Objective – To create a French learning environment for middle school students whose parents do not know French, so they cannot get help while practicing French at home.
Market Opportunity – A growing number of Canadian parents, both native English speakers and new immigrants, have little to no knowledge of French. Their children, however, must take the mandatory French lessons offered at Canadian schools, and some even take additional French classes. These students often have the disadvantage of having no one to ask for help, while practicing French at school.
Target Audience – Canadian middle school students who learn French as their second language in school, but whose parents do not know enough French to help them at home.
Features – Three main sections – (1) Quick revise; (2) Exam preparation; (3) Conversation zone.
Context – Project completed for UX course at CareerFoundry.
Role – Wrote project outline, designed app wireframes, created brand guidelines, gathered user feedback, and revised wireframes based on user testing results.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
The two apps chosen for the competitive analysis were English 5000 Words and Knudge.me.
English 5000 Words - App that teaches users 5000 English words using illustrations. The app is easy to use and includes both an oral pronunciation of each word and a written explanation of the meaning.
English 5000 Words organizes vocabulary into categories such as animals, body parts, diseases, and fruits. The user can learn both the meaning and pronunciation of each word.
All the categories are visible on the easy to scroll down opening screen of the app. In each category, the words can be learned one by one as flashcards or all of them can be seen on one easy to scroll down screen.
However, the games included for practice do not work well. In game 1, a word quiz, the answer is shown below the picture of the word so the user cannot test his knowledge by taking the quiz. The objective of game 3 is not clear.
Overall, English 5000 Words is a vocabulary learning app that is fun to use due to the use of pictures, which makes the user interface colorful. The categorization of words makes it convenient to learn, and users can learn both the pronunciation and meaning of the words. Furthermore, the app can be translated into foreign languages, and this is helpful for native speakers of these languages.
Knudge.me - App packed with useful content for the English language learner. It goes beyond simply vocabulary flashcards and includes games, mini courses, and tests as well. This is among the power apps for those dedicated to improving their English language skills.
The games allow users to test their knowledge while the courses teach users about English grammar. Knudge.me has an illustrated section called ‘digests’, which includes pictures and diagrams to explain the meaning of words.
The app has a paid option to unlock additional features. The benefits of a paid membership are not obvious. ‘Get better at grammar’ and ‘learn common phrasal verbs’ are benefits already offered by the free version, so it is not clear why a paid membership will enhance these.
Overall, this is a vocabulary and grammar learning app that includes interesting and competitive games, courses, and tests to check learning. Illustrated representations of English usage are also included in a separate section. Knudge.me is an app for the power user who wants to excel at English learning.
USER RESEARCH
User 1 - 12, middle school student
-Learns French at school. Recently started working with a private tutor as well. Uses Duolingo to practice French online.
-French adds to his self confidence. He feels proud when he does well in school. Thinks that French is fun to learn. He enjoys using Duolingo and doing his French homework.
-French teacher in school believes in applied learning. She uses stories to teach them French grammar and vocabulary. He is competitive and likes to answer questions in class. On Duolingo, he attempts to earn points and improve his overall standing. He likes Duolingo because it offers a challenging yet rewarding learning experience.
-Never used a smartphone app as he does not carry a phone. Yet, he enjoys online learning or technology assisted learning. The virtual environment makes learning more enjoyable.
User 2 - 25, customer service representative
-Learns English at home. Recently bought a few online courses on Udemy. Uses smartphone apps to practice English on the bus.
-English is a tool for self improvement and to enhance his chances of getting a better job. As an immigrant from India, it also allows him to speak to local Canadians more easily and perform better as a customer service rep.
-English vocabulary and grammar are two aspects that he focuses on. The online courses help with English grammar and writing, while Ravi learns words on his own. He uses flashcards and flashcard apps, apart from underlining difficult words he comes across in an article or book.
-A strong proponent of technology assisted learning, he enjoys online courses and smartphone apps. It makes learning affordable, mobile, and self paced.
User 3 - 40, white collar professional
-Learned French recently before moving to Canada as an immigrant. Used a private tutor and audio lessons to learn the language and take a test.
-French was a tool to enhance her chances of immigrating to Canada. As an immigrant from India, it would also allow her to live and work in French speaking sections of Canada.
-She focused on oral more than written French. Grammar and vocabulary learning were still essential. Her tutor would talk to her in French during the hour long class and give her homework. She heard audio clips as well to learn vocabulary and pronunciation.
-She is not comfortable using technology, so she did not purchase online courses or use smartphone apps to learn French. She preferred to use traditional vocabulary learning techniques, such as writing the French words in the left column of a page and the meaning in English in the right column.
Problem Statement
Non-native French learners need a way to learn French efficiently, without any help at home, so they develop a liking for the language and feel confident about their French skills.
Hypothesis
A smartphone app that has a colorful and upbeat interface, is easy to use, and is a constant French learning companion, can solve the user’s problem.
PROTO PERSONA
Age - 13 to 15
-Recently received a smartphone as a birthday gift.
-Middle school student
-Eager to be a popular student
-Likes to answer French questions and earn points on Duolingo
Behavior
Has a busy life, with a hectic study schedule and multiple extracurricular activities. French is usually fun, but it can also be a burden as a foreign language that no one speaks at home. There is no one at home to help with either French grammar and vocabulary or pronunciation. He depends on Duolingo as his French teacher is not always available. Duolingo offers a virtual French community but overall French learning is too time consuming.
Needs and Goals
He needs to do well in French as it is a source of confidence and bit of a status symbol as well. In addition, he wants to maintain good grades in French to keep open the option of studying it in college as well. Yet he has other ambitions too, such as learning to play the guitar, so he needs to be able to balance all his acts. His goal is to be a fluent in French as an adult, as he wants to be a bilingual Canadian who can communicate in both official languages –English and French.
User Stories
-As a busy student, I need a convenient and efficient way to learn French.
-As a Canadian, I want to be able to speak French fluently.
-As a Canadian from a non-French speaking household, I do not want to grow up hating French like many others do.
-Since my parents cannot help me with French, I need another source of assistance at home.
-In my peer group, I want to feel proud about my French skills.
Job Stories
-When I am tired, I want a quick revise guide, so I can stay in touch with certain fundamentals without going deep into the lesson.
-When I face real world situations where I need or want to speak French, I want a ready reference for things to say.
-When friends try to discourage me from learning French, I want an app that charges me up to learn.
-While studying French over the weekend, I want a ready reference that will guide me through tough homework questions.
-When I lack confidence to speak French, I want a tool that stands by me as a mentor and guide.
USER FLOWS
User Flow 1
Entry Point - Login Screen
Success Criteria - Pass Revision Test
1. Open application
2. New user signup/Existing user login
3. Choose task from splash screen
4. User chooses ‘quick revision’
5. User enters ‘skill level’
6. User revises a randomly chosen list of grammar rules and vocabulary building words
7. User takes ‘revision test’
8. If user fails test, gets another chance to revise another randomly chosen list of grammar rules and vocabulary building words
9. If user passes test, user asked whether he/she would like to continue revising or exit to main screen
10. User quits app when done revising
User Flow 2
Entry Point - Login Screen
Success Criteria - Complete a conversation in the 'conversation zone'.
1. Open application
2. New user signup/Existing user login
3. Choose task from splash screen
4. User chooses ‘conversation zone’
5. User enters ‘skill level’
6. User chooses a conversation topic from a list of preloaded topics
7. User starts pre-scripted conversation (5 to 7 minutes)
8. User practices conversation and asks for prompts when stuck
9. If user completes conversation, user asked whether he/she would like to choose another conversation or exit to main screen
10. User quits app when done
WIREFRAME SKETCHES
Opening Screens
Quick Revise Section
Conversation Zone
Vocabulary Section
Grammar Section
USER TESTING
Task 1 - Revise French language rules.
Question 1 - You come home on Sunday night and realize that you have a French quiz in class next day. You only have 20 minutes to study, so how will you use the app to prepare?
Task 2 - Practice French conversation.
Question 2 - You have an oral test in school. The teacher will ask you to speak to her on a given topic. How will you use the app to prepare?
Task 3 - Add new French word.
Question 3 - You are reading a French book and come across a new word. You look up the meaning and want to add it to this app for later reference. How will you do it on this app?
Task 4 - Study for a test.
Question 4 - You have an end of the semester French exam. This is an hour long exam and requires detailed study. How would you use this app to study for the exam?
Naveen
“Vocabulary is more important, because at school we already do grammar.”
“A dictionary would be good for learning new words.” “There is no play button to hear the conversation recording.”
“What do you mean by an example for a grammar rule?”
Task 1 - Chose 'quick revise' and had no problems going through screens. He mentioned that vocabulary is more important than grammar.
Task 2 - Chose 'conversation zone' and had no problems going through screens.
Task 3 - Did not notice 'add word' initially and instead clicked on mastered word list. Corrected choice after being prompted.
Task 4 - Chose 'grammar' and 'preloaded rules'. Would like a test for revision.
Darius
“If I have a test, I want to revise grammar. Vocabulary is good for when we
have to speak.”
have to speak.”
“When I am studying before tests, I will look over words that I
have added.”
have added.”
“Conversation practice is good for oral quizzes. It helps to
prepare for how to react to a scenario while talking to a teacher.”
prepare for how to react to a scenario while talking to a teacher.”
Task 1 - Chose 'quick revise' and had no problems going through screens. Slightly confused about how to revise.
Task 2 - Chose 'conversation zone' and had no problems going through screens.
Task 3 - Chose 'vocabulary' and had no problems going through screens.
Task 4 - Confused about which option to chose, guessed that 'grammar' might be helpful.
Myra
“Verbs are really important in French.”
“Before a test, I would go over
everything, everything I have saved.”
everything, everything I have saved.”
“I would like a forward button to go on
and create your own conversation.”
and create your own conversation.”
“Maybe add an example of usage after
adding a word.”
adding a word.”
Task 1 - Chose 'quick revise' but somewhat confused about how to revise.
Task 2 - Chose 'conversation zone' and had no problems going through screens.
Task 3 - Hesitated a bit and then chose 'vocabulary' and 'add word'.
Task 4 - Confused about which option to chose. Decided to click on 'grammar' after some prompting.
CHANGES MADE
Edit 1 (Focus: Quick Revise Section)
Problems
1) Respondents were not able to understand how to utilize the 'quick revise' section.
2) There was a suggestion that a section on revising verbs should be added.
3) There was another suggestion that a tutorial be added explaining how to use this section.
4) Some confusion regarding how the main 'vocabulary' and 'grammar' sections are different from the 'vocabulary' and 'grammar' sections in 'quick revise'.
5) Respondents unable to relate to 'skill levels'.
Fixes
1) Changed 'quick revise' menu.
2) New buttons for the menu are 'verbs', 'frequently used words', 'key grammar rules' and 'tutorial'.
3) Removed 'skill levels' from all sections.
Edit 2 (Focus: Conversation Zone)
Problems
1) There is no button to play the recording of the practice conversation.
2) One respondent suggested that a forward button be added to this screen and another screen should be added for users to record conversations on any topic of their choice.
Fixes
1) Added a play button.
2) Added a forward button.
3) Added a screen where users can record a conversation on any topic of their choice.
Edit 3 (Focus: Vocabulary Section)
Problem
1) Respondents could not easily locate 'add word' button on top right.
Fix
1) Moved the 'add word' button to the main menu to increase visibility.
Edit 4 (Focus: Main Menu)
Problem
1) It was not clear to respondents that the 'vocabulary' and 'grammar' sections are for in depth study before tests.
Fix
1) Combined the 'vocabulary' and 'grammar' sections into one section called 'exam preparation'.
NEXT STEPS
• The current prototype can be accessed at https://prottapp.com/p/08122e .
•This version of the prototype will have to be tested.
•It is likely that the tutorial in the quick revise section will be deleted and an overall onboarding section for the app will be added.
•It is also likely that practice tests will be added to the exam preparation section.
•Instead of adding grammar rules, it might be more useful to allow users to add verbs and conjugations. This will have to be tested.