SIGNLINGO
APP DESIGN
We wanted to make an app that makes daily life easier for the Deaf community.
We were embarrassingly uneducated on the topic, accidentally using harmful slang that the Deaf community quickly reprimanded us on.
We were all humbled when we realized that we had unintentionally adopted a “savior” mentality.
THE IDEA
An app that helps the hearing community meet the Deaf community halfway.
We do this through teaching sign language to the masses of hearing people, as well as creating a safe space for both communities to practice sign language together.
OUR SOLUTION
WHO IS SIGNLINGO FOR?
Below are some users that we feel could derive many benefits from the Signlingo app.
AXEL
Axel is learning ASL in 7th grade. His ASL teacher recommends Signlingo, so he uses it to study and practice.
AINSLEY
Ainsley is Deaf. She loves sharing her culture with the hearing community, so she spends her free time on Signlingo.
MINDY
Mindy works at a grocery store. She wants to learn a bit of ASL to communicate with a store regular who is Deaf.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
Saba Johnson, Lindsey Bunton, and I performed a series of design sprints to work out the intricacies of the app. Each sprint consists of understanding the target user, fixing flaws in the system, prototyping, and performing a user test. We did four of these sprints over the course of three months.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
Well, some highlights at least. If you want to explore the full app, scroll to the bottom of this page :-)
AUGMENTED REALITY
The augmented reality feature of the app can sense whether the sign has been done correctly, and either prompts the user to either keep trying or congratulates them for doing it correctly.
GAMIFIED LEARNING
This feature makes the act of learning a sign language feel bite-sized and enjoyable. It uses five different activity styles to switch up the user experience and prevent stagnation.
GROUP INTERACTIONS
This feature makes conversations between the hearing and sign community feel natural by simulating a real room. It is a great tool for integrating interactions into real life by building the user's confidence in signing with real people.
RETROSPECTIVE
If I were to continue to perfect this app, I would work together with the Deaf community to develop a realistic and helpful curriculum that corresponded to the actual needs of the Deaf.
I would also build out a more detailed mockup of the augmented reality section, and include more activities within that section of the learning tab.
If this app were to be funded and actually built out, I believe it could help a lot of people in the Deaf community to feel more accepted and loved.
signlingo
signlingo is an app made for the hearing community to interact more often and in a more educated manner with the Deaf community. This app teaches sign language in a bite-sized gamified manner. It also uses augmented reality to teach and to help the two communities interact.
what I designed:
vibe:
illustrations + app
cheerful, modern, simple, fun
Let's make magic together.
be the energy
you want to attract.
