Smart People new app’

An other way to let students live the immersive experience of a summer camp abroad while staying at home.

Amélie M
Amélie M
Nov 1 · 11 min read

New challenge on my way of designer (in the making).

For this new project I worked with Marion Bonin an other designer. Do not hesitate to have a look at her own case study for this project and her work more globally.

Two different generation - X & Y - collaborating to design an App for a third one : the Z generation which is also called the C generation for Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and overall Connectivity.

It could seems to be a kind of a leap into the unknown … and it definitely was !

Another jump in at the deep end of the pool was that for this new challenge, we were only the two of us, instead of 3 fellows for the previous weeks. It’s one less head to think about, to conduct research, argue, object, iterate, … non-exhaustive list of course!

It was a very intensive week (one more) with a wide autonomy (to be consider as another panic point) since we had to decide on our own which tools were best suited to us according to the situation, the project, etc.


For now, let me introduce you the company we were designing for :

Smart People Inc. is an educational company born in 2014.

They currently offer language courses (such as English, Spanish, Italian, …. and many more) for kids and teenagers from 12 to 21 years old.

Abroad Summer camp are their main attraction.

Every year, hundreds of teenagers join these camps as they have a very special recipe: they integrate sports, outdoor activities, technology, humor, games, and other cool stuff to their mission of teaching a second language.

In the other hands, Smart People cannot be 100% satisfied as they are finding many students are unable to attend the summer camp mostly due to cost and time reasons, but still would like to access the curriculum.

How is organized a summer session :

  • Three or Four weeks camps each summer
  • A course has around 20 activities and 20 lessons
  • Students get to decide which 10 they want to take out of these activities and lessons
  • If they are willing to join more sessions, they can either be put in the waiting list or ask to volunteer
  • All attendees receive feedback from other students and their coaches
  • Coaches follow student progress, in order to effectively assesses them and be able to co-create the most adequate learning path together
  • Smart People Inc. has a lot of material in the various formats already developed after years of running the camp and school

Their issue is the Smart People inc. needs a way to provide an engaging online experience for students that cannot attend the summer camp.

As a consequence, the project is about creating an online learning platform for 12–21 year old students. It will transform the in-person learning experience into a 100% digital experience that can be accessed by students at a lower cost.


Research goals

Here after some of our preliminary questions in order to evaluate the scope of this project:

Why would kids / teens use an online learning platform?

To be able to learn remotely, without having to physically go to courses (ie waking up, spend time in transports…)

Because they are familiar with online formats, and might take more pleasure learning on an app or website as the experience can be similar to some entertainment apps that they already use

Learning online is also an alternative for shy/introverted kids who don’t enjoy group and summer-camps experiences, as well as kids with possible disabilities who cannot attend certain types of activities. In overall, a more integrative approach

They can manage their time and learn when they want

What type of experience do they expect?

As it is an online experience, they should feel the “summer camp” atmosphere as if they were there : an educative but playful approach (colorful, fun tone, “video game” style with levels…?)

Improve their language skills while having fun and get new contacts even if they are far.

What type of engagement do they expect?

They should feel all the more accompanied and followed by their mentors, in a way they don’t feel any different or left behind compared to kids who physically attend the camp

They want something else that avoid them frustration not attending the summer session

What is their level of technology knowledge?

They are born and raised with digital tools and used to use online platform, web & mobile apps, as well as video games’ gameplay and interface.

Do kids want to study in summer or do they want to have fun while studying?

Summer holidays are a break between 2 school years, and usually seen by kids as a source of relief from schoolwork, stress (and social anxiety for some).

How can we make kids keep the pace, learn and engage while learning?

A few approaches or techniques may be combined. It could be a Duolingo-like with gems and rewards + locked / unlocked levels?

It could also be a video game-like, with a specific context (ie a character on an adventure, that goes through paths and challenges but which are linked with learning a foreign language?)

It could also be a the creation of an exciting team spirit by grouping students together and make them do challenges against other teams, to make them want to surpass themselves? (ie an online escape game)

What is the problem that you’re trying to solve for your users?

Finding a way for kids to attend the camp while online, while ensuring an instructive and playful experience similar to the kids’ attending the summer camp in person.

What are your users’ goals?

Learn a new language online, in a way they don’t feel they are “back to school”, while being able to enjoy their summer from home or any summer destination

What are your product’s goals? How do you want someone to feel while experiencing it?

Accompanied, involved them in the learning, and part of the overall summer camp experience in a fun and relaxed atmosphere

What are the product requirements of your design solution?

Being educational as well as playful and also follow accurately the “real” summer camp experience in terms of learning goals, progression, follow-up, teamwork, games

A simple interface, similar to digital products that kids/teens already enjoy

Due to the wide range from 12 to 21 years old, we will focus on teenagers from 15 to 18 years old.


For this project we have to build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) of this new app’. To achieve this goal, our process was the following one :

Conduct research to identify who will be our user persona and what will be his pain points

Ideate a lot and find out what could be the Humain Computer Interaction

Build a prototype


OUR PROCESS

§ Users Interviews

Before we moved forward and because we were not sure of what to expect with the teens we were going to interview, we gathered our ideas by themes.

It allow us to keep in mind what was our major questions and / or doubts.

We have conducted 5 Job to be Done interview (3 boys & 2 girls), to try to learn better about what they think about learning a language, how do they feel with the current educational tools, etc

From these exchanges came major insights.

First of all, none of them had attended a summer camp.

They are aware of the importance of learning foreign languages.

They find out that courses are not enough stick to the real life : lack of vocabulary or tips to be able to speak abroad, not linked with the current life, world news, and basically they don’t feel comfortable to speak in an other language ….

They all are hyper connected and they are using their smartphone mostly to play online alone or with others, post picture, sending text message or recording message, watching video, ….

§ Market research & competitors Analysis

While we were looking for teenagers to interview, we picked up some others quantitative informations :

92% of the teenagers from 12 to 18 yers old own a smartphone.

They spent on average 2h30 on their phone screen.
Young people say they are unable to live a day without a smartphone (nomophobia?)
They do not hesitate to use their smartphone when they are with their friends (69%), in the transportation (63%), on the street (61%)
It is above all a sociability tool for 94% of them, who are major users of social networks. It is also a way to watch TV (63%), use game applications (73%), listen to music (74%) or watch movies or series in streaming (73%)*.

§ Downloading Data

In order to compile all these precious data, we decide to use some of the tools we learned the past two weeks :

An Empathy Map first to categorize our insight and define their main goals and touchpoint…

Empathy Map to categorize our insights

… and a How Might We questions

“How might we foster remote students self improvement in their languages skills by encouraging teamwork and interactions with teens physically attending the summer camp ? “

§ Persona & Problem statment

Enzo, is 16 years old and goes to High School. He is ultra connected and would like to travel to meet people from abroad and improve his english skills while having fun. He is definitely conscious that he has to speak english well in order to achieve his goal of travel.

He consider that the way he learn english at school is not sufficient enough to travel and communicate with others. But summer camps are too expensive and his cannot afford it.


Enzo, the outgoing connected teenager, needs an interactive and playful way to live a “Smart People” summer camp experience, in order to improve his English skills and challenge himself, because he can’t physically attend the summer camp for time and money reasons.


Solution & Human Computer Interaction

At this new stage we decide to ideate while using a other tool : Crazy 8s. The goal is to write or draw a different idea every minute during 8 minutes to generate many ideas

Crazy 8s method

§ Online survey

We also conduct an online survey to ask more questions about what is important according to them regarding the content and the structure of the app. As far we gather 30 answers

First surprise was that 80% did not have an app on their smartphone to learn a new language.Some of they did but where quickly blocked because of the price when they ended a free trial or when they achieve a certain level

The communication through social app is very important and aesthetic take a major place on the app they use. Their best social media is Instagram first then Snapchat but also Twitter which was a surprise for us.

We also used the Moscow method to know exactly what need to be present on the futur app.

It was a particular useful tool in order to prioritize the features we where thinking of


At this stage we needed to project all our ideas in a lo fi prototype first in a white board and at the end with a lo fi paper prototype.

We knew that we did not want another “basic” app to learn a language.

After a new round of ideation, we choose to propose 4 main orientation for the app :

Self Improvement : an assessment test at their first connection to evaluate their level and follow their improvement all the way they will use the app. Practical exercices and memo card about vocabulary and grammar.

Team Belonging : Chat box to communicate with Student of Smart People program but also teachers. Team challenge with quizz or mini games.

Interactivity & Fun : Having fun while learning. Mini challenge among teens. Games and quizz. And some other tools such a look at the lyrics while listening music

Motivation : the app will propose the student to choose various center of interest to create his own flip board with articles, videos&series, articles, musics, ….

We realized this first paper prototype.

Following all the insights gathered specially after usability test, we wanted to propose an app with a social aspect in order to keep in touch with all the students of Smart People. We found out that a dedicated chat tool was important, and also a timeline fed with pictures, videos, articles from students.

The possibilities to choose several topics in order to have a their own flip-board matching with their point of interests.

They will also have a music box where they could follow the lyrics while playing.

For our latest prototype, we ask them to “write and send a message to a mentor or a friends through the chat box”

and “go listen a song and have a look at the lyrics”

Have a look on the project by clicking here after

Conclusion

What a week !
But it was a really nice project to work on, despite the concern we could have face to this specific target.

Next Step : We thought about a “tools box” where they could have an access to a translation tool, some vocabulary basis or grammar’ lessons

Overall we would like to develop all the Quizz & Games features. We would like to propose a system of fidelity coins : the more they are connected on the app, reading articles, listening musics or watching videos, the more they earn coins in order to unlock some games or other feathers.
To create a team spirit, we would like to develop a kind of “virtual Escape Game” that could be their long-term team challenge during the summer camp. They could win clues with their coins. etc

Here after, have a look to our Mid Fi prototype. And if you have around teenagers that would have a look at the app and give us feedback do not hesitate.

Thanks for your read

*source Le Figaro l’Etudiant Fev 2018

Amélie M

Written by

Amélie M

Sales Executive for an Hospitality Group.Traveler addict, in love with Paris

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