Busuu
Fostering authentic cultural exchange and building real-world communication confidence.
Project Overview
Project: Feature Addition
Platform: Mobile App
Role: UX/UI Researcher and Designer
Tools: Figma, Figjam
User: Language learners who are ready to practice their skills with a native speaker to improve context, and encourage memory and confidence
User Problem: Learners feel like they are not receiving enough cultural context and/or customization after moving beyond the basic exercises
Solution: A feature that connects users with native speakers of the language they are learning. This feature provides learners with the opportunity to practice conversational skills in real-time, improving fluency and cultural understanding/context
Discover
Busuu is a language learning app that strives to help users learn useful, real-world language skills and make authentic connections.
After analyzing Busuu’s competitors, it is evident that there are numerous approaches to language learning.
Duolingo excels in gamification, featuring visually appealing “maps” and images. It offers the most extensive range of languages yet may lack the cultural context and interaction found in Busuu, Memrise, and Babbel.
While Duolingo enables user interaction through friendly competition and encouragement, it lacks a feature for testing speaking skills with others. Babbel, on the other hand, offers the ability to schedule live classes in German, Spanish, French, and Italian, as well as private classes in German and Spanish with a paid subscription, therefore, providing additional context for learning a new language.
Memrise and Babbel emphasize conversational practice in their lessons but do not provide the feedback from native speakers that Busuu offers. This native speaker feedback is a unique and interactive feature, however, it may not always be accurate since fluency does not necessarily equate to grammatical expertise.
I believe there is potential for Busuu to incorporate speaking practice with fellow language learners at the same proficiency level or with native speakers especially since Busuu already has the community feedback feature that utilizes a microphone to evaluate speech. This would not only encourage user interaction but also enhance the user learning experience.
After conducting the SWOT analysis, I interviewed 5 participants who were learning a language through an app to get their insight on what might be helpful to them as language learners
80%
of participants mentioned wanting access to a community to practice speaking the language they are using.
60%
of participants are learning a language because they have moved or are planning to move to another country.
60%
of participants would like their app to provide more explanation or cultural context in the lessons an/or quizzes.
Define
While creating the persona of Bora “The Enthusiast” incorporated insights from my user interviews. Users identified themselves as international transplants who embrace the challenges and rewards of establishing themselves in new countries as well as individuals who actively seek cultural immersion, cross-cultural adventures, and value meaningful connections with diverse communities. This persona is someone who thrives on cultural exploration and authentic human connection.
POV #1
Users have a desire to practice their speaking skills with native speakers. Some users also mentioned that they are open to practice speaking with AI technology.
HMW How might we ensure that users can easily connect with native speakers to maximize their learning?
Solution: a feature that would allow users to interact real-time with a native speaker
POV #2
Users would like additional information or context when learning a language.
HMW How might we provide access to historical, cultural, and societal context within the Busuu app?
Solution: a feature that would give users access to view additional information about the language they are learning or about a lesson they have completed.
POV #3
Users would like to see more customization based on the reasons that they are learning a language. For example, someone travelling to a country would need to learn phrases and words that would help them during their travels.
HMW How might we integrate goal-setting tools that allow users to define their language goals and generate tailored lessons?
Solution: a feature that would create lessons that are relevant to a user’s specific goals
Develop
Based on POVs and HMWs I decided to focus on one feature:
Feature #1:
A feature that allows users to schedule time to interact real-time with a native speaker
Site Map
After determining which feature I wanted to create for Busuu, I created a site map to determine where this new feature would live within the current platform.
User Flow
Below is the user flow I created once I decided where the new feature would appear. I selected Busuu’s “community tab” to be the space to schedule a conversation with a native speaker.
Prototype- 1st Version
I created the first version of the new feature under the existing “community” tab in the Busuu App.
Deliver
I used Maze to conduct 8 unmoderated usability tests. The task given to participants was to schedule time to have a conversation with “Kyle.” Out of 8 test takers there was an 85.7 success rate. The majority of participants were able to complete the task, however there was a significant amount of confusion as to where to schedule a conversation to practice.
There are many choices and options to take into consideration, from renaming “practice” to a more explicit title like “schedule a practice session” to having the option available somewhere on the dashboard and notifications.
As my first experience conducting an unmoderated usability test, I noticed some limitations compared to previous sessions that were moderated. The lack of real-time interaction meant I couldn't gather deeper insights, answer questions or assist participants when they encountered difficulties.
Below are the changes I made according to feedback:
Task : Schedule a conversation with “Kyle” for June 13th at 6:30 for 20 minutes
Update #1
Made the call to action clearer and added a notice on the dashboard about scheduling a conversation with a fluent speaker.
Update #2
Updated the menu bar in the community section by selecting a secondary color, which stands apart from the blue branding, and made the “practice” tab more explicit by replacing it with “schedule a conversation”
Final Prototype
Prototype
Schedule a Conversation
Final Thoughts
If I were to approach this project differently, I would prioritize scheduling in-person interviews with usability test participants. While the unmoderated testing approach offered efficiency, my commitment to human-centered design principles makes me believe that direct conversations would have uncovered deeper insights, emotional responses, and potentially more valuable suggestions for improvement that may not have emerged through remote methods.
Additionally as I reflect on the added feature of connecting a user to a native speaker, I think about how a company would measure success of this feature. Key metrics to measure success might include conversation completion rates, session durations, user retention after native speaker interactions, and improvement in language proficiency assessments.
Finally, I believe there is an opportunity to use AI systems to provide a low-pressure environment for users to practice foundational language skills before advancing to native speaker interactions. A feature that combines AI practice sessions with human conversations will create a learning journey that builds confidence while maintaining authenticity in language learning.