ShaSha Network

A Health Tracking App
I designed a mobile ui application for ShaShaNetwork, a learning platform for teenagers and young adults in Africa, With a focus on intuitive user experience and seamless interaction, this app aims to bring ShaSha Network’s educational experiences and community to an easy to use mobile interface.

Goals

-Ease of use
-Motivating for learners
-Fostering a sense of community

Research

First and foremost, our goal is to create a user-friendly interface for the unique needs and preferences of our users, promoting their active participation and motivation to learn. It is also important to foster a sense of curiosity and exploration to keep users motivated to learn.. Our app also seeks to encourage collaboration and social interaction among users, fostering a sense of community and enabling them to share knowledge and ideas.

Conducting research with current users of our mobile learning website has been instrumental in informing the creation of our mobile learning app. We have gained valuable insights into their needs, and pain points when it comes to learning on mobile devices. We conducted interviews with users on features they would like to see, and surveyed them on iterations of our design.

The findings reveal that users appreciate intuitive interfaces that require minimal effort to navigate, allowing them to accomplish their tasks easily. This was the top concern of current users. Users strongly value an app that is easy to understand, with clear instructions, a simple interface and a logical flow. Moreover, the research also highlights the importance of incorporating motivational elements within an app to keep users engaged. Users were more likely to maintain their commitment and enthusiasm when the app provides them with positive reinforcement. We made these a top priority in our app design.

Frustrations

-Lack of Motivation
-Confusing and Hard to Follow
-Learning Journeys
-Lack of Progress Tracking

Features

-Prominent Progress Tracking
-Well-Organized Content
-An easy to follow path to success
-Discussion forums to foster community

User Flow

With the large amount of content being able to be unlocked, a library section where students could access all the content was critical. We also designed a search section, allowing students to easily and quickly find content when they need it.

Design

We focused on adapting the established brand to the design of the mobile site. We prioritized responsiveness and adaptability, ensuring that the website looks and functions flawlessly on smaller screens. We focused on keeping the design simple, in order to minimize bandwidth used and make the app accessible to students without fast internet connections, such as making certain large content available as a download that could be utilized offline.

Final Design

Through several iterations we focused on a simple design that would prioritize the content for users and motivate them. We used a consistent color scheme and typography to enhance readability and maintain visual coherence throughout the app. Visual cues, such as progress bars can be incorporated to motivate users and provide feedback on their achievements. Interactive elements, such as quizzes, and interactive exercises, promote active learning and engagement.

Future Steps

Additional ideas that could be implemented in the future for the app include a more complex badge system for students. These badges can serve as visual representations of accomplishments and provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation to users. Additionally, incorporating an audio comment feature can allow users to leave audio comments on specific sections or topics within the app. This feature can facilitate more interactive and personalized learning experiences, as users can provide verbal explanations, reflections, or questions, which can be particularly beneficial for language learning or pronunciation practice.