Designing an application from end to end.
Role
UX Researcher, UX Designer, UI Designer
Tools
Figma, FigJam, GoogleSheets
Methods
User Research, Secondary Research, UI Design, Visual Design, Usability Testing, Prototyping
Timeline
4 weeks
Project Overview
In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, voice user interfaces (VUIs) present accessibility challenges for specific demographics. The efficacy of VUIs heavily relies on comprehending spoken language, yet individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds encounter hurdles due to varying dialects and speech disorders, such as articulation or phonological issues.
Articulation disorders impede sound production beyond expected developmental stages, while phonological disorders cause consistent sound errors. Moreover, dialectical variations across languages pose an additional barrier for these groups in utilizing evolving VUI technology.
Our daily communication heavily depends on articulate speech, but some individuals face complexities in accurately producing sounds. This involves precise tongue placement, awareness of voicing, lip positioning, and self-monitoring for accurate production. Consequently, there's a growing need for speech therapists to effectively provide remote support in this changing landscape.
The Problem
As we propel further into a tech-centric world, enabling individuals to practice sound production conveniently becomes crucial. Additionally, enabling younger individuals to practice sound production conveniently becomes crucial as sound errors are most easily remediated when targeted earlier in life. Traditional methods like worksheets are losing appeal for home practice. Therefore, there's a demand for technology-driven solutions to facilitate speech progression, offering flexible and engaging practice opportunities at any time and place.
The Solution
An engaging app to teach specific sounds, providing a plan for a young individual to implement for learning a correct sound production independently on the go.
Research
Secondary Research, User Research
Define
Secondary Research
Ideate
Customer Journey Map, User Flow, Concept Map
Design
Sketching, Low-Fidelity Wireframes, High-Fidelity Wireframes, Interactive Prototype
Test
Usability Tests, Prioritizing Revisions, Iterations
Research
Research Goal
We want to know what challenges users with speech sound disorders encounter in communication so that we can improve communication in a more technology advancing world.
Research Objectives
Understand the challenges that people with speech sound disorders encounter in communication.
Determine what is necessary to support this population with speech impairment.
Identify most beneficial supports helpful for improving speech intelligibility via technology.
Research From Professional Experience
For this app, I have had previous extensive background in the field of speech language pathology and working with speech sound production. I was able to utilize my expertise to contribute to the design of this app.
The population I have worked with includes individuals at the elementary age level that demonstrate significantly reduced speech intelligibility, or how well an individual is understood. Because of their speech production deficits, they can often be asked to repeat themselves multiple times, can be socially impacted (i.e. teased for not being clearly understood), as well as demonstrate difficulties in learning.
In some cases, there exist dialectical variations that are considered as more of an 'accent' rather than a disorder. However, in instances where this accent significantly affects speech intelligibility, it can pose challenges in effective communication. There are recognized articulation disorders where individuals struggle to accurately produce speech sounds beyond the typical age of mastery. Additionally, phonological disorders involve patterns of speech sound errors rather than isolated issues with a single sound. It's important to note that when someone's speech markedly differs from the typical accent within their immediate context, it can sometimes impact and hinder overall speech intelligibility which can ultimately impact communication.
I recognize and understand the importance of providing support for individuals facing these speech challenges. Throughout my experience working with numerous clients who encounter difficulties affecting their everyday education and communication, I've recognized the necessity for accessible solutions. Given the escalating integration of technology in our world, I became aware of the potential effectiveness of developing an app aimed at supporting this specific population on a global scale. My goal was to create a resource empowering individuals to enhance their speech production clarity independently, at any time and from any location.
The driving factors behind my app concept stemmed from:
Assessment data revealing the challenges arising from unclear speech, such as the frustration of not being understood, limitations in educational progress (e.g., negative effects on writing), social repercussions (like reduced participation in classrooms, withdrawal, or teasing), and the frequent need to repeat oneself.
My extensive work with a substantial number of students in therapy, particularly addressing speech sound disorders.
My specialized knowledge and expertise in articulation and phonological speech disorders.
6+ years of experience implementing evidence-based practices in speech therapy as a certified speech-language pathologist.
With my extensive background specializing in speech language pathology including speech sound disorders, I was ready to move forward. I started with a customer journey map to better understand my users’ likely emotions, actions, possible pain points, and interactions within each phase of my application.
Customer Journey Map
In this customer journey map, I visualized the process of speech therapy from start to finish for speech sound disorders, including a student’s and therapist’s interactions within each phase of the therapy based upon my professional experience with various clients. This helped me gain a better understanding of the common emotions, thoughts, responses, actions, pain points, and solutions.
User Flow
A user flow was created to explore a user’s interaction’s with speech therapy through technology. The idea in this user flow would be that the user has two options to choose from once signed in (based on their age). There is an option for lower grades (tk-3rd) and upper grades (4th- 6th). For this project, I focused on the upper grade screens.
Concept Map
To help further organize and refine the information for the application, I utilized a concept map for my ideas. This helped me solidify my ideas and direction for my application as I was able to connect various concepts in therapy and plan it out for an app. I started with the broad topic of articulation therapy. From there, I broke the topic down into more specific sections of therapy (teaching, supports, learning, and levels). Then, I further separated topics where I could.
Making Ideas More Concrete…
I then created a visualization, translating the abstract concepts to more concrete ideas for my application.
Abstract to Concrete
Sketches
I sketched my designs in low-fidelity wireframes to get an idea of what this end to end application would look like and how the user would interact with the process of speech therapy through technology. I thought through the entire process of what I do in speech therapy (from assessment to therapy plan implementation) and how I implement my in-person speech therapy sessions. I thought through each interaction moment with the client and how that might translate to technology.
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
In my initial low-fidelity wireframes, I primarily focused on content. I created a set of client facing screens. I also created a set of adult facing screens. In the “real world” speech therapy, there are parts in the speech therapy process when the speech-language pathologist communicates specific information to the parent of the child that may be receiving speech therapy. As the application development progressed further along in the design process, I made significant visual changes.
Client Facing Screen Samples
Adult Facing Screen Samples
High-Fidelity Wireframes
Recognizing that my application's target audience comprised upper elementary-aged children, it became crucial to create a design that was genuinely "kid-friendly." To achieve this, I began exploring methods to integrate more visuals, reduce text, and embed vibrant, lively colors into my initial set of high-fidelity wireframes.
Client Facing Screen Samples
Adult Facing Screen Samples
Usability Testing
I conducted 6 moderated usability tests via google meet video calls with participants and one in person. My participants included 3 speech language pathologists, 2 parents, and 1 student. My goal was to identify pain points/confusion that users encountered with the overall flow of the design and identify their comfortability level with specific tasks. I also wanted to make sure the content was clearly understood, engaging, and kid friendly.
I analyzed the testing results, creating an affinity map to help me find trends.
Analyzing Results and Prioritizing Iterations
Below are main areas of focus from the results as well as the key areas that needed change based upon feedback:
4 participant observations noted confusion on the recording screens —> Fix the recording screens by adding more information/content/clarity to screens
5 participant observations noted confusion on the meaning of certain visuals/what to do on the isolation task —> Edit the isolation screen by adding guidance on what to do and further explanation on the purpose of certain visuals
4 participant observations noted confusion and further curiosity around positive reinforcement/rewards in the activity —> Make reward page/incentive more known or obvious
Update the UI design of the screens
Key Takeaways
One significant insight gained from this experience was understanding how AI could be integrated to support speech language pathology in an increasingly technology-driven world. This project highlighted the potential for refining my current expertise through technological applications. The process of transitioning my hands-on, in-person career into a digital platform was both enlightening and insightful. Transforming verbal, visual, and auditory feedback from my field into an application was an enlightening yet challenging task. I navigated the challenge of translating abstract concepts from speech therapy into more tangible design elements. This journey offered invaluable insights into the parallels between speech language pathology skills and those required in UX design. Furthermore, it deepened my understanding of how UI design and visual layout significantly influence the user's experience.
Next Steps
I would do another round of usability tests to gain feedback on the designs and flow.
I would do another round of iterations.
I would complete another set of updates: add camera/visual live real time video for student to record their speech production visually, add opportunity for parent to hear student’s recorded speech sample in report, make app more interactive.