01 / 04
Point the camera at the barcode.
Čtenda reads the book's barcode. Books without a code can be entered manually.
Add a book
InputBarcode
AlternativeManual entry
Scan instead of retyping
← All projectsBook finished.
My own product / Public beta
Book finished.
Journal updated.
Čtenda looks up a book from its barcode. Children can then review it using an emoji, text or their voice.
Executive summary
- Challenge
- Keeping a paper reading journal meant copying book details instead of reflecting on reading.
- Approach
- Design the product around children of different ages and the needs of parents and teachers.
- Solution
- Barcode lookup, emoji or voice reviews, a reading journal and PDF exports.
- Outcome
- A public beta with four age modes. The product screenshots show its original Czech interface.
How it works
From barcode to reading journal.
02 / 04
The title and author are filled in.
A library database returns the available details. The child chooses whether they are reading the book or have finished it.
Book found in database
- Title & author
- Other available details
- Choose: reading / finished
03 / 04
Say what you thought of the book.
Children add a review using an emoji, text or voice. They do not have to write a long entry.
Book review
How was it?Emoji
Personal thoughtsText or voice
Reviews suited to the child's age
04 / 04
The book is in the journal.
Finished books grow the dragon's treasure. The journal can be exported as a PDF for school.
Outcome
- Finished book recorded
- Review saved in journal
- PDF export available
Every finished book adds to the dragon's treasure.
Simplified illustration · no client dataAutomatic walkthrough · select any step
Challenge
It started with my own children.
My two children did not enjoy keeping a paper reading journal. Much of the effort went into copying titles, authors and page counts. I wanted to make that easier.
From scanning to reviewing.
The camera reads the barcode and a library database supplies the book details. The child chooses whether they are still reading or have finished, then adds a review.
- Barcode scanning. Fills in the title, author and other available details.
- Voice reviews. For children who still find writing difficult.
- Dragon's treasure. Grows with every finished book.
- Classroom mode. The teacher creates a class; parents connect their children using a QR code.
- PDF export. The journal can be prepared for school.
My role
Product design, interface design and development. Four age modes adapt the language and controls for younger and older readers.
Public beta
Čtenda is publicly available, free and ad-free. I continue to develop it. Application data is stored in the EU.
School use needs to be agreed around the school's operation and data handling requirements.
Open Čtenda (Czech) ↗