Luminate

Customized passages offering flexibility and improvement to adult literacy.

Team Members

Amaar Fatmi

Client

Passion Project

My Role

User interviews, coding and analyzing qualitative data, designing the low-fi and hi-fi prototype, and usability testing.

Tools

Figma

Overview

Problem

How might we help 45 to 54 and 55 to 65 aged adults improve their literacy skills with digital products?

Solution

Personalized passages that focus on information synthesis and reading comprehension

Outcome

A mobile application that allows users to generate personalized passages so they can improve their information synthesis and reading comprehension skills

Research

Experts are saying that the gap is "due in part to an abundance of jobs in the past that do not require the daily use of reading comprehension and information synthesis skills.”

I wanted to dive deeper into the 48% statistic. I visited Statistic Canada and found the following data.

We can observe from the data that:

The 45 to 54 and/or 55 to 65 years population includes the highest percentage of scorers at proficiency level 2 or below while accounting for labour statuses.

Both males and females aged 45 to 54 and 55 to 65 years population include the highest percentage of scorers at proficiency level 2 or below.

Problem

How might we help 45 to 54 and 55 to 65 aged adults improve their literacy skills with digital products?

I captured some deep insights through 5 exploratory interviews. After organizing and analyzing my findings, I was left with some actionable insights.

An example of children's themes and design for an application tailored towards improving adults' learning needs.

After finishing my competitive research, I found that none of the apps in the domain allow the user to have personalized content and improve their information synthesis skillset. My competitive research provided more support to their claims.

Do users have passages tailored toward their interests?

From my research, it became apparent that personalized passages focusing on reading comprehension and information synthesis skillset can benefit users. Creating an encouraging and welcoming interface without children themes can also benefit the interviewees.

Persona

I created a persona and an empathy map for my primary users in order to better understand them.

Ideation

Mobile? Website? AR/VR?

After exploring different solutions, I decided to choose a mobile solution for this problem because all of the participants owned a mobile phone and engaged more with their phones than with other devices. All of the participants had an iPhone so I focused my solution on an iOS mobile app.

Issue

Overwhelmed with information

Solution

Focus on simplicity and progressive onboarding

Issue

Can be easily discouraged

Solution

Motivate the users and minimize any triggers that lead to feelings of discouragement

Issue

Difficult to find reading material

Solution

Create personalized passages by gathering their interests, hobbies, etc.

Prototype & Evaluation

'Summarize' Task User Flow

Next Steps

1. Welcome Criticism

I sought criticism for this project and I believe it was one of the reasons why users were happy with the final prototype. I should continue to do this.

2. Be Open-Minded

By focusing solely on the survey/questionnaire at the beginning of the app, I run the risk of creating generic passages for users.

I should look for other opportunities to increase personalization for users

3. Keep doing thorough research.

I need to do more user interviews and validate some of the insights I have gained.