Work (88%), Cultural Integration (64%), Education (44%)
The reasons Behind
Many German learners initially use Duolingo but later seek more thorough resources like Babbel or Busuu, often encountering low long-term engagement.
To tackle this, I analyzed numerous facets of learning German—motivations, challenges, and preferences—to develop an app that serves as both a learning and revision tool.
Tailored for students beyond the A1 or A2 levels, this app aims to help users master German by reinforcing grammar, enhancing vocabulary, and testing their knowledge.
♟️ Role
My role in the project was to conduct user research in collaboration with German teachers and students to design a digital solution to facilitate the German learning process.
⏱️ Duration
3 Months (January to March 2023).
⚒️ Tools
Google Forms, Figma, Canva, Optimal Workshop, and Helio.
Empathize with user needs
Conducting User Research
10 Key Findings on Learning German
👉25 people with a common interest in mastering the German language, of different ages (20-42), and from various linguistic backgrounds, such as Spanish, Arabic, English, French, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese and Urdu, were surveyed. These are the main findings:
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1. Motivation for Learning German:
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2. Proficiency Level:
Most respondents are at the B2 proficiency level.
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3. Study Duration:
48% have studied German for over a year.
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4. Study Time:
Nearly half (48%) spend less than one hour per week studying German.
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5. Key Challenges:
Grammar (68%) is a major challenge, with vocabulary and oral fluency being other issues.
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6. Preferred Learning Content:
Interactive content (72%), followed by text/audio (44%) and video (28%).
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7. Progress Measurement:
Conversations with native speakers (60%), but only 40% engage weekly and 24% daily.
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8. Cultural Context:
60% value cultural context in learning German.
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9. Apps Used:
64% use apps like Duolingo, DW, and Babbel.
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10. Desired App Features:
Interactive exercises (47.8%), grammar explanations (60.9%), and pronunciation practice (34.8%).
Key Insights from Multilingual Participants
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Participant 1:
36-year-old in pharmaceuticals, speaks four languages.
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Participant 2:
29-year-old in hospitality, fluent in two languages.
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Participant 3:
31-year-old designer, fluent in three languages.
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Participant 4:
30-year-old project manager, fluent in four languages.
Main Insights💬
- Motivations: Cultural exploration, personal connections, and career growth.
- Methods: Conversational practice, immersion, reading, apps, and structured courses.
- Apps for Beginners: Popular apps are great for beginners but lack features for advanced learners, like AI-driven conversational practice.
- Apps vs Real-World Fluency: Apps complement traditional methods but are insufficient for achieving real-world fluency.
Reviews on Quora and Reddit
Quora and Reddit have become valuable resources for research, providing platforms to gather, analyze, and share information. By exploring various question-and-answer forums on these sites and supplementing the findings with insights from surveys and interviews, the development of personas was made possible.
Creating our Personas
Persona 1: Sebastian
Sebastian, a dance center owner in Quito, seeks efficient legal solutions to focus on his passion for dance and his artistic community.
