Background

Japan, a country that fascinates many people, is captivating in various aspects such as culture, history, scenery, design, and popular beauty trends. As a result, Japanese has become one of the popular languages to learn. According to JEPT&aops;s statistics in 2022, there were nearly 790,000 exam takers.

However, when it comes to learning Japanese, the first step is to master the fundamental Hiragana and Katakana scripts. Many people struggle with memorizing these scripts for years, often experiencing the cycle of "memorize and forget, forget and memorize." Fortunately, there are various fun and effective ways to learn the scripts. ‍

Therefore, the "A-Wa 五十音（A-Wa Gojūon）" app began its journey.

"A-Wa Gojūon" is a language learning tool created specifically for Taiwanese students who want to master the Hiragana and Katakana scripts. It utilizes mnemonic associations and vocabulary to assist with memorization, while also incorporating AI technology to provide an interactive experience. The app offers various features such as real-time Japanese translation, vocabulary learning, and starting conversations based on interesting topics to make learning fun and engaging for beginners. Additionally, the app provides advanced learners with numerous opportunities to put their knowledge into practice, paving the way for their future Japanese language learning journey.

Visual Design

Who is A-Wa?

A-Wa is a Japanese learning AI assistant, represented by a vibrant red pair of lips. The "A" originates from the first character of Hiragana, "あ" (a), while "Wa" comes from the last character of Hiragana, "わ" (wa). The concept behind the name is to accompany learners from start to finish, encouraging them to speak up and learn through conversations.

User Research

We start by conducting small-scale interviews and exploring pain points from our own perspective and that of our self-study partners. We then perform qualitative observations based on usability principles.

Insight
"Besides relying solely on rote memorization, beginners also seek to find a dedicated learning assistant that can accompany them throughout their learning journey."

😭 70% Users are spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to memorize the characters but still struggle to retain them.

😭 50% Users find it challenging to focus solely on memorizing the Hiragana and Katakana characters due to the overwhelming number of features in the current app.

😭 30% Users have memorized all the characters, they feel like there is no further opportunity for improvement and consider deleting the app.

Persona

By combining the results of interviews and App Store reviews, we can translate these details into three user personas. They will help the entire team gain a better understanding of who we are designing for and identify the key features to focus on in product development.