Language Learning / User Research

In the start of 2021, I started an academic project for Career Foundry that aimed to Enable anyone, anywhere to instantly chat with an expert, and to complete this objective as a solo designer. I decided to reduce the scope of the project to Enable anyone, anywhere to instantly chat with a language tutor to help user in their language learning journey.

What problem is SENSE solving?

My design is aimed to people that want to be verbally fluent in a second language, but often stop learning because services focus too much on grammar.

Problem scope:

• Understand the main causes on. Why people stop learning a language?
• Understand & streamline the stages of language learning.
• Present an option that mixes the digital and the physical environment needed to progress in language learning.

How much do I know about the market?

Duolingo USP:

Duolingo offers a free course for language learners, the lessons are design to gamify various tasks such as: goals, lessons, profile, and daily progress.

Babbel USP:

Babbel claims to “The shortest path to a real-life conversation“ guarantying that anyone can start a conversation just by taking their courses.This is backed by studies made by language experts in different universities.

Italki USP:

Italki main design is to connect native tutors around the world that can be booked for a small fee. This site has certified tutors and community tutors that can fit any budget.

Tandem USP:

Tandem is a social media app that connects people that want to study a language around the world. For free.

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Interview & Survey results

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Personas

THE KEBAB PREDICAMENT

A while ago when I was looking for participants to test my first version of SENSE, a friend invited me to get some Middle Eastern cuisine. And since I never lose an opportunity to eat, we went to a remote city just to get a kebab, the place we arrive was a small store that had all their menus, banners, sodas and even the welcome mat in Arabic. This made me feel completely outside my comfort zone, since I had no idea "How to ask for a kebab" Thankfully they had menus in English, but as we were waiting, an elderly man from a far table came to us and ask “ساعدني في تطبيقWhatsApp الخاص بي” the only thing that we recognize was that he was pointing to his phone and the word WhatsApp.

As we tried to help with his problem, we recognize some words because he was pointing or imitating things that he was trying to say. In the end he wanted to communicate with his family in Lebanon and the WhatsApp did not update due to lack of memory in his phone.

After this experience I learn 2 things:

1. Kebabs taste the best with friends
2. I did not become a fluent Arabic speaker even though I was talking to a native.

This small experience made me realize that no matter how many times I could pay for a language tutor, if my base knowledge is not the adecuate I will never learn. So I had to change the direction of the projet to...

I SHOULD NOT BE MAKING A APP THAT ONLY CONNECTS PEOPLE. I NEED TO FIND WICH ENVIROMENT HELPS WITH LANGUAGE LEARNING SO A TUTOR CAN HELP THEM OUT.

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What do people need to learn a languge?

User interviews

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User frustrations insights:

1. Users want an engaging method to learn a language, avoiding unnecessary long explanations of words and phrases.
2. Users feel frustrated when their level is not on par with the class, or the lessons given to them.
3. Users feel frustrated when they are in a group that is more advance in a language level.
4. People that tried to me memorize phrases or words, have a hard time recalling them in a conversation.
5. People are doubtful when a user answer aquestion with no credentials.
6. Being singled out for a passion, makes the userfeel bad.

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Prototype evolution

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User testing

Outcome

Did I manage to solve the problem?

This project still in development since I got really invested on “The connection of human language to the world around us” and I am currently learning a new language to know the gaps I am missing out, while trying to contact more experts that can help me view their perspective on this problem.

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Why people stop learning a language?

People stop learning anything (language included) because the environment they are surrounded is not the adequate to absorb the information given, think the last time you tried to learn something, you do it best when you feel comfortable, the same phenomena happens in language learning.

SENSE aproach based on the research I did is made so people can enjoy their favorite hobbies while learning a language with the help of tools that a classroom has and are engaging for the user. The focus is to make people talk and commit errors as soon as possible so they can build trust with the design that SENSE offers.

Understanding the stages of language learning

During my pitch to the people I interviewed, most of them show an interest on the approach of SENSE, I believe I hit something by aiming the design to:

1. Letting people learn a language with the hobbies/interest they already have and enjoy
2. By focusing on verbal fluency rather than grammatical proficiency

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How did I mixed the digital and the physical worlds?

I am currently working on the best solution to join this environment together, in my last prototype I presented ideas like:

1. Karaoke with build in lyrics breakdown to those who lean more to auditory learning.
2. Flash cards to help with vocabulary retention.
3. Chat practices help to be familiar with native conversation and comprehension.
4. Fill in the blanks is to put the vocabulary practiced in different situations.
5. Connecting with a tutor so they can guide users to a one-on-one practice.
6. Lecture room is for those who want a more collaborative approach and want to meet other classmates
7. Articles & books in another language based on the user interest.
8. Livestream feature for those who want to get positive feedback from the community.

All these features are the result of interviews with participants that have tried to learn a language, personal experience as a bilingual speaker and all the work you just read

WHAT IS NEXT

I am not sure whether this project will be a product or an interesting hobbie to go in deeper, but I am sure that I can not stop now! So, if you want to follow my updates or want to hear more in-depth details. Hit me up!

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