Usability Study Memrise
Memrise is a popular app used to learn new vocabulary and phrases from other languages. The app uses the concept of spaced repetition to help users memorize terms more efficiently. The app has features where you can rank yourself against other users, practice pronunciation, and chat with a bot. When I used the app I found that there are useful features that are hard to find, I cannot communicate with competition and I have to self check to use the pronunciation module. I will assess the usability of the memrise app and see if there is there a need to further advance mentioned features.
Goals & Objectives
- Are users able to find the language courses?
- Are users engaged in memrise lessons?
- Are somewhat / inexperienced users able to discover all of the language learning tools?
- Do users find the pronunciation module useful and if not why?
- Would users like to have the ability to communicate with competition?
- How do users feel about the app?
Methodology & Participants
• Conduct an in-person usability test of memrise face to face.
• Each session will last approximately 20 minutes.
• User will be tested on a unfamiliar language
• 3 participants
• Preferably IOS user although Android user is ok
• User must know how to use a smartphone
• Speaks 2 or more languages at least a level 1 on the ILR scale.
• Have limited use or never used Memrise before Recruitment & Screening
Participants will be asked in a cafe or class to participate in a 5-minute research study. Screening will occur verbally in person prior to participation. There will be no compensation for participation.
• Do you speak any other languages?
• How long have you been studying the other language?
• What is your other language proficiency (If English is the second language note proficiency)
• Analyze if user is using a smartphone
Age
Occupation
Language
Device
Experience
Jessica
25Chinese(L5)
English(L5)
Afiya
33
Physician
English(L5)
Spanish(L3)
ANDROID
None
Jeremy
26
Manager
English(L5)
Spanish(L1)
IOS
Goal doesn't have to be reached.
Tasks & Test Plan
Find the official Mandarin Chinese / Spanish course on Memrise
• Wendy a native Thai speaker thought it was a good idea and an effective way to learn tones in the Thai language. However, it needs to be more obvious.
• Wendy thought the symbol charts was helpful in learning Thai.
FINDINGS - Relationships
The next steps will be to create a paper prototype and do a User usability test on 5 people. The goal is to see how to incorporate the tools and see if users will be engaged with the new options. The contents of the language app will be based off of all the data from all of the studies taken thus far. The app will have flash cards, phrases, tonal color code, users will be able to see their ranking and get feedback on their performance with suggestions on what areas they need to be focused on.
• Add instructions and links likes so users can get more information if ever confused by the game.
• Create an app that gamify’s language learning in an environment that encourages users to interact with native speakers and vice versa. May be explore options to incentivize ways for native speakers to review, grade and give suggestions to user recordings.
• Incorporate color to identify tone and have it on the interface so users do not have to think about it. Also, link the color code to standard tones so if a user forgets he/she can refresh to practice correctly.
• Link to charts for tones an vowels so intermediate users can review concepts.
Questions to explore
1. Will users understand the color code for tones presented on the UI quickly?
2.Could gamifying the concept of voice recording with native speaker review be a viable option?
3. Would users be interested in having foreign pop music, movies and clips for learning content?
4. Would users like the idea of incorporating pop music, film clips into the app with interactive lessons?
Interviews and surveys more medical doctors to find more painpoints from the medical professionals perspective.
