NativeX - Language Learning Reimagined
Project Overview
As a part of Native's experience team called "NativeX", we conducted research, gathered insights, and built a high fidelity MVP prototype, of an opportunity we found in a language learning experience that could sit right inside the Native Chats App.
Native Chats is a multilingual messaging platform featuring real-time translation. Native's goal is to help break language barriers and make communication accessible to the world. A multilingual messaging platform with real-time translation that increases confidence and authenticity of communication.
How might we integrate language learning into everyday communication through a messaging platform?
Just skimming through?
Watch our final investor-pitch presentation.
Watch our final investor-pitch presentation.
Hypotheses
Context is missing from current language learning tools and we need it to understand each other across languages and be more inclusive communicators.
In multilingual communication, people would want to be able to toggle between an all first-language experience and an experience in a language they want to learn.
In multilingual communication, people would want to be able to toggle between an all first-language experience and an experience in a language they want to learn.
People want to be able to communicate with the authenticity of their own culture/language into the language of their audience
Bringing people from across the world to communicate in the way they feel comfortable.
Making language a tool and not perceived as a barrier to communicate.
Bringing people from across the world to communicate in the way they feel comfortable.
Making language a tool and not perceived as a barrier to communicate.
Design Research Methods
1. Primary Research
(Quarantine-Friendly Qualitative Research)
↪︎ User interviews via Zoom
↪︎ Friends and family (team members who recommended the candidate were not included in the interview)
2. Secondary Research
↪︎ Market analysis
↪︎ User App testing
Insights & Findings
Real interaction and practice situations are needed, let people learn more at ease and be more practical with the help of sounds and lip movements.
Accuracy in translating the language through the chat application, including meanings and cultural differences, and even language use of different age groups
By giving a learner a persona in the culture they’re studying, it shifts them out of their everyday and places them in a cultural context that’s more ideal for learning a language
Being in the country and learning the language is very crucial to the experience. However, the need/urge to learn the language is more important than understanding the culture.
Feels that when there is money involved (tutor or app subscription), the motivation to learn is high
Cultural context is important while learning a new language. Without having that understanding, you don’t
fully connect with the language or people
fully connect with the language or people
Framework Design - Conceptualization Parameters
With the help of the book "Communicating the New: Methods to Shape and Accelerate Innovation" by Kim Erwin, we designed a framework that would help us structure our conceptualization process.
Challenge Statement
Help people learn new languages and experience new cultures so they can elevate their global awareness and live a more rich life, in a way that's fun and seamlessly integrated with everyday life.Concept Storyboarding
With the help of the 5E Experience Framework from the book "Designing Experiences" by Robert Rossman and Mathew Duerden, we devised an end-to-end solution storyboard to help us guide our experience better. This one is a concept depicting language learning through a professional + personal context:
The ultimate omni-channel language learning solution that teaches you while you text.
Storyboarding Research Findings
Quotes
"It's nice because you get a grasp of the language while communicating. That's nice where you get to practice and you can (communicating). I like that."
"I like where you get to connect with people in a certain radius. In that one you incorporate the speaking and hearing with other people that are learning the language. That is also nice."
"I think one thing you could add or this could go back to the modules is adding a feature about culture and history about the place the language is spoken in. For example, if someone is interested in art or music then there could be a whole set of modules for that."
"You could group it in a couple of different ways. Like a beginner, intermediate, the managers, for someone who is really committed to long-term learning. For people who may have specific preferences, one of the modules could be for travel and now the module could be for planning a party/specific event."
"I like where you get to connect with people in a certain radius. In that one you incorporate the speaking and hearing with other people that are learning the language. That is also nice."
"I think one thing you could add or this could go back to the modules is adding a feature about culture and history about the place the language is spoken in. For example, if someone is interested in art or music then there could be a whole set of modules for that."
"You could group it in a couple of different ways. Like a beginner, intermediate, the managers, for someone who is really committed to long-term learning. For people who may have specific preferences, one of the modules could be for travel and now the module could be for planning a party/specific event."
"If you can meet people who speak German well, or Germans who might want to learn Hindi, or people who want to teach German-but they may charge money-will make those meetings more helpful for language learning. Almost like a language learning swap."
"I think it's great that this isn't "just another app" to help me learn another language, and that it's not another task to add to my daily things to do. I just continue messaging my family through WhatsApp and learn a language as I go about my day!"
"I'm not sure how to start learning a language from scratch through this platform. How do I get assistance to start? Would I be using my primary languages (which are english and german) to facilitate the learning for the language I want to learn (which is Italian)?"
"I would encourage my cousins to get on this platform because I don't understand their Italian at all, but I would only do this after I use and experience the platform by myself."
"I think it's great that this isn't "just another app" to help me learn another language, and that it's not another task to add to my daily things to do. I just continue messaging my family through WhatsApp and learn a language as I go about my day!"
"I'm not sure how to start learning a language from scratch through this platform. How do I get assistance to start? Would I be using my primary languages (which are english and german) to facilitate the learning for the language I want to learn (which is Italian)?"
"I would encourage my cousins to get on this platform because I don't understand their Italian at all, but I would only do this after I use and experience the platform by myself."
What Worked
↪︎ The texting aspect of the app can be used immediately
↪︎ Grammar correction prompts (like Grammarly)
↪︎ The integration with everyday messaging, as a part of daily life, talking to family
↪︎ Context driven learning (school, work, travel)
↪︎ Referring to a known language to learn
↪︎ More helpful if you can meet people who speak German well in NativeCommunity
What Didn't Work
↪︎ Need additional context about the messaging platform versus the learning add-on
↪︎ What language would the introductory videos be in?
↪︎ More visibility on the interaction on how a person would communicate with their family in their learning language
↪︎ Connecting with people in 20mi radius - they may not be native speakers
↪︎ If you can only meet locals who are still learning, then everyone’s communication may not be good enough
Low Fidelity Concept
We incorporated the feedback from our participants and our guest critique, Charlie Sutton, to best fit our user's requirements, into a low fidelity concept flow.
Value Proposition
Whether seeking a more immersive travel experience, connecting with extended family members, or expanding your work internationally, NativeU helps you learn on-the-go.
High Fidelity Prototype
With all the feedback we received through our validation channels, we were able to stitch it up into a clickable prototype of the interactions and experiences as a "Learn Mode" in the Native Chats App. We made sure we tied up all loose ends for it to meet needs of our target participants identified in our iterative rounds of research.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Alas,
Our Final Presentation
Other Activities
Touchpoint Template
With the help of the book "Designing Experiences" by Robert Rossman and Mathew Duerden, we devised a Touchpoint Template for the interactions in our low fidelity prototype.
Validation
We received validation and feedback from multiple audiences through the following channels:
1
A kickstarter campaign for validating pricing models.
2
A landing page in the form of a survey that helped us gather information from our users as they scrolled through our website.
3
A consumer-facing explainer video that spoke to our value proposition and high-concept. This was displayed both on the kickstarter campaign and the landing page/survey.
Storytelling for the Final Presentation
We built a storyline that portrayed our value proposition and key experiences within a short explainer video and also serves as a investor pitch-ready presentation:
