rsU Speak!
An application to help Rangsit University Student gain more confidence and fluency in speaking English.
Role: UX researcher, visual designer
Period: 1 – 29 February 2024
Project overview
Design an experience that helps new or current students at Rangsit University become more fluent and gain confidence in speaking English.
Role: UX Researcher, UX Designer
Duration: 1 month
Team: Independent
Context
This project is a digital experience proposal for Rangsit University. During my studies, I had the opportunity to talk with many of the students, who struggle to speak English, even though there are English classes offered at the university. For some students, they still don't have confidence or fluency to speak English despite having studied it since primary school.
Though this experience design has no affiliation with Rangsit University, I sincerely wish that its design could be implemented to improve the students’ English ability and confidence, for learning languages is one of my passion, and I hope other people would enjoy learning too.
Problem Summary
Rangsit University students, or university students in general, many of which are overwhelmed by their studies or projects so much that they could barely spare much energy or time to learn or practice speaking English. The problems users encounter are such as : -
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The English lessons are usually long and boring; some of them are too focused on grammars, instead of the real phrases/expressions that could be used in real situations.
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Learning English online usually lacks human interaction.
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Taking note is usally in separate application, making it difficult to review it later.
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Unable to make a commitment for consistent learning/practicing.
Solution Summary
I designed an application rsU Speak!, an English learning and practicing experience that would reduce the hassle of finding people to practice speaking with and make the experience of learning and practicing English more enjoyable by : -
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Making it easier to find language partners to practice English with the feature Quick Match to quickly match two people, based on the topic of their preferences, which reduces the time of introducing oneself to new language partners and promptly answers the need of those those who wish to practice speaking English immediately.
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Easy Notebook: in general when one practices English, it would require separate noting down on paper, computer, or online tool such as Google doc. Notebook Feature allows users to take note of their learning easily, whether in chat, video call, or learning. And all notes have separate notebook section for them to review or even add separate note later.
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Short and fun lessons: Busy users couldn’t focus on learning English for so long, due to their busy schedule and enerygy. I created learning experience like a game map, where each lesson is like a quest to complete, and each lesson would be around 1 minute.
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Scheduling for commitment: Inconsistent learning or practicing makes the skill improvement slow, even one minute every day could make a huge difference. Calendar Feature allows users to make a schedule to make a consistent language session.
I conducted this User Experience Research and Design, using the Design Thinking Process
User Research: Finding the problem
To get the clear picture of the problems users face in learning English, I conducted both secondary and primary researches, where secondary research through the published research would help me understand the general idea, and the primary one would help me go in-depth into the users’ real problems.
Most Thai people tend to focus on learning grammatical aspects and memorising vocabularies to obtain good grades at school, rather than for practical use like speaking in daily life.
According to the study from Learn Journal: Language Acquisition Research Network by Thammasat University, it has been said that although most Thai people have learnt English for 10 years, they still struggle to communicate fluently in speaking or writing. And communicating English effectively is vital in the globalized world.
After some casual talk with some of my classmates, whose hometowns are not Bangkok, I came to realize that they also lack resources such as books, videos, etc., that could help them practice English. And this has created a vicious cycle in learning.
Vicious Cycle in English learning
Poor English Skills
Lose motivations to practice English
Foreigners don't understand
Unable to communicate English effectively
Assumptions
From the secondary research, I made my assumptions about their problems as follows: -
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Lack of practical English knowledge used for conversation (The learning focused too much on grammatical rules)
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Lack of consistent practice in speaking
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Shyness when encountering foreigners
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The lessons are too long and boring
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Unequal access to resources for practicing English
Interviews
After gathering some general ideas about the problems, I conducted personal interview with 6 users, to get the answers more in-depth and see if my assumptions are true.
I conducted interviews with 6 current and former students at Rangsit University Students, using Google Meet, Discord, and I asked further questions via Messenger for some people for further details, asking : -
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What is your experience with learning English?
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What is your goal in learning English?
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What are your frustrations? What do you think would help in your learning English?
"It's boring to practice English alone, without any language partner or human interaction."
"I'm more suited for learning English at a gradual pace."
"I couldn't focus on learning for longer than an hour."
"I struggle to make native speakers understand what I'm trying to say."
"I'd be motivated to learn English if the topic is about something I'm interested in, such as English artbook about monsters."
Building Empathy
The interviews have helped reduce my bias, as a fairly fluent English speaker, to understand the users’ struggles. However, I also mapped out Empathy Map of each interviewee, to help me understand their thoughts and actions better.
With this method, I start to see certain patterns in their problems such as: -
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Prefers gradual learning instead of long, continuous learning.
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Needs human interaction and chances to practice English in real life.
User Persona
I consolidated my findings into one persona named Pond to have a clear understanding of what my user is.
This app is mainly designed for Rangsit University Student in mind, but I hope this proposal would expand for other college student as well.
I also write his User Story to understand this persona’s goal and needs better.
“As a shy English learner and a student, I want an inexpensive English course or tool that allows me to interact with human language partners and learn English at a short and gradual pace, so that I could be more confident in my speaking.
User Journey Map
User Journey Map is the next step, which will help me understand Pond’s journey to his goal: learning English, and understand where I can help him fix his pain points and improve his user experience.
Competitive Audit
Even though rsU Speak! is designed with Thai users in mind, there are a number of language apps in the market, which I could study for my inspirations and improvements that could avoid on my own app.
Duolingo
Pros:
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Cute and attractive interface and character design
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Compact lessons and fun games and exercises
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Can change site language for more accessibility
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Flexible learning
Cons:
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Lessons are rudimentary
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No human interaction and answers can be robotic
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Trying to accommodate many languages can be problematic.
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(Overlapping of alphabets and vowels in Thai language)
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Lingoda
Pros:
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Professional-looking online learning platform
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Clear lesson path according to CEFR European framework
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Sprint Promotion for dedicated learner to create more commitment
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Web’s language can be changed – more accessibility
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Free teaching and learning resources in pdf
Cons:
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Can be expensive for Thai students
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Web doesn’t have Thai language display option.
Italki
Pros:
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Various teachers and price range for many languages
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Website’s language can be changed, including Thai
Cons:
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Free language chat has been removed in new version.
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Lessons offered don’t look professional and qualities of the lessons can vary greatly due to having various teachers.
Tandem
Pros:
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Free language exchange with chat, audio message and video call
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Focus on one-to-one chat
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Feature that allows sentence’s error fixing by your language partner.
Cons:
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Takes time to find native speakers to practice with
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Some encounter with scammers
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Have to wait 7 days after sign up before you can use it.
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Language level of each user can be mixed
Hellotalk
Pros:
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Free language exchange with chat, audio message and video call
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Focus more on group chat
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Translation tool and text to audio to learn about pronunciation
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Can write posts
Cons:
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Can be expensive for Thai students
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App doesn’t have Thai language display option.
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Language level can be mixed
Defining user needs
The common theme I obtained from my research is they lack opportunity to use English in real setting, and they need human interaction. Common methods in Thailand are usually memorising grammartical rules and vocabularies for taking the exams.
Should they have a chance to speak English, it would require paying dearly and taking time to commute to language school. For online platform, those with low fluency and confidence will struggle to find language partners, who will also require teaching Thai on their part. In addition to that, there are also some insecurities about scammers in the online platform.
I, hence, created a problem statement to solidify the problems I need to solve for this user experience.
"Pond is an inconfident English learner who needs an inexpensive English app that allows him to practice speaking with other people because he wants human interaction and wants to gain more confidence in speaking English with foreigners, and learn English in a gradual, consistent and fun way, because he doesn't have time and energy to learn English for a long time. "
Goal
With the clear problem statement, I proceeded to make a list of what I need to achieve to solve the problems for my users.
The goal is to create
· Safe, and free/inexpensive English learning platform focused on Thai users
· Allow users to initiate conversation practice as soon as possible, without the hassle of finding strangers online for too long.
· Chance to make a language practice commitment.
· Allow users to learn in a fun and gradual pace.
A digital experience that encourages inconfident English learners to speak English more, so they become more fluent and confident.
Storyboard
Before I set out to sketch wireframe for my application, I first drew a storyboard to help visualize the user's experience with my potential product, and so I could understand how it could help solve their problems.
In the storyboard below, Pond, after initial struggle with speaking English, uses rSU Speak! to help find language partner and make a committed schedule to practice speaking. In the end, he improves both his confidence and English fluency.
Information Architecture
Based on the insights from my research, I created my sitemap for the application rsU Speak!. I also compared it with other language app to see the similar pattern, so that users familiar with other language app will find ease using this app.
User Flow
Before starting my first sketch, I created a user flow to help me realize how users will interact or which actions they would take when they try to use my application, and help visualize which part or function I need to sketch out.
Wireframe on paper, and paper prototype
Wireframe on paper
Sketching a wireframe on paper allowed me to generate ideas as many and quickly as possible, and make quick adjustments on the ideas.
Paper Prototype
However, wireframe on paper could convey only the images, and it’s easy to miss out some part that it’s supposed to have.
I, then, took a photo of each frame of my paper wireframe, and imported them into POP (Prototype on Paper) by Marvel and created some interactivity for my paper prototype to test how it feels when I click, and what screen should be added to the prototype to make it complete.
Although the paper prototype is not as elaborate as the digital one, it gave me a rough idea what the users might experience when they click and move through each frame, and I could see early on which extra frames might need to be added, eliminated or iterated further for clarity.
Digital Low-Fidelity Prototype
After I am satisfied with the low-fidelity prototype on paper, I start doing low-fidelity prototype in Figma. In this phase, as the visuals of the application become clearer, some layout or screen might be adjusted. Even in low-fidelity prototype, I try to incorporate a text, with contents that seem as authentic as possible, to make me and test users imagine the final product easier.
High-Fidelity Mockups and Prototypes
Design System
Design System here created guideline for consistent look for rsU Speak! The theme colour hot pink and tiffany blue, are taken as inspiration from Rangsit University’s logo, with a subdued shade to give its modern look, and EF2B49 (bright pink) as a title and accent colour.
Inter is used as a main font, due to its readability on screen, according to Google Font website, since a language app requires users to read the texts like the chat on screen.
Notebook section is designed to be similar to paper notebook, to give users the authentic feel when reviewing what they have learnt.
High-Fidelity Mockups and Prototypes
First High-Fidelity Mockup
After some design system has been set up, I improved the low-fidelity design into high-fidelity design, focusing on 4 main sections which are designed to solve users' problems in learning English.
1. Speak Page:
- This section is similar to chat and video call of other applications like Tandem or messenger, but the new feature "Quick Match" will pair users with random other partners, based on their topics of preferences. It also contains note feature across Chat and Call, which will be saved in Notebook. In Call/VDO, there's also help which will appear and suggest sentences when users struggle with what to speak.
2. Learn Page
- The main page of learn has a game-like map, where each lesson is divided into levels where stars can be earned to unlock a trophy. Each lesson is about 1 minute, and concerns conversation used in real life, with a short speaking exercise for users to practice what they've learnt.
3. Notebook
- All notes made in chat/call and learn will be automatically stored in Notebook
4. Schedule
- Schedule is used to make a scheduled English speaking session with their language partners. It can be easily cancelled in case of urgent business, and the reasons will be sent to inform the corresponding language partners.
Usability Testing
I asked 5 users to participate in usability testing, and I gather their feedbacks with the interviews, after they have tried my product, as follows: -
What they like:
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Notebook
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Notebook is easy for them to review
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Convenient for taking notes
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Learn
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Map in the learn section is interesting, and feels like playing a game.
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Having a concrete goal (like a trophy) encourages them to learn more
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Schedule
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Making a commitment through schedule, helps enable consistent learning
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Home
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Let's read Section is interesting, and motivates their learning.
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Improvements needed:
Improvements needed
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Notebook
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Screen of the notebook might be too small
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Want to be able to make a note in chat, just like in call.
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Want notebook to be like diary
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Speak
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Want "Quick Match" to have topics to choose
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Design Iterations
From the insights that I have received from the users with whom I have conducted usability testing, I made adjustments to my earlier high fidelity mockups as follows.
Notebook
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Increase the size of notebook page, to make it easier to see the content.
2. Instead of separating note into Learn and Speak from the start, I changed to have all notes covered. So all notes could be seen/or added later. And can be used to separate into notes from or section, organised by the date.
3. New note could be added, in addition to notes from Learn and Speak sections, for any additional notes users want to ask.
Speak Section
Notebook for chat has been added, to allow users to take note in chat too, aside from only in video call.
High Fidelity Prototype (after iteration)
After receiving feedbacks, and made some iterations accordingly, here is the high-fidelity mockup after the adjustments. You can try the prototype here.
Prototype Explaination VDO
Results and takeaways
After the implementation of the design iterations, I have received positive feedbacks from test users, such as: -
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They feel more encouraged to learn English, with map design similar to a game, and short concise VDOs with practical lessons.
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They think the notebook across the chat and VDO are quite convenient, and it’s easier to review later on.
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Quick match would help those who are introverted find language partners to practice speaking with, with less hassle from chatting and introducing themselves through chat first.
Takeaways and what I learnt
Learning new languages has been one of my passions, and I am quite proud with the result that it could contribute to improving users’ experience with learning English. Some of the takeaways are as follows: -
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MVP is important: It’s very easy to fall a trap of spending so many hours, iterating the miscellaneous functions that isn’t that crucial to the design
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Use familiarity of user with other app: like the position of the button, that would help them understand the designed app more easily
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Making clickable paper prototype, can help generate idea and help show what is missing
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Early testing during wireframe/Lo-Fi prototype helps fix issues early: What I discovered during this project is when I tested my prototype once it's already in high-fidelity, making adjustments are more complex and time-consuming. Yet, if I have tested it earlier, it could fix the issues early on, and it would take less time for iterations too.
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Gather more knowledge about prototyping software: Gathering more knowledge about prototyping software would help speed up the design process, and familiarity with the software would make ideating more easily as well.
*This project has no affiliation with Rangsit University. The purpose of this project is for study only.
