UXV

A UX vocabulary learning app for beginners

The Problem Statement

People of all ages and backgrounds might break into UX design field. It is believed that learning something new, and learning how to learn, is a critical life skill no matter your age, location, or circumstances. Using Flashcard system seems to be the most effective way in the language acquisition. New designers, including my fellow uxers, often write the simplified version of the word on sticky notes and run through the words whenever they have a spare minute. Although there are multiple online services where users can look up the new words and their meanings, it can be incredibly difficult to find a digital product or service that meets new designers' needs at the same time.

Hypothesis

UXV is a great, interactive app for new UXers to learn the most commonly used UI/UX terms. It is a fun vocabulary learning mobile application designed to empower designers to learn and master new UX terminologies. UXV is a learning tool by which users can study, learn, memorize, and repeat new UX terminologies. Also, it allows users to test their knowledge on a regular basis.

Research Plan

Having the following notes in mind, I did some research on some mobile experiences from brands like Duolingo, Rosseta Stone, Magoosh, and Vocaulary.com

5 Ws of my project:

Who: The target audience is anyone who is taking UX online courses or is new to this field. The audience are chosen from people who are comfortable with using mobile applications.

What: A mobile application focused on learning new UX vocabulary.

When: This application is meant to be used on-the-go for quick 5–10 minute study sessions. That could be on a bus or train, waiting between classes, on a lunch break, etc. I’ll define this more once I talk to my users.

Where: Location and context will ultimately depend on the target users. Users might be using my app for 5–10 minute intervals, perhaps at a cafe, in bed, or on a bus.

Why: It can be difficult to keep track of all the jargon when studying a new discipline. Students need a way to methodically categorize, reference, and study new vocabulary and concepts so they can move forward confidently in their field.

Competitive Research

I evaluated three mobile applications that focus on vocabulary learning and outlined the positives and negatives of each. This gave me a better idea of the field and what’s already out there (competitors).

Market Research Learnings Summary

If offering more than one learning method, the use of icons in navigation helps the user a lot.
Consistent and playful UI encourages learning most. The UI should not be distracting.
Navigation wise, less is more. Tasks should be easily found but do not occupy a prominent place in the app. The less steps to take before learning, the better.
Offer skippable instructions for the onboarding/splash screens is most prefered by users.
Registration/Sign up page should be optional and as easy as possible to not discourage the user.

User Interviews

3 one-on-one user interviews with potential users were conducted to understand users' attitude towards existing products and services.

Users' Insight

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According to the interviews, it seems like most users rely on online resources such as Google or other online dictionaries to look up a new word they don’t recognize. Some prefer reading new word in the context while others prefer to see a simple definition of the word with a few sentences as examples. Seeing the word in the context is the favorite learning method for many learners. However, it would not be helpful without repetition and practice. So, having consistent practice of the word is very important for many vocab learners.