Wikilearn: A Conceptual App Design
Project Overview
Human connection is one of the most important and defining aspects of our lives. One of the ways that we connect is through shared interest in topics for conversation. We can spend hours or days researching a specific topic that you want to share with others, all the while getting frustrated on the total time spent.
My group set out to design an app that would work with Wikipedia to curate a specific lesson on a topic of your choice where you would set the duration you’d like to spend learning.
My Role
I worked in a group of three to conduct the research and design.
Timeframe
This project spanned two weeks.
Limitations, Parameters, Resources, and Materials
We created this app on an idea that would require not-yet-available technology in artificial intelligence, and therefor did not know exactly how the backend of this design would work.
Wireframes were developed in Sketch, and prototype was developed in Invision.
Initial Problem Statement
People like to feel prepared entering into a conversation; having a basic level of knowledge helps us connect to others and bolster confidence.
Often we seek information that we can’t find, or we spend hours, days, if not weeks searching a specific topic and then deciphering what article/video/book is truly useful and reliable.
How might we present a curated package of information that satisfies the user’s desire to understand basic knowledge on a given topic?
User Interviews
The research team interviewed 9 people, ranging in age from 20s through mid-30s, 2 men and 7 women.
Goals:
Is the idea of a knowledge package a useful thing?
What do people think about available information, do they want “bite-sized”
Validate if this is solving a problem based on our assumptions.
Questions:
When you want to know more about a topic, what do you do?
When was the last time you looked something up to learn about a particular topic? What did you look up? Why? What did you think of the results?
Did you feel like you could access the depth of information you needed in a timely manner? If not, were there any specific roadblocks?
Has there been an instance when you prepared for meeting someone (singular or group) by researching particular topics? (such as their interests)
Do you use any services that summarize topics/articles, like Skimm, or Daily Beast?
If so, what do you think of them?
If not, are you aware of them and why do you not use them?
How do they like to read information?
Where do you consume information?
What is your favorite learning environment?
Do you feel satisfied with how you can access/learn information?
Refining Initial Assumptions
We found that there was a huge range in the format that people preferred to learn — text, audio, video, podcasts, physical books, for example.
Revised Problem Statement
How might we present a curated package of information that satisfies the user’s desire to understand basic knowledge, within their time limitations and preferred learning environment?
Research Synthesis
Through nine interviews, we synthesized our findings into these specific user needs:
I go to sites I have been before, when I’m familiar with a topic.
I have a reason to search every day.
I like to be prepared for other people
I like quick summaries, equally I don’t like summaries.
I like to learn in tranquil environments and on the go.
I am frustrated that I spend a long time researching some topics.
I want to know how reliable my sources are.
I like offline access.
I like to read on my phone.
I am happy with my research.
I want learning personalized to my needs.
I like Google for multiple sources and people for trustworthiness of source.
I like consuming information in many formats.
Based on our interviews, we created two personas to use through the design.
We conducted a competitive analysis of companies that offered courses and summarized news items.
We compared the features that these same competitive companies have.
From our research, we listed out all potential features, organizing them into 4 categories: Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won’t Have
Must-have features:
search
content page
Should-have features:
create account
history of search
languages
settings
user preferences
ask about user
preferences (on boarding)
night mode (accessibility)
progress bar
download all at once
contact us
choose multiple formats (text, audio, video)
show source of info
feedback on packet thus far
share
select duration
download for offline reading
save packet to your account
book-mark content
Could-have features
rate the content
user decides what sources they don’t want to hear from
avoid certain sources of content (WSJ, CNN, MIT,…)
feedback for each packet so they can be customized
search for already created packets
browser already created topics
donations to app
receive updates on packet
organize your packets by date interest, etc.
show validity of source
choose level of understanding you’re starting at
categories search
search through article
receive suggested topics to explore daily prompts of things to learn from already created content
invite
Won’t-have features
edit the content
generate content
app can examine reading level based on your data
content in segments
generate content share my data
random featured article
trending / popular
provides questions to ask
ad sponsor
The App: Wikilearn
Wikilearn seeks to customize a user’s search results from Wikipedia, allowing them to select the topic, the amount of time to spend learning, and the format in which they will learn. The app will use an algorithm to search through Wikipedia and deliver these customized results in a format of bite-size lessons for the user.
Connection Between Research and Design
Usability Tests: Round 1
Scenario 1. Tomorrow afternoon, you have an hour of commute on the train to get to see your gf/bf Parents from France for the first time. Your partner’s father is a painter and you are determined to impress him!
Task: Use your one-hour commute time to find a course on art history of France on Wikilearn app. Avoid text content. Save this course so you can visit it later on the train.
Scenario 2. You finished a course on Training Norwegian Forest Cats 3 weeks ago.
Task: Find that course and re-watch lesson 2.
Scenario 3: You’re in the middle of a course on Existentialism.
Task: Pick up where you left off and listen to the next lesson.
Scenario 4: You married your French Lover.
Task: Set your preferred language for your courses to French
Design Iterations: Round 1
Usability Tests: Round 2
Prototype in Invision
Next Steps
Reflections
The scope of the project was changed quite a few times, as our group was not always clear with each other on what exactly we wanted to accomplish. Once we were fully aligned, we were all very excited by the project.
