Product
Kin
Role
Product Designer
Skills
Product design
User research
Visual design
Timeline
3 months
Problem
Lost connections and culture
Immigrants and individuals distanced from their heritage language and culture, often growing up in different places, face a unique challenge. Often living far from relatives and losing the ability to speak the same language as their loved ones not only hinders communication but also makes it difficult to reconnect with their cultural roots.
By the third generation, native language loss is common, with only 40% of second-generation American immigrants retaining proficiency.
The challenge
Strengthening connections through learning
High-level app goals
01 Contextual language learning
Traditional language learning relies on memorization, but true fluency is best gained when it’s part of daily life. I prioritize cultural context and real conversations over rote learning.
02 Maintain connections with loved ones
Losing a heritage language is often tied to lost connections with family and deeper cultural ties. My goal was to foster communication in a fun, simple way to keep traditions alive across distances and generations.
Solution
Form familial and cultural connections with Kin
Form a learning group
Invite your loved ones to join a group with you. Select the language each person wants to learn, and your desired lesson and video call schedule.
Practice lessons
Assigned topics include practice modules to help learners build vocabulary and apply their knowledge.
Conversational prompts
Prompts are tailored to encourage conversational language learning, allowing learners to practice both writing and speaking skills. Voice notes, written responses, and images enhance the personalization of messages, fostering relationship-building alongside language development.
Feed
Review past lessons and messages to track progress and reflect on previous interactions.
Scheduled video calls
Periodic video calls are available through the app based on your preferred schedule. Practice and converse, with access to previous notes and lessons to guide your discussions.
Research
Understanding the issue
I conducted 11 interviews with participants of diverse backgrounds, ages, and language proficiencies to explore their experiences with language learning, family’s role in preserving language skills, and cultural factors shaping their connection to heritage language and relationships.
Synthesizing user needs
Emerging key patterns
Learning: Learning a language becomes more effective when it’s tied to real-world applications, especially through conversations with family members. The experience of learning a language in context—such as through daily messages—helps reinforce its practical use, making the learning process more engaging and less abstract.
Family: Interviewees noted that when family members teach each other their languages, it turns everyday conversations into meaningful opportunities for connection. This exchange not only enhanced communication but also strengthened emotional bonds within families.
Culture: Most interviewees believed that language is deeply tied to culture. They highlighted that incorporating cultural elements like food, media, daily life, and traditions into language learning makes it more engaging and relevant, helping them stay connected to their everyday experiences.
Synthesizing insights
Key patterns emerging from research
From this, I concluded that….
Rigid, prescriptive learning fails to support language retention. Learners need more agency and real connections by integrating language into daily life.
Questions guiding my design of Kin:
How can I integrate heritage language learning into everyday interactions with family and culture?
How can I give learners more control over their learning experience, making it more engaging and personal?
Design
Creating a manageable experience
My goal was to create a simple, manageable experience that gives users control. By setting up preferences upfront, they can follow a customized schedule according to their schedule and commitment level, while the other person acts as a motivator to help them complete tasks uphold the communication.
Creating the brand
A playful approach to learning
A fun and playful visual language with simple elements ensures that people of all ages, from children to the elderly, can easily understand and engage.
User testing
Notable design explorations
I conducted multiple rounds of user testing and design updates to ensure a seamless, intuitive experience, making it easy for users to navigate the app without confusion.
Which approach offers a clearer and more seamless home screen experience: a central home screen displaying all groups or a group dashboard that defaults to the last opened group?
How can I design the nav bar to ensure clear, intuitive access to key pages while guiding users effortlessly through the app?
