysis Matrix - Articulate vs Yoodli vs Poised vs Orai

The current market is missing a safe, private rehearsal environment for nervous speakers. Here is why the existing tools fall short for users like David

Research insights

  1. Research shows that up to 75% of people experience some degree of public speaking anxiety, primarily driven by cognitive factors such as the fear of negative evaluation and judgment.
  2. A primary cause of speech anxiety is the user's perceived lack of speaking skills, such as relying heavily on filler words or struggling with vocabulary.
  3. Effective speech training requires intense focus, but traditional commercial tools often have cluttered interfaces or rely on mobile screens that do not simulate a professional desktop context.

Solution

I tailored the solution data from the Research insights. It includes:

  1. Private AI Speech Studio: A distraction-free, dark-mode desktop environment built for private, offline-style rehearsal without live-call anxiety.
  2. Real-Time Audio Visualization: Dynamic visual waveforms that provide immediate pacing and volume cues
  3. Post-Session Metric Breakdown: Granular, automated analytics scoring filler-word frequency, speech velocity (WPM), and vocabulary diversity.
  4. Gamified Progress & Reward System: Interactive benchmarks and skill progression loops designed to lower speaking anxiety and build long-term practice habits.

Paper wireframes

To begin the design stage, I designed the solutions above into a paper wireframe to help give a quick view of what the final design will look like, brainstormed, added and removed ideas, tailoring them to the Solutions above.

Articulate Paper Wireframes

The final design

I converted the completed paper wireframes to the HIFI screens.

The Learning Page : The learning page is where users learn to speak, it shows immediate pacing and volume cues, filler-word frequency, speech velocity (WPM), and vocabulary diversity.

The Learning Page

Personas page : The personas page shows users different personas to help them make their speech better

Personas Page

Streaks & Rewards Page : The integration screens show all added integrations, their states, and what they do. It also shows the way the permitted integrations can be added

Streaks and Rewards Page

How to start a session : The personas page shows users different personas to help them make their speech better

How to start a session - Welcome Screen Select Persona Select Voice Pitch Details Configuration Interview Details Configuration Live Rehearsal Active Session Speech Analysis & Performance Metrics Session Summary & Vocabulary Breakdown

Other screens : The integration screens show all added integrations, their states, and what they do. It also shows the way the permitted integrations can be added

Studio Preferences & Settings Audio and Mic Controls AI Feedback Settings Speaking Challenge Screen Voice Upload Modal Pitch Details Modal Chat Details Modal

Projected Business & Agents Impacts

  1. Projected to Rapidly reduce Filler-Words
  2. Lowered Public Speaking Anxiety
  3. Accelerated Career Mobility: By mastering their pacing and expanding their active vocabulary, users can confidently articulate their value in high-stakes environments.
  4. High Daily Active Usage (DAU) via Gamification: The gamified progression loops and low-friction, dark-mode UI create a "sticky" product. By making practice feel rewarding rather than punishing, the app encourages daily habit formation, driving up user retention.

What i learnt

  1. Gamified reward system keeps the users engaged, making practice feel rewarding rather than a stressful commitment