I did this project because as a newcomer to Canada. I used the Mosalingua app to learn English when I first arrived in Toronto. This app helps to learn vocabulary and expressions quickly. However, I found that the user interface was not very neat and many colors were not accessible and the general aesthetic was outdated.
The online language learning market was 12.49 billion in 2019, it could reach 25.73 billion in 2027.
Language students want to access their lessons whenever they want. They want to take short lessons anywhere with their smartphones.
They want to customize their learning path according to their goals, which can be professional, academic or travel. They also like the fun and grading aspect (gamification).
There are many bugs with the app. Flashcards and audio recording don't always work. There are translation issues. Users' progress can be lost when there are bugs, so they have to start over.
I analyzed Mosalingua and 3 language learning apps (Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, Babbel) and read several positive and negative reviews to find appropriate models.
I did a quick survey of people who want to learn a new language on Tandem App (another language app where you can talk to people). I asked this question to 15 people.
"What is the most important factor you take into account when you download an app to learn a new language?"
Research shows that there is a strong need to learn new words and learn expressions. Users want to try features before subscribing.
I created 2 personas based on two categories of users of the Mosalingua application. Lisa Finch who is fluent and wants to learn new French expressions and Marcus Tomingo who wants to learn French to work anywhere in Canada in French.
To understand the functionality, I created a simplified flowchart of the main actions an user can do from the homepage. One of the flowcharts is shown below
Once the diagram was created, I started with sketches and wireframes of the main screen.
After creating the flow and wireframes, I started looking for fonts, and colors, seeking for some current trends to create a dark mode.
I chose a grid composed of multiple of 8 for this project (8p,16p,24p,32p,40p).
The contrast of the application was tested to meet the WCAG AAA or AA standards.
I had the opportunity to improve the contrast to reach the standards early in the color research for the high-fidelity prototypes.
During the course of the project, I began by assessing the market for online language learning. I then conducted a competitive analysis and a quick survey of Tandem users. I created a flowchart, wireframes and a high fidelity prototype.
To continue the project, I conducted a mini online usability study. I finished the project with a quality assurance audit of the colors and contrast ratio to comply with WCAG standards.
