YouSign
UI design · language learn app · bachelor thesis · ​2022
YouSign helps you learn the German Sign Language at your own speed, in a way that's fun and motivating. Get better at sign language, through interactive lessons and learn new things about the Deaf community in short, interesting lectures.
Goal
During my Bachelors thesis I set out to create a concept and UI design for a language learning app, that fits the needs of its user group, by following the user centered design process.
Tools: Figma, Illustrator
Team: me
Time budget: 4 months (Bachelor thesis)
User Centered Design Process
Analyse -> Concept -> Design -> Testing?
User-centered design (UCD) is about creating solutions with people, not just for them. Instead of guessing what users need, we involve them early on and often, from the first idea to the final prototype.
The process usually includes understanding users and their context, developing a concept, prototyping, and testing.
In reality, it’s rarely a straight line. UCD is flexible and iterative, allowing designers to move between phases, respond to new insights, and adapt to challenges as they come up.
Let's Find out More
What do people who learn sign language need and want?
To analyze the context, I conducted user research. I began with an online survey to assess whether people were interested in a sign language app and to understand their expectations. I then conducted several interviews with individuals learning German Sign Language to explore their needs, the challenges they face, and what matters most to them in the learning process.
What I Learned
​Widespread Curiosity
Many people, both inside and outside the Deaf community, are eager to explore German Sign Language.​​​
​
A Unique Learning Curve
Signing involves the hands, body, and facial expressions. This makes learning feel different and feedback and detailed instruction especially important.​
In-Person Lessons Work Best
Learners say face-to-face courses, often led by Deaf instructors in community spaces, boost motivation and connection.​​
Language, Culture, and Identity
Learning German Sign Language is strongly tied to input on Deaf history, cultural identity, and the rich diversity of sign language dialects.​
YouSign as a Supplement
When courses aren’t available, learners want ways to practice between lessons—or try sign language before committing.​
​​​
Motivation and Process
Learners value fun, motivating ways to practice in-between tasks — and want to clearly see how much they’re improving.
​​​​
Personas
Based on these insights I created three personas, that represent the different user groups that YouSign addresses.
From Sketch to Finished Design
The concept for YouSign was shaped by insights from user interviews and survey results. I also drew on learning theory and findings from analyzing similar apps to guide the design.
Throughout the process, I involved future users, starting with early paper prototypes and wireframes. Step by step, the design evolved through their feedback. Testers were encouraged to “think aloud” as they interacted with the designs, helping uncover expectations, usability issues, and opportunities for improvement.
One Size Fits all?
YouSign gives every learner the fitting experience.
Autodidact or Course Learner? Dialect from Northern Germany or Bavaria?
YouSign can be used as a full course, as a tool to self-study in-between lectures, or just to look up words.
Sign Specific Learning Support
Learning a sign language is different to learning a spoken one. This calls for seperate grammar lessons and videos instead of pictures. Get additional info as overlays in the videos or slow down videos to look at a sign more in detail.
Motivation & Learning
Gamification elements like challenges and batches motivate learners stay on track with their goals. Knowledge for example about Sign Language history is easier to understand in small chunks inbetween lectures.
How did YouSign do?
The interactive design prototype is now ready to be tested in a bigger round of user testing. For this I let 11 participants try out YouSign, collected qualitative feedback as well as answers for the User Experience Questionnaire, an established questionnaire to measure the User Experience of interactive products.
User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ)
The YouSign prototype proved to be above average in all areas that the UEQ tests for. It especially excelled in the areas attractiveness, perspicuity and efficiency
Source: https://www.ueq-online.org/
Qualitative Feedback
Participants described the prototype as easy to understand and motivating, and were especially happy about the tools that made learning easier (e.g. extra hints).
They also drew attention to potential for further improvement, like showing less text per screen in the grammar lectures.
...Soo That's it?
Well yes and no. From the YouSign prototype to a finished product it would still be a long way to go. However my Bachelor Thesis is finished, submitted and printed so I would call this project a success.
