An interview with the Founders & Directors of Redpen AI on their experience working with FSP

The Client

Redpen AI is an EdTech start-up on a mission to reduce teacher workload through AI-powered assessment tools. In 2024, the team secured a government contract to pilot their early-stage product in schools. With a small, fast-moving team and a strong values-driven ethos, they needed to ensure their product was not only functional but genuinely useful to teachers and students.

“We were looking to use AI to help teachers with assessments, lesson planning, and supporting students with special educational needs,” explained Jamie Fones, co-founder of Redpen AI. “But we quickly realised that we could benefit from some UI and UX consultancy.”

The team turned to FSP and brought in Emile, a User-Centred Design consultant, to help shape their MVP and validate its value in real-world classrooms.

The Challenge

Redpen AI was building something new in a space with no clear precedent. “Teachers aren’t used to AI supporting them with work,” Jamie noted. “There wasn’t a similar app we could look at and say, ‘let’s copy that.’”

The MVP was functional but lacked intuitive design. Early testing revealed usability issues, and the team lacked in-house expertise in user-centred design. With tight timelines tied to government funding and a need to build trust with app users, RedPen AI needed more than a design.

“We needed someone who would embed themselves into the team, help us test and validate ideas, and make sure we were actually solving pain points for customers.” Jamie said.

The Solution

From day one, Emile joined as a fully embedded collaborator. “It was a 70-hour project with a very small team – just three people,” Emile recalled. “I had a lot of autonomy, and the team was incredibly open and eager to learn.”

Initially brought in to deliver a rapid redesign, Emile quickly identified deeper UX issues, so he shifted focus to improving the user experience. “It’s better to have a functional tool than a pretty one that doesn’t work” he said.

Before Emile joined, the team had conducted an informal pilot with limited structure. Emile introduced a more rigorous approach and reframed the process with clear testing goals. His audit identified a confusing user journey, and subsequent testing revealed unexpected usage patterns among teachers. After each pilot, Emile led structured debriefs to capture key insights.

“Emile’s guidance has helped us focus on the right areas,” said Kieran Callaghan, Director at Redpen AI. “Without his input, we wouldn’t be as far along as we are now.”

Behaviours and Impact

Emile’s approach was marked by empathy, clarity, and tact. “He challenged our way of working in a way where we didn’t even feel challenged, it just felt natural,” Jamie said.

The level of involvement went beyond what was expected. “I never envisioned Emile sitting at the back of the classroom, interviewing teachers,” Jamie said.

Reflecting on the experience, Emile shared: “We did user testing, which I consider a form of research. I observed how users navigated the app and identified inconsistencies. After the first pilot, the team saw the value of testing and planned more.”

The Outcome

The impact was immediate and lasting. “One of the biggest impacts by far was teachers being able to use the product more effectively and quicker,” said Jamie.

Emile’s design changes addressed issues the team hadn’t considered. “All those really simple design choices that were completely unobvious to us before Emile joined us, made the app instantly more usable,” Jamie said. The Redpen AI team also appreciated that Emile has left them with a repeatable approach that they are now using every day.

From Emile’s perspective, the project was a success. “The before-and-after comparison shows a much better journey and design,” he said.

Jamie reflected, “Our product became more useful. We’ve seen an increase in monthly active users and greater engagement, and we know that wouldn’t have been possible without Emile.” But it wasn’t just about the product, Jamie concluded. “It was about building trust, instilling a new mindset, and creating something that genuinely supports teachers. That’s the kind of value that endures.”