Gabbo
Native iOS app
UX Case Study
Responsibilities
UX Research
UX Design
Research Methods
1 on 1 interviews
Heuristic Evaluation
Card Sorting
User Testing
Preference Testing
UX Deliverables
Proto-persona
Task flows
Wireframes
Prototype
Context
Empowering 25-35 year olds who have busy social lives to learn a foreign language at home with the help of a native app through Design Thinking to guide the project and discover a useful solution.
Persona's Problem Statement
I am trying to learn a new language but I have struggled to get to a level where I can communicate with foreign colleagues because I find it hard to stay motivated to practice regularly as my work routine is so variable. I have no one to practice with which makes me feel stagnant and frustrated.
Solution
iOS native mobile app
MVP
Duration
1 month
Conceptual Project
New edtech startup initiative.
First UX project created as part of a bootcamp curriculum.
Hypothesis
We believe that by creating a language learning mobile phone app that has choices of jargon from different industries, with a built-in optional tutor, we will achieve a flexible and sociable way for users to stay motivated to practice consistently.
Overview
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Business goal: to infiltrate the existing market.
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Hypothesis: this new app would capture people who want to learn language from niche subject matters.
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Solution: native iOS app to deliver lessons and match users with personal tutors.
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Result: usability testing showed positive feedback through SUS surveys and low error rates for task completion.
Project Approach
Design thinking; empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test.
Interviews
3 participants.
Aged 25 - 35 years old.
Familiar with using a language learning app.
Affinity Map of Interviews
Doing
Feeling
Thinking
EMPATHISE
Key Points from Interviews
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Consistent motivation is a common reason for stopping using a language learning app.
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Topics are not tailored enough to some users' needs.
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Practice is mostly done when at home.
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Practicing with someone else is important to improve.
'The biggest challenge for me when learning a new language is consistent motivation...'
Market Research
A competitor analysis looked at a couple of the top players in the market, as well as a more niche competitor to gather a full picture of Gabbo’s potential.
Duolingo
4.7 stars on Apple App Store
224,000 ratings
£ Free
Age 4+
35+ languages in one app
‘Duolingo is fun and effective. Game-like lessons and fun characters help you build solid speaking, reading, listening and writing skills.’
Nemo Tamil
4.5 stars on Apple App Store
103 ratings
£ Free
Age 4+
33 languages each on their own app
‘…not built around lessons at all. It is meant to be picked up and put down throughout the day, whenever you have a few minutes to spare’
Babbel
4.6 stars on Apple App Store
40,000 ratings
£ Free
Age 12+
14 languages in one app
‘Our short and effective language courses get you speaking with confidence’.
DEFINE
User Stories
As Eve (a PR manager), I want to top up my learning from the free app with a teacher so that I can communicate confidently when working with colleagues overseas.
As Eve (a PR manager), I need to learn foreign language topics that are relevant to my industry so that I can speak efficiently with my colleagues overseas.
Information Architecture
Task Analysis & User Flows
Each personas’ user journey map presented opportunities which were then used to create task flows and user flows, then eventually a sitemap.
User Flows
Empathy Map
Proto-persona
Persona Challenges
“I stopped [using language learning apps] because I got bored, there was no one to practice with.”
Remembering to use the app
Practicing with a teacher but from home
Getting demotivated with learning after a few months
Not being tested or challenged
Not having a set schedule to practice
Putting in enough practice
IDEATE
Wireframing
Low-fidelty wireframing followed the info. architecture discoveries and focused on idea generation then analysis of the ideas to select the best design to continue with.
A Selection of Screens from the Clickable Prototype
TEST
Usability Testing
A test plan and test script were created to run the tests consistently across all participants.
Methodology
Remote moderated 1-on-1 tests
Versions Tested
Mobile
Scope
Discover how well users interact with the prototype
Participants
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3 participants.
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Living in the UK.
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Familiar with using language learning apps.
Overview of Test Tasks
Direct tasks and scenario tasks were used.
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Create account
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Book a session with a tutor
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Add a new vocabulary word
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Re-record the pronunciation of a word already saved
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Delete a vocabulary word
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View lessons within a course
Test Results
Affinity mapping from the test tasks led to synthesising the data using a Rainbow Spreadsheet and Jakob Nielsen’s error severity rating.
The top areas of priority to iterate on mobile and desktop became clear.
Improved Designs Based on Testing Results
More settings options to personalise experience
Delete by swiping on courses added
Difficulty rating option added to individual words and word groups
Cost slider added to filter menu
Calendar now shows availability overview for booking sessions with tutors
Monthly calendar and hourly timeslots now on same screen
Further UI Design Development
Mid-fidelity Balsamiq Wireframes
