Hazel Town
Role: Solo UX Designer | 2023 Feb - Mar (1 month) | Personal Business
While living abroad, I happened to come across an opportunity to work as a Korean language teacher. To my students, I am not just a teacher, but also a friend. It was heartbreaking to hear about their study journey as friends. Seeing their passion makes me happy, and I feel passionate about it too.
Compared to my experience learning English, the Korean language platform is very poor. As interest in Korean culture increases, more and more people want to know about Korea. Now is the time for better means.
There are many reasons why people learn Korean, and the information they want to gain varies accordingly. Perhaps there is a bigger purpose than just finding a teacher.
Background
Challenge: It is difficult to know exactly who the teacher is because the purpose is unclear. There is an excessive amount of unrelated information, so the connection to 'Action' as a user is sudden.
Solution: Keep the explanations as simple as possible, tailored to the user's needs.
Provide opportunities for conversation after giving users more personal inspiration.
Goal Of The Business
Develop an easy-to-use online platform that connects Korean language learners with me (teacher/ helper).
Build a community of passionate Korean language learners and tutors through interactive forums and group sessions.
Continuously improve the website's user experience and expand its offerings to meet the evolving needs of our learners.
Provide customized lesson plans and study materials tailored to each learner's needs and goals.
Low Fidelity Wireframing
Exploration - The other pain point that was missed
When I talked to students who were learning Korean, they told me that my website was not efficient for them.
Asking them to immediately book my class without accurate conversation was aggressive and not kind.
I realized that it is important to understand how they became interested in Korean culture through which path. So, I conducted an interview to better understand them.
User Interview
1. What motivated you to learn Korean? Why did you decide to learn this language?
- Wife/Girlfriend is Korean.
- K dramas
- K-pop music
- New challenge for myself
- I feel guilty that I can not speak Korean, as a Korean.
2. How did you learn Korean before working with me? What methods or resources did you use?
- TTMIK (Famous Korean platform)
- YouTube
- Courses
- Textbook
- Instagram
- College in Korea
3. If you have used any language learning platforms before, what challenges did you face while using them to achieve your language learning goal?
- It was hard to improve my vocabulary.
- Lack of motivation and consistency.
- So random information, it was overwhelming.
Korean is not a language that must be learned as a requirement, so it often takes on a more hobby-like nature.
Many people become interested in the language due to their interest in the culture or the influence of people around them.
I came to understand that language is a part of the process of understanding culture.
In order to reach the needs of the user, it is important to first empathize with other factors that motivate them to want to learn the language.
"Hazel has helped a lot from learning the basics to getting a solid understating of the country and culture which I think is more fun and important rather than jumping straight into conversations."
- participant
User Research
By posting Korean language class advertisements in communities frequently used by Canadians, more emphasis was placed on understanding Canadians. It explored why they want to learn Korean and what they expect from a private Korean tutor.
"I would love to try some authentic Korean dishes and experience their unique flavors."
"I can't wait to explore the rich history and vibrant modern culture of Korea by travelling there myself."
"I'm hooked on Korean dramas and variety shows, they are so entertaining!"
"K-pop has taken the world by storm and I can't help but be drawn to its catchy beats and energetic performances."
Through that post, I was able to teach classes to people of various ages and motivations, and through conversation, I was able to understand different perspectives.
By providing diverse information about Korea, there are many enjoyable activities and information available outside of class, giving students the option to choose. Additionally, it helps students anticipate class by accurately identifying their interests, and provides clear motivation to pay for the class.
Good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is important because it helps to increase the ranking of web pages on search engines, which in turn drives more traffic to the website.
Keyword Research
Site map
Trust is often the most important aspect when it comes to choosing a teacher. It is also important to consider whether the teacher you choose uses the pronunciation and intonation that you want to emulate. Therefore, creating YouTube videos to attract external users could be a good way to build trust with potential students.
Logo Design
The purpose of logo design is to create a unique and memorable symbol or emblem that represents a brand, company, or organization and communicates its identity, values, and purpose to its target audience. A logo can help establish brand recognition, build trust and credibility, differentiate a brand from its competitors, and create a strong visual association with the brand's products or services.
Korea has a strong culture of sharing. The importance of community and living together has always been emphasized. I hope my students feel that sense of stability within my class. I wanted to create a good presentation that could communicate with other friends who are interested in Korea through opportunities, like a good village.
When designing the logo, I kept it simple to ensure that the clear lettering 'HazelTown' was not distorted. As I created all teaching materials myself, I emphasized the word 'OWN' to suggest autonomy.
Final Result
