Optimizing Website Ease for New Immigrants' Language Learning

Avenue is a language training platform designed under The LearnIT2teach Project providing training for language educators in supporting new adult immigrants to Canada. Avenue aims to provide learners with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively communicate and integrate into Canadian society. With Avenue, learners can access language training anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace, making it an ideal solution for busy learners who need flexibility and convenience.

The redesign is motivated by the current website's presentation of abundant information and resources without a clear information architecture. This leads to user frustration, particularly for new immigrants from underrepresented communities with limited technical skills.

Why this redesign?

Timeframe

Mar - Apr 2023

Role

UI Designer

Web Design

Team Project

Type

Link

Prototype

Unclear messaging and photo choices hinder users' understanding of the platform's purpose and features.
Inconsistent layout complicates navigation, requiring users to learn each page's unique design.
Poor color contrast affects text visibility, necessitating an update to the color palette.
Multiple typefaces and small font sizes impede readability and section identification.
The current dark color palette fails to motivate learners, requiring warmer tones to engage users.

General Problems

To enhance the website's usability and create a welcoming environment for our target users—language educators and adult immigrant learners, particularly those from regions affected by tragedies and chaos—we conduct thorough design critique and research to identify user personas and map their journey before initiating the redesign process.

Process

Existing Design

Redesign

Our team performed design critique on each of the page to identify problems and areas for improvement.

The common problems we identified are:

• Inconsistent layout

• Poor hierarchy

• Lack of clarity

• Failed color contrast test

• Multiple typefaces in use

• Excessive options leading to sensory overload

Design Critique

Part of the design critique document

Personas

User Journey Map

Emotional Response

Our goal is to create an emotional response in users that is warm, hopeful, and trustworthy. To achieve this, we have chosen to use a warm color palette that conveys a sense of approachability and friendliness. Through the use of warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow, we hope to evoke feelings of joy and acceptance in users of the platform. By creating a welcoming and positive environment, we aim to make users feel comfortable and engaged with the learning process.