KIAH by KWAP

Overview

The MyPesara Carnival is one of KWAP’s biggest annual events. Three lively days filled with talks, performances, and activities built specially for retirees. This year, KWAP wanted to introduce something completely new: KIAH, their AI chatbot and voicebot.

KIAH stands for “KWAP Is Always Here”. A name meant to feel warm, supportive, and reassuring, especially for an older audience.

My role was to design the entire interface for both versions of KIAH.

Designing for the Environment

The KWAP booth at the event was huge. It was loud, lively, and constantly moving. Scattered around the booth were several iPads where visitors could try the chatbot. And at one corner, KWAP built a small soundproof booth, a quiet space where people could step inside and try the voicebot.

I imagined someone’s makcik or pakcik, maybe in their 60s or 70s, walking up to the iPad.

"What would they see?"
"Would they know where to tap?"
"Would they feel confident enough to try?"

Those questions shaped everything.

The Chatbot Experience (Around the Booth)

For the chatbot iPads, I wanted the interface to feel like a gentle guide. Something that helped users get started without needing instructions.

Instead of a start button, the home screen opened directly into KIAH’s chat space. I added three simple “starter questions” as ice breakers, along with a type input so retirees could begin interacting right away. No guessing, no figuring out what to tap, just immediate clarity.

The conversation bubbles were kept big, spacious, and easy to read, with friendly prompts sprinkled throughout so no one felt unsure about what to say next.

And since visitors were constantly picking up and leaving the iPads, I included a quick reset flow that returned everything to the initial screen, ready for the next person to try KIAH.

The Voicebot Experience (Inside the Booth)

The voicebot interface needed to feel even more straightforward, especially since retirees would be entering the booth alone. The first thing they saw was a simple language selector, just Malay or English. Once they chose their preferred language, KIAH began introducing herself right away, guiding users through what to expect and how to start speaking.

Everything on screen was kept large and easy to follow, so no one felt overwhelmed or unsure about the next step. And just like the chatbot setup, I added a clear reset button so each session could quickly return to the starting screen, ready for the next visitor.

The Impact

Throughout the event, KIAH became one of the highlights of the booth. Retirees approached the iPads confidently, tapping through the chatbot and exploring KWAP’s services without hesitation. Inside the voicebot booth, many visitors walked out smiling, surprised at how natural and easy the experience felt.

Seeing retirees interact comfortably with something as new as AI showed that the UI design did exactly what it needed to:
make KIAH feel welcoming, simple, and always there just like her name promises.

KIAH by KWAP

Overview

The MyPesara Carnival is one of KWAP’s biggest annual events. Three lively days filled with talks, performances, and activities built specially for retirees. This year, KWAP wanted to introduce something completely new: KIAH, their AI chatbot and voicebot.

KIAH stands for “KWAP Is Always Here”. A name meant to feel warm, supportive, and reassuring, especially for an older audience.

My role was to design the entire interface for both versions of KIAH.

Designing for the Environment

The KWAP booth at the event was huge. It was loud, lively, and constantly moving. Scattered around the booth were several iPads where visitors could try the chatbot. And at one corner, KWAP built a small soundproof booth, a quiet space where people could step inside and try the voicebot.

I imagined someone’s makcik or pakcik, maybe in their 60s or 70s, walking up to the iPad.

"What would they see?"
"Would they know where to tap?"
"Would they feel confident enough to try?"

Those questions shaped everything.

The Chatbot Experience (Around the Booth)

For the chatbot iPads, I wanted the interface to feel like a gentle guide. Something that helped users get started without needing instructions.

Instead of a start button, the home screen opened directly into KIAH’s chat space. I added three simple “starter questions” as ice breakers, along with a type input so retirees could begin interacting right away. No guessing, no figuring out what to tap, just immediate clarity.

The conversation bubbles were kept big, spacious, and easy to read, with friendly prompts sprinkled throughout so no one felt unsure about what to say next.

And since visitors were constantly picking up and leaving the iPads, I included a quick reset flow that returned everything to the initial screen, ready for the next person to try KIAH.

The Voicebot Experience (Inside the Booth)

The voicebot interface needed to feel even more straightforward, especially since retirees would be entering the booth alone. The first thing they saw was a simple language selector, just Malay or English. Once they chose their preferred language, KIAH began introducing herself right away, guiding users through what to expect and how to start speaking.

Everything on screen was kept large and easy to follow, so no one felt overwhelmed or unsure about the next step. And just like the chatbot setup, I added a clear reset button so each session could quickly return to the starting screen, ready for the next visitor.

The Impact

Throughout the event, KIAH became one of the highlights of the booth. Retirees approached the iPads confidently, tapping through the chatbot and exploring KWAP’s services without hesitation. Inside the voicebot booth, many visitors walked out smiling, surprised at how natural and easy the experience felt.

Seeing retirees interact comfortably with something as new as AI showed that the UI design did exactly what it needed to:
make KIAH feel welcoming, simple, and always there just like her name promises.

KIAH by KWAP

Overview

The MyPesara Carnival is one of KWAP’s biggest annual events. Three lively days filled with talks, performances, and activities built specially for retirees. This year, KWAP wanted to introduce something completely new: KIAH, their AI chatbot and voicebot.

KIAH stands for “KWAP Is Always Here”. A name meant to feel warm, supportive, and reassuring, especially for an older audience.

My role was to design the entire interface for both versions of KIAH.

Designing for the Environment

The KWAP booth at the event was huge. It was loud, lively, and constantly moving. Scattered around the booth were several iPads where visitors could try the chatbot. And at one corner, KWAP built a small soundproof booth, a quiet space where people could step inside and try the voicebot.

I imagined someone’s makcik or pakcik, maybe in their 60s or 70s, walking up to the iPad.

"What would they see?"
"Would they know where to tap?"
"Would they feel confident enough to try?"

Those questions shaped everything.

The Chatbot Experience (Around the Booth)

For the chatbot iPads, I wanted the interface to feel like a gentle guide. Something that helped users get started without needing instructions.

Instead of a start button, the home screen opened directly into KIAH’s chat space. I added three simple “starter questions” as ice breakers, along with a type input so retirees could begin interacting right away. No guessing, no figuring out what to tap, just immediate clarity.

The conversation bubbles were kept big, spacious, and easy to read, with friendly prompts sprinkled throughout so no one felt unsure about what to say next.

And since visitors were constantly picking up and leaving the iPads, I included a quick reset flow that returned everything to the initial screen, ready for the next person to try KIAH.

The Voicebot Experience (Inside the Booth)

The voicebot interface needed to feel even more straightforward, especially since retirees would be entering the booth alone. The first thing they saw was a simple language selector, just Malay or English. Once they chose their preferred language, KIAH began introducing herself right away, guiding users through what to expect and how to start speaking.

Everything on screen was kept large and easy to follow, so no one felt overwhelmed or unsure about the next step. And just like the chatbot setup, I added a clear reset button so each session could quickly return to the starting screen, ready for the next visitor.

The Impact

Throughout the event, KIAH became one of the highlights of the booth. Retirees approached the iPads confidently, tapping through the chatbot and exploring KWAP’s services without hesitation. Inside the voicebot booth, many visitors walked out smiling, surprised at how natural and easy the experience felt.

Seeing retirees interact comfortably with something as new as AI showed that the UI design did exactly what it needed to:
make KIAH feel welcoming, simple, and always there just like her name promises.