Projects

Code Red

UI/UX Design

Toy & Games

IxDA Interaction Awards ‘20 Shortlisted Entry

IxDA Interaction Awards

‘20 Shortlisted Entry

Discover

Define

Ideate

Deliver

Overview

Menstruation is often a taboo topic, particularly among children. Lack of early awareness results in fear, confusion, and misinformation. Code Red aims to create a safe space to start this conversation early by introducing menstrual health through a game-based approach—making it age-appropriate, interactive, and engaging.

Brief

CODE RED is a board game designed to educate pre-teens about menstruation in a fun, engaging, and shame-free manner. The goal is to normalize conversations around periods by introducing them early, through play. The project uses design as a tool for social change by tackling cultural taboos and making period education accessible to children.

Target Audience

The game is primarily designed for children aged 9 to 13, especially girls preparing to experience puberty. It also serves as a tool for teachers, school counselors, parents, and NGOs—stakeholders who play a crucial role in facilitating health education at home, in schools, and in community spaces.

Timeline

Design Sprint

Wireframes and low-fidelity

High-fidelity

1st test

Final Test

Stakeholder mapping

user interviews

personas

customer journey maps

Design Kickoff

initial problem analysis

flow diagrams

Contextual Inquiry

Discover

Ideate

Deliver

Define

December

January

february

2025

2024

Methodology

We followed the Double Diamond process — starting with user research and insights (Discover & Define), then moving into ideation and final design execution (Develop & Deliver).

RESEARCH

EMPATHY

DEFINE

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

Deliver

AWARENESS

MEASURABLE

RESULT

IMPACT

ITERATE

DOUBLE DIAMOND METHOD

Discover

Initial research revealed that 71% of girls in India don’t learn about menstruation before their first period, and 23 million girls drop out of school each year due to inadequate menstrual hygiene education. Cultural norms and gender bias continue to keep the topic hidden. Interviews and contextual inquiries showed that children learn better when the information is introduced playfully, and that many parents and educators want to help but lack the right tools.

Methods Used

Contextual Inquiry

One-on-One Interviews

Surveys

Persona Mapping

Secondary Research

Co-Design Activities

Methods Used

Contextual Inquiry

One-on-One Interviews

Surveys

Persona Mapping

Secondary Research

Co-Design Activities

Stakeholders

Key stakeholders include children as the primary users, parents as facilitators of home learning, and teachers and NGOs who implement the game in formal and informal educational setups. Healthcare educators and school administrators are also important allies in spreading this intervention across classrooms and workshops.

Competitor Analysis

Existing solutions like the Menstrupedia Comic and period kits provide helpful content but lack interactivity. NGO workshops are valuable but inconsistent, and health-tracking apps are unsuitable for younger audiences. Code Red fills a unique gap—it’s a physical, low-cost, gamified learning tool that promotes open group discussions, especially in classroom or workshop environments.

Feature list

The features of Code Red were derived from gaps in existing tools, like the lack of interactivity in comics and kits. Insights from stakeholders and user research emphasized the need for playful, easy-to-use, and engaging formats—shaping the game’s interactive, story-driven design.

Interactive Game Board

Visually engaging layout to guide players through different stages of menstrual learning.

Trivia & Myth-Busting Cards

Cards with questions, facts, and myths to clarify misconceptions in a playful way.

Roleplay & Scenario Cards

Real-life inspired situations that encourage empathy and conversation.

Menstrual Cycle Wheel

A rotating wheel to help visualize and understand the menstrual cycle clearly.

Movement-Based Challenges

Physical prompts to make learning active and memorable for younger children.

Instruction Booklet

Easy-to-follow guide for facilitators (teachers, parents, NGO volunteers).

Modular Game Format

Can be played in parts depending on time, space, and age group.

Persona

The personas reflect our key users—children who need playful, clear education and educators who guide them but lack engaging tools. This helped us design a solution that’s both kid-friendly and easy to facilitate.

Ms. Kavita

School Teacher / Health Educator

38/ Female

A caring and forward-thinking teacher who believes in holistic education. She wants to help her students feel comfortable learning about sensitive topics.

Pain Points

Doesn’t have the right tools to make period education engaging.

Worries about parents’ reactions to sensitive classroom topics.

Needs a fun and respectful way to guide the conversation.

Anya

Student

11/ Female

A playful and imaginative girl who enjoys board games and storytelling. She’s beginning to notice changes in her body but doesn’t fully understand them.

Pain Points

Gets anxious when older girls talk about “periods” in whispers.

Lacks clear, relatable information about puberty.

Feels awkward asking questions about her body.

Define

From the research, it became clear that starting early is key. When children are introduced to menstruation in a friendly, inclusive way, they develop healthier attitudes. Teachers and parents need simple, positive ways to start the conversation. A gamified solution makes the topic less awkward, more engaging, and easier to absorb. Empathy-building scenarios and myth-busting challenges can shift how kids perceive menstruation.

71%

of girls in India do not know about menstruation before their first period (UNICEF).

23 M

girls drop out of school annually due to period-related issues.

83%

of parents interviewed said they felt unequipped or awkward initiating conversations about periods.

76%

of surveyed children believed periods were “scary” or “gross” before being introduced to the topic gently.

92%

of teachers expressed a need for simple, engaging tools to teach menstrual health in classrooms.

Design Objectives

The primary objective of Code Red was to create a playful, age-appropriate tool that introduces menstruation in a positive, stigma-free way. The game needed to be engaging, easy to understand, and capable of sparking open conversations among children, parents, and educators. It aimed to simplify complex topics, encourage empathy, and support inclusive learning while being adaptable for both classrooms and informal settings like homes or workshops.

what outcomes do we want to see?

Key Insights

Periods are still seen as shameful or taboo

especially among young children, leading to fear and confusion during their first experience.

Most children learn about menstruation too late

often from peers or in moments of panic, not through open dialogue or structured education.

Parents and teachers want to help

but they lack age-appropriate, simple tools and often feel awkward starting the conversation.

Children learn best through play

visuals, and stories—making gamification an effective medium for delivering sensitive information.

Interactive tools build confidence and empathy

helping children not just understand menstruation but also support others going through it.

A tactile, reusable format is important

in school and NGO settings, where digital access or expert facilitation is limited.

Ideation and Design

The ideation focused on making period education fun, inclusive, and easy to engage with. We explored game mechanics, storytelling, and visual cues to design a board game that encourages empathy, breaks myths, and makes learning interactive for kids.

Color Pallete

#2F6FB7

#B22029

#183059

#EF3C48

#F26622

H1 - Regular

Tw Cen MT Condensed

Size: 48px

H2 - Regular

Tw Cen MT Condensed

Size: 36px

H3 - Semibold

Microsoft Yi Baiti

Size: 24px

Body - Regular

Microsoft Yi Baiti

Size: 16px

Typography Hierarchy

The fonts used are Tw Cen MT Condensed Extra Bold for bold, playful headings and Microsoft Yi Baiti for clean, easy-to-read body text—both chosen to suit a child-friendly, approachable design.

Microsoft Yi Baiti

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee

Tw Cen MT Condensed

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee

solutions

Why The Cards ?

These cards are similar to the property cards in Monopoly. You can buy these cards,trade them and sell them. You also collect rent from players when they land on these. The Sanitary product cards

What are these Cards ?

The sanitary product cards are of three types:

Sanitary napkins, Tampons and Menstrual Cups.

Each has a different price and warranty, based on their usage and effect on the environment.

The sanitary product cards are of three types:

Sanitary napkins, Tampons and Menstrual Cups.

Each has a different price and warranty, based on their usage and effect on the environment.

What Bira Gained ?

Why Spinner?

The player gets to use the spin wheel for a Question Answer session. The player may choose to answer the question or pay a hefty fine. This encourages a healthy talk and creates conversation amongst the players.

Why the Hour glasses

Why The Hour Glasses?

Each player is given his/her hourglass.

Once you start the game, you flip your hourglass.

It denotes the onset of your menstrual cycle and as long as the hourglass isn’t empty your cycle doesn’t end.

Each player is given his/her hourglass.

Once you start the game, you flip your hourglass.

It denotes the onset of your menstrual cycle and as long as the hourglass isn’t empty your cycle doesn’t end.

Conclusion

Code Red showed that playful design can tackle serious social issues like menstrual stigma. By creating an engaging, conversation-driven tool, we learned that starting early, designing with empathy, and involving users in the process leads to more open, impactful learning experiences.

Thank You

We designed Code Red to spark open, stigma-free conversations about menstruation through play. If you'd like to explore more about the process, design story, or impact—connect with us or visit our page.

Visit Detailed Case Study