Project: Wordly
Role: UX Designer (solo student project)
Tools: Adobe CC, Prott, Skype
PROBLEM
Adult language learners want to:
Study in short bursts
Feel entertained
Receive encouragement
Use techniques that reflect their learning styles
Put their new language skills to use at work
GOALS
Design a vocabulary flashcard app that:
Features pre-made flashcard decks
Includes study games
Allows users to connect with others for support
Contains a feature specifically created for auditory learners
Lets users study words based on topic
Competitive Analyses
I reviewed three flashcard apps, Flashcards+, Quizlet, and Brainscape, to gain a better understanding of the options available to consumers. Overall, I discovered that the apps failed when they were too complicated. They succeeded, however, when they catered to various learning styles and provided entertaining experiences. As a result, I decided to incorporate games and an auditory learning feature into Wordly.
User Interviews
In an effort to understand users study needs, I spoke to three adults with recent experience learning new vocabulary. A participant named Cassie described the challenges she faced when attempting to learn a new language prior to moving abroad for work. I found her story both powerful and relatable, and it made me want to find solutions for those in similar situations.
User Persona
I based my primary user persona off of the insights I gained from my interview with Cassie. Mirroring Cassie's experiences, I was able to create a very well-defined persona. Thus, when it was time to decide which features to include in Wordly, the choice was simple because I already had a very clear understanding of my target user's wants and needs. LEARN MORE
Wireframes
Based on my persona and competitive analyses, I knew that I wanted to include games, theme-based flashcards, a social networking option, and an auditory feature in my app. I tested out potential solutions in a series of exploratory sketches and then translated the best iterations into low-fidelity wireframes. This process was extremely beneficial, as it helped me determine what items to include in the app's navigation bar and toolbar. LEARN MORE
USABILITY TESTING
I conducted three moderated usability tests, where I gave participants access to a clickable prototype of the Wordly app. I asked participants to complete four tasks using the prototype and to give me their impressions of the overall experience.
OBJECTIVES
Measure participants' ability to:
Create flashcard decks
Download flashcard decks
Study a downloaded deck
Edit a downloaded deck
TASKS
Create a new flashcard deck
Download a premade flashcard deck
Study the downloaded deck
Add an additional card to the downloaded deck
Usability Test Updates
From my usability tests, I learned that participants were confused by some of the icons and terms used in app. They also experienced issues with the prototype's information architecture. Watching participants uncover these problems was incredibly valuable because it alerted me to critical errors that I had overlooked. To remedy these issues, I updated some of the prototype's wording and iconography and reworked the user flow in the problematic areas. LEARN MORE
Learnings
The iconography and phrasing used during onboarding has a dramatic impact on the user’s understanding of the app
The parts of the app that gave participants trouble during usability testing were areas that I had expected participants to use without issue
Writing out a list of user needs helped me organize my thoughts during the wireframing process
Next Steps
Create a high-fidelity prototype in Sketch
Perform usability tests with this prototype
Make necessary improvements and style the app's UI
Perform additional usability tests
