SCAD
2024
ROLE
Lead UI Designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
User Interface Design
Prototyping
TEAM
Maddy Pelissero, Project Manager
Lily Spiller, UI Designer
Josephine Zhang, User Testing
Doug Graham, Research
UX Design Methods
Project Overview: Create a project using the UX basics by exploring the full process while applying a wide range of methods.
Traverse
UX Writing
Figma
TOOLS
SKILLS
Information Architecture
Google Workspace
SCAD
2024
UX Design Methods
Project Overview: Create a project using the UX basics by exploring the full process while applying a wide range of methods.
PROBLEM
Language barriers create stress and frustration around navigation because proper technology, personal assistance, and clear instructions are often inaccessible.
How might we enable people to feel confident about asking questions when traveling in a place where they don’t speak the language?
How might we improve the user experience for travelers using public transportation to ensure clear communication and guidance in a system they are unfamiliar with?
To bridge the communication gap across cultures and languages, allowing tourists and travelers to explore the world with confidence.
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OUR VISION
Downloadable library of prerecorded phrases to help you communicate.
Predicts needs based on location and provides suggested phrases.
See where you are going with live translation, VR directions, and quick access to phrases.
Record your details, preferences, dates, and more all in one place.
THE ISSUE WITH LANGUGE BARRIERS
An aspiring traveler is looking to explore to the globe
But they are only fluent in one language
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FEATURES
Over 60% of the world’s population speaks more than one language, yet so many travelers find themselves in linguistic pickles.
RESEARCH
After digging into some secondary research, we discovered a survey of 20,500 travelers, and 26% reported language barriers as an obstacle to their tourism. In addition, our source Statista also predicted 2 Billion people will be users of travel & tourism in 2024.
Gen Z travelers experience anxiety at a much higher rate than older generations, with more than 50% feeling anxiety over not knowing local languages. Knowing this, we identified our target audience to be between the ages of 18 - 50.
In addition, we collected results from a survey over the course of a few weeks to gain real qualitative insight.
Widely known for accessibility, the platforms are efficient and popular within their demographics, offering text and photo translation with gender-specific options.
Competitor anALYSIS
A closer look at survey questions
survey results for initial wireframes
Effective
Ineffective
Based on user reviews, the platforms cover many problems but have issues with live translation and limited language support.
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Goolge Translate
Youdao Translate
Apple Translate
Building on our research, we decided to conduct a competitor analysis. To gain deeper insights, we shifted focus to leading platforms in the translation engine industry, such as Google Translate and Apple Translate. These platforms had effectively addressed similar content challenges, inspiring us to adopt the concept of saved and recommended phrase sets as a powerful solution for organizing content.
opportunities
The challenges identified through our research present a significant opportunity to improve the travel experience for global users. Google Translates limitations with context, slang, and nuanced language create an opportunity to design a translation tool that offers more reliable, context-aware communication for complex conversations.
Additionally, the confusion many travelers experience with public transportation systems opens a space for intuitive, language-friendly navigation assistance. By addressing these pain points, we can reduce communication-related anxiety, enabling smoother, stress-free interactions for travelers, whether they’re asking for directions, ordering food, or navigating an emergency situation.
This solution has the potential to not only enhance user satisfaction but also create long-term engagement with a highly versatile, travel-focused tool.
User journey
With a clear direction in mind, we began outlining all the features we wanted to include. We then organized these features into a user journey to establish a focused path forward as we started developing our wireframes.
VERIFY
Signed In
Create account
Create profile
Homepage/ Search
Create a trip
DISCOVERY
Pick phrases
Save phrases
Pick locations
Save locations
voice translator
Navigation
The exploration phase of Traverse's development was crucial in shaping the final product, allowing us to test assumptions, refine user flows, and adapt the design to meet real user needs.
EXPLORATION
Home Page
Phrase Groups
Saved Phrases
Play Phrases
In the early stages, we focused on creating a UI that would be both simple and powerful, given the diverse user base, which includes both tech-savvy travelers and those less familiar with digital tools. The key goal was to make complex features like offline language support and VR navigation accessible with minimal friction
Home Page
Phrase Groups
Saved Phrases
Play Phrases
Once the basic structure was established, we moved to mid-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, layering in the visual design elements, colors, typography, and interactive components. The challenge was to balance a sleek, modern look with functionality that would still be clear and effective in low-connectivity environments.
Once we had a working prototype, we initiated a series of usability tests to explore how users interacted with the app in real-world scenarios. This testing provided insights into which features worked well and which needed refinement.
In early user testing, travelers expressed difficulty in navigating unfamiliar areas using traditional map interfaces. They reported feeling overwhelmed by street signs, landmarks, and routes they couldn’t match to the app.
Several users reported that while the preloaded phrases were helpful, they felt limited in situations where a more dynamic conversation was required, such as when interacting with locals beyond basic transactions
Based on this feedback, we introduced a live voice translator feature that allows users to speak into the app and receive real-time voice translations. This feature allows users to carry out full conversations, rather than relying solely on predefined phrases.
To solve this, we integrated an AR navigation feature, which overlays step-by-step directions onto the real-world environment through the user’s camera. This reduced confusion and made it easier to follow directions in crowded or complex environments like airports or urban centers.
Feedback
Delivery
Feedback
Delivery
In result, key features like the live voice translator and AR navigation greatly enhanced communication and navigation. The live voice translator provided 85% faster communication compared to preloaded phrases, allowing users to engage in real-time conversations. The AR navigation feature improved navigation accuracy by 30%, helping users move confidently through unfamiliar areas with visual overlays.
User feedback confirmed that the app would significantly reduced travel-related stress. 70% of users reported feeling more secure and 50% noted lower stress levels during communication with locals.
Results
One of the most valuable takeaways from the Traverse project was how much I learned about the design process through close collaboration and user research. Working together to refine the app's features based on real-world user feedback gave us deeper insight into how travelers think and behave in unfamiliar environments.
Through user testing and iterative design, we also learned the importance of adapting our ideas based on user needs rather than assumptions. The process not only strengthened our understanding of user-centered design but also reinforced the importance of collaboration and ongoing research in creating a product that truly addresses users' challenges.
Thank you to the team and professors that made this all possible!
Summary
Thank you for taking the time to look at my work :)
