Onomo
SaaS
B2B
Work of 2024
Onomo is a SaaS language learning tool that helps users learn new languages.
It currently serves clients like Trondheim and Bærum Municipality.
My role for this product: user interview, user analysis, facilitating interviews, UI/UX design, research
I worked closely with developers to optimize user experience and development efficiency.
Who are our users?
The ultimate goal of this product is to help people learn any new language using their native language.
The current version focuses on Ukrainians who have recently arrived in Norway due to the war, helping them learn Norwegian.
When are they using it?
The current version caters to learners who need post-class practice, as the government allocates two years for language learning, while linguists state that mastering a language typically takes four to six years.
I started this job with user interview,
We interviewed 16 people, including students and teachers from Bærum Municipality.
There are 2 sections in this interview:
people’s learning habits
Feedback on Version 1 of our product
Insights from interview
1. People want to learn vocabulary in context to better understand inflections.
3. Students use Google Translate even though it’s not the most accurate because it’s easily accessible.
2. Learning is about repetition.
How might we
How might we focus on this when designing tasks for memorizing vocabulary?
Can we have a function that gives people easy access to check the words?
How can we design exercises to emphasize that?
My main tasks for this job
My primary responsibility in this role was to design 'universal exercises' that can be applied regardless of the language being learned. This was a challenging task, as each language has its own unique system.
The Exercises
Learning the vocabulary in context
This was developed based on insights 1& 3.Hovering over the word quickly shows its meaning, while the area at the bottom provides additional explanation.
You can tap the dictionary icon to see all the meanings of the word.
The definition in the current context is highlighted in the dictionary, making it easy to focus on the relevant meaning.
You can practice in context as the exercises gradually increase in difficulty.
1. type the Pinyin of 小—focusing on how it sounds.
This was developed based on insights 1 & 2.
2. The Pinyin is shown, and you just need to choose how 小 looks.
3. there are no hints for 小 anymore, but since you just practiced with the first two exercises, you can try your best to complete it.
Learning is about repeating
This was developed based on insights 1 & 2.Here, I create exercises that gradually help the learner remember the word 'kjører.'
1. Getting to know the meaning of “kjører”
2. Seeing the word “kjører” in 2 parts, getting familier.
3. Spell the word ”kjører” but with the hint of the letters.
4. Spell the word “kjører” by yourself.
How can we help users to learn with subtle hints?
In this exercise, the user first learns about different inflections of a word.
Then completes an exercise that combines them with color hints indicating whether it's plural or singular.
Finally, the user has an exercise with no hints at all.
Now & Before
This version emphasizes learning words in context by integrating them into example sentences and phrases.
The older version focuses on memorization through multiple-choice selection, but lacking real-world context.
Redesign the Home page
Now & Before
I limited user choices since many options from the old version can be handled in the backend instead.
There were too many options given to the user.
Why & How I update the home page:
The essentials for language learning:
Technically, when learning a new language, there are two key aspects: grammar and vocabulary, which complement each other.
Our system uses a machine learning model to analyze your learned vocabulary and integrate it into grammar exercises. This allows you to encounter new words in contexts, reinforcing learning naturally. By reducing content overload, it creates a smoother experience and keeps you motivated to continue your language journey.
Competitor Research & Analysis
One of our competitors is Duolingo, I tried to analyze it by screenshot every exercise and I discovered that they use a combination of word, phrase and sentence exercise for each unit.
There is a clear pattern in how they place different types of exercises, depending on the progress of the unit in each section.
Sentence exercises increase as the user progresses through each unit, allowing them to practice with newly learned vocabulary.
As a result
This analysis provides valuable insights for the homepage design, demonstrating that some tasks can be managed in the backend instead of burdening users with too many choices.
Nevertheless, there remains a distinct difference between us and Duolingo:
Duolingo offers only one option to start an exercise, aligning with their gamified, playful approach that enables users to quickly dive into practice.
During our interview, we received feedback about Duolingo such as, "You can't learn grammar," "Misses explanations," and "It's not a source for holistic learning of a language."
Our approach to language learning is more academic.
By offering two options to start, we allow users to target specific exercises they find challenging or wish to practice more.
UI design for Achievements
We offer levels from A1 to C1, so the achievement badge is designed to show which level the user has completed.
These are some drafts during the design process.
Drafts
Once the level is completed, the badge will appear in color.