UX/UI Design | Education | Non-Profit
Creating a reading app for dyslexic children
Team
YEAR
2024
ROLE
UX Designer
Tools
Figma, Discord, Figjam
Project Overview
Provide a comprehensive and inclusive platform for dyslexic children in West Africa to practice their literacy and learning skills in a fun and engaging.
The project aims to raise awareness and empower teachers with knowledge and tools to support dyslexic students.
Problem
In West Africa, dyslexia is misunderstood and carries a stigma, presenting a significant challenge in the educational system.
Shockingly, 20% of Nigerians struggle with dyslexia, yet about 90% of Nigerian teachers lack the necessary knowledge and awareness of this condition. This severe gap hinders adequate support and accommodations for dyslexic individuals within the educational system. Raising awareness in addressing this issue is crucial to ensure every student has an equal opportunity to excel academically.
Target Audience
Students (ages 4 - 14) with challenging cognitive abilities (such as reading, writing, spelling, comprehension, memorization, etc.)
Educators who are unable to support or educate dyslexic individuals due to a lack of awareness and resources
My Responsibility
Team B: Create an onboarding profile page for returning and new students and an interactive learning game.
The design team was split into two groups: Team A and Team B. I was on Team B, designing the onboarding experience with two UX Leads and five other UX designers. In contrast, Team A designed an onboarding experience for educators to check on their students' cognitive skills.
Throughout the project, Team B had to split into three designers and a lead designer; we had a heavy load. I was part of Team B, Part 1: Onboarding, while the other designers in Team B, Part 2: Game
Solution
Create enterprise-class dyslexia training quality content for both educators and students on a desktop.
Everyone involved with the project will create a desktop reading app for children for our client, The Dyslexia Foundation of Nigeria, represented by Mr. Ben, will act as dedicated advisors and partners, contributing their expertise and insights. This app also includes:
Implement gamification to make learning more enjoyable and interactive
Develop a user-centric low fidelity design with key features
Ensure feature alignment with user expectations and pain points
RESEARCH: CompetitIve Analysis
What other cognitive skills training programs are available to help dyslexic children? How we can make it better for Dr. Ben's students?
The UX research and the design team conducted a competitive analysis of other apps to evaluate their products for strengths and weaknesses. The top features we are all looking for:
1. Cognitive Training Games ( How many levels, lesson categories, homework exercises )
2. Progress Tracking ( Allows students to collect points to track progress and motivation )
3. User Onboarding ( User Onboarding for Reducing Stigma and Encouraging App Use )
4. Gamification ( Implements gamification with avatars of famous people with dyslexic (destigmatization) overall and at each level )
User Interviews and Surveys
Assess the current scope of apps and other relevant solutions used by parents of children with dyslexia.
The UXR (Research) team conducted remote interviews with 4 participants (parents of dyslexic children). It surveyed 3 participants (2 from Nigeria and 1 from the USA) to understand their child’s usage and experience of resources to support their own or their child’s learning.
Research Goals
The objective of surveys and interviews was to:
Understand parent’s needs, goals, and expectations in using these solutions, especially cognitive training.
Identify challenges, frustrations, and unmet needs
Identifying what are some advantages and disadvantages of these resources and what app features (for example, tracking student’s progress) parents find helpful/unhelpful
Common themes from the Affinity Map
Personas
Let's design for a fourth grader and a first grader who need support for their cognitive skills.
How Might We
How can we create a more effective digital learning experience for students with dyslexia to achieve high engagement and increase their confidence in their comprehension skills in school?
Design Goal #1
Provide online and offline support from educators and parents
Design Goal #2
Interactive learning game and redeemable awards
Design Goal #3
Create a desktop app for dyslexia to enhance their cognitive skills
iDEATE
Outlining the user journey and paving the way for usability testing
I arranged a user flow to provide a visual representation of how users would navigate through the product. The user flows from messaging with people and ordering tickets to completion.
Product Roadmap
Prioritize potential features based on user research
After the research and interviews, I brainstormed potential features that should be included in the design. I prioritized the must-have features that will have the largest user impact with the lowest effort required. I bolded the features I want to have and the stars are the important features to show based on the user research.
⭐️ Stars are the important features to show based on the user research.
The resulting AI-powered scheduling app offers a seamless user experience, allowing individuals and businesses to effortlessly manage their schedules. Key features include:
Intelligent Scheduling
AI algorithms analyze user preferences, availability, and priorities to generate optimized schedules.
Calendar Integration
Seamless integration with popular calendar platforms such as Google Calendar and Outlook, ensuring synchronized scheduling across devices.
Personalization
Customizable settings allow users to tailor scheduling preferences and priorities to their unique needs.
Here, the outcomes and achievements of the project are highlighted, including user feedback, adoption rates, and industry recognition.
Increased Efficiency
Users report significant time savings and improved productivity through optimized scheduling recommendations.
Positive User Feedback
High user satisfaction ratings and positive reviews highlight the app's intuitive interface and powerful AI capabilities.
Growing User Base
The app quickly gained traction among individuals and businesses worldwide, with a steady increase in user adoption and engagement.