Word Buddy

An educational language app for busy professionals

Learning a language should come easy.

The Challenge:

How can we motivate busy professionals to keep up with their language learning and consistently improve their skills throughout their days?

Project:

Fundamentals UX Design
Career Foundry

Native app

Timeline:

Jan - Feb 2020

My Role:

User research and Analysis
Persona creation
MVP definition
Wireframes
UX Design & Prototyping
Usability testing

Tools:

Adobe XD
Figma
Photoshop
                                                                          

Research & Problem Definition

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Our Users are busy professionals that work long hours and struggle to allocate time for their language studies. They need a system to motivate themselves to learn new Vocabulary, easily and efficiently in their free time. They want to be able to communicate quickly when in professional and social conversations.

SOLUTION

We believe that by creating a visually interesting Vocabulary app that allows our users to customise it to their needs, by including quick voice translations, a system to save, organise and sort their work/personal words and phrases and real-time conversations will help and motivate them to achieve their language learning goals.

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

WORD UP BOTTOM LINE:                                                                       

• Word Up Application is easy to start using quickly and has some great features for those looking to improve their English Vocabulary, like including images and videos from well-known films to make it more fun.
• The words given for the level chosen however don’t seem to match and there seems to be no way to change that. I had chosen fluent and from the words chosen there was only about 5-10% unknown.
• When it comes to engagement of the user there is no flow and the UI is not particularly beautiful, which meant I had no urge to go back into the app to use it more. There is also no option to set reminders to review more words throughout the day.
• The lack of being able to use all features to have a full experience of what the app has to offer is also underwhelming. The lack of other languages limits the chance to use it further.

DROPS BOTTOM LINE:

• Overall a great app, with beautifully designed Interface and a great User Experience. It is easy to start using and the format of learning makes it enjoyable. Based on a flashcard model where chosen words are repeated in different manners with the translation attached, with further exercises to practice what you learned. Notifications and prompts of achievements are also a great add on.
• It becomes however a little repetitive viewing the same word again in a small time frame and would challenge finding ways to break this repetition while keeping the purpose of repetitive learning.
• The target user is a beginner learner and would be great to have the vocabulary for more advance students.

WORD BUDDY DIFFERENTIATION

• Language app targeted to busy professionals.
• Instant translation by recording for quick access to word translation.
• Customised Library with words, references and articles/books.
  

Understanding the User

Looking to understand my potential Users I have conducted three Interviews.

RESEARCH GOALS :

• Understand the difficulties and challenges in learning a new language with limited time.
  
• Understand the best ways to integrate language learning throughout the day.
  
• Find out what motivates and inspires my potential users to learn a new language.
  

USER RESEARCH

User Interview Profile: Federico

One  of my Interviewees Profile and looking into the steps of what he does, thinks and feels when wanting to learn a language and using different apps/tools.

• I spend an hour commuting to work by Public Transport, I use this time to read and listen to information that interests me or talk to friends
• I meet my friends and socialise after work
• I use podcasts to learn the local language while am travelling
• I am studying German so I can integrate with the city I live
• I use translation tools, Duolingo and podcasts to learn new Vocabulary
  

• I think getting to speak and understand the local language opens up better professional opportunities
• I think being able to memorise new words is challenging
• I believe creative and authentic visuals are great for learning
• I think being able to customise a learning experience to your needs and goals is essential
• I think is fun to have gamification integrated into learning new Vocabulary

• I feel frustrated having to repeatedly ask friends or my teacher for word meanings
• I feel bored when the end goal is unreachable and  I am not engaged
• I feel constrained when there are no customisation options in learning tools

PERSONA

After Interviewing 3 potential users and analysing the research data i have put together a Proto Persona for Word Buddy.

Alice Brodeur

FEMALE

31 YEARS OLD

FRENCH – Living in Germany

ARCHITECT

SINGLE

INTERESTS: Cooking for friends, shopping at flea markets, reading and taking yoga classes

TASK ANALYSIS: Translate and save a word

TASK ANALYSIS: Practise learning new words

Entry Point:  Press record button in App Homepage

Success Criteria:  Receive and save translation of word

Entry Point: App Homepage

Success Criteria: Practise learning saved words in Library

Designing Solutions

After concluding with my Research findings I have started sketching for my three main features:

• Instant translation from recording
  
• Save words to the library
  
• View word information with learning options
  

First Low Fidelity Sketch Wireframes for homepage & library

First Low Fidelity Sketch Wireframes for translation & word page

MID FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

First flow with record and translate, view word meaning and access to the library for learning

USER STORIES

“ As a French person I want the option to study a foreign language while having French translations and explanations so that I memorise them quickly ”

“ As an Architect, I want the ability to quickly search, view and save unknown words while I am at meetings or talking with a client, so that I can improve my work relationships and to show I am serious in investing for my future in this job ”

“ As a busy professional, I want to have anytime access to my course and exercises, so that I can make the most of my free time ”

“ As a person that enjoys reading, I want to have the ability to easily translate and save unknown words and phrases, so that I can read local news and German literature ”

Usability Testing

METHODOLOGY:
The usability testing was performed using moderated in-person method. The participants tested the Word Buddy prototype via phone, using Adobe XD prototype app.

PARTICIPANTS:
4 participants from my own network.

SESSIONS:
The usability test session lasted approximately 20 minutes. There was the time before and after for questions and answers and general feedback.

TEST RESULTS: OBSERVATIONS & IMPROVEMENTS

High Fidelity Prototype

PROTOTYPE VIDEO

Animation/ Prototyping with Figma

INSIGHTS

• Designing and Iterating is part of an ongoing process.
• Usability testing is important, so one can see clearly what needs improving but also to
  get a first glimpse to how the user interacts with a Prototype and to get further ideas as
  to what might be missing.

NEXT STEPS & FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

• Need to test the app based on the following: would it be used to Learn New Material or
  as Learning Assistance (to someone already actively learning).
• Create a survey to get better conclusions to the features to keep and that are mostly
  needed.
• Plan further Usability testing with the second prototype.

Get in Touch

Contact

© Thalia Botsari 2020
designed by yours truly 💙