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WordWise

A vocabulary app for lifelong learners

Native app for iOS and Android

Nicholas Malishchak ​      UX/UI      March 2022

The Problem

Professional fields include large numbers of technical terms to master. If you're someone who struggles to remember vocabulary, it can be very overwhelming to keep your head above water...especially when the existing tools for learning vocabulary tend to be dry and bland.

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The Solution

WordWise is a vocabulary-learning app which capitalizes on all of the evidence that shows how much learning is improved when we apply new knowledge. With Wordwise, you can create and upload your own practice sentences using those tricky terms so they will really stick with you.

The Context

This project was completed as part of CareerFoundry's introduction to the UX Immersion course. The duration of the project was about two weeks, and the pacing/approach resembled that of an Agile methodology.

The Process

Uncover

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Competitive Analysis
User Interviews

Identify

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Personas
User Journeys

Uncover

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Iterate

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Wireframes
Prototypes

Evaluate

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Usability Testing
Adjustments

What are competitors doing to address the problem of learning vocabulary?

Competitive Analysis:
 

In order to deepen my understanding of the existing paradigms, I did a competitive analysis of three similar apps: "IELTS", "Vocabulary", and "Quizlet". I approached each one as a new user, and observed all they had to offer.

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Positives:
 

  • Free to use

  • Hear words spoken

  • Sorts by difficulty

Negatives:
 

  • Cluttered, unpleasant design

  • Flash cards are only means of practice

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Positives:
 

  • Set reminders/widgets

  • Sort by word category

  • Change visual theme (accessibility feature)

Negatives:
 

  • $

  • Flash cards are only means of practice

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Positives:
 

  • Multiple languages

  • Visual theme adjusts for time of day

Negatives:
 

  •  $$

  • Flash cards are only means of practice

User Interviews:
 

Having established what the existing apps of this type do well, as well as not-so-well, I got to work on the next step: developing empathy with potential users. Thought-provoking questions helped me to uncover users' pain points with regard to learning vocabulary. Each of three interviews were conducted zia Zoom.

Goals:
 

1. To understand users' pain points and needs from their experience.

2. To understand/witness how and why a user interacts with the experience the way they do.

Important Quotes:
 

"I learn best when I take a hands-on approach and really get to try something a few times." 

"I wish all the terms I have to learn could be presented in a more interesting way. I don't like rote memorization."

"I like being able to focus on words I don't know." 

Interview Takeaways:
 

1. There needs to be a more interesting and engaging way to practice vocabulary.

2. Filtering and the use of categories is much appreciated.

3. Anything to make the experience more exciting would go a long way for people.

Identify

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Primary Persona:
 

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Secondary Personas:
 

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Primary User Journey:
 

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Iterate

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Wireframes:
 

First, some low-fidelity paper wireframes were created.

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Prototype:
 

A basic interactive prototype was created in Marvel next in order to have something to test with users. As within an Agile framework, there was a focus on creating a minimum viable product. Click the image below to view the prototype:

Evaluate

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Usability Test:
 

As I began to conduct my usability test, I also wanted to broaden Wordwise's reach to include Android users as well as iOS. I tested with 4 participants, 2 from each group. Below are the main insights from the tests:

1. Simplify the bottom nav bar, it is not as intuitive as it could be.

2. Include a search function.

3. Make the CTA buttons larger/more prominent, and use icons instead of just text.

After this very meaningful round of testing, the app as a whole began to take shape. Here is a mid-fidelity screen.

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Final UI - iOS

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Final UI - Android

If you'd like to get in contact with me to collaborate, share feedback, or just to connect, send me a message here:
 

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© 2023 by Nick Malishchak

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