Developing an Effective & Entertaining Learning Tool
Netflix Learn Mode
A personal project researching effective language-learning techniques in order to design an interactive double-subtitle tool within Netflix’s existing UI
Project Summary: Conceptual Add-on Feature for Netflix
Roles I Played: UX Researcher, UX Designer, UI Designer
Timeline: One Week
Project Background
People love watching foreign language TV as a language-learning method…
but it’s typically an ineffective method for language retention.
My Challenge
How might we develop a fully-integrated tool within a streaming platform that allows users to enjoy studying and gain vocabulary effectively?
The Research
Research Goals
Study Habits
How prevalent is TV-watching as a foreign language study method?
Do people consider TV-watching to be an effective way of studying?
What platform do people use to watch TV while studying?
The Survey Results
TV-watching is Popular, but Not Effective
Of those surveyed, watching TV or movies in their target language was the most popular study method. 81% of surveyed participants had used this method.
However, users considered this method only moderately effective at best, giving it a 3 on a 5-star scale.
Participants tend to watch television mostly as entertainment, considering language-learning as a potential side-effect. However, participants, when answering honestly, reveal that it doesn’t do much in terms of providing useful language skills outside the occasional vocabulary or oft-repeated phrase.
So,
Is studying by watching TV inherently ineffective?
OR
Do people simply not know how to study effectively?
Desk Research
Actually, watching TV to study CAN be effective…
In order to determine whether TV-watching was at all effective, I teamed up with an ESL (English as a Second Language) Researcher & Educator. Our desk and academic research revealed that learning a language by watching media in the target language can be effective…
…IF the learner follows these certain parameters
1. Students Must Avoid Cognitive Overload
Too must content, overly-challenging content, or too much watching time will not result in effective language acquisition.
Smaller clips of movies or single TV episode viewing is more effective than a full-length film or TV binge session.
2. Student must Review & Practice Immediately
If a student simply watches a few episodes and turns the TV off, there is very little retention. Students must review and practice the new vocabulary and phrases in order to retain them, ideally immediately after initial exposure.
The Ideation
User Task Flow
Understanding a Language-Learner’s Flow
Based on the cumulative research, I sketched out a flow for effective vocabulary-learning while watching a television episode.
Clarified Design Goals
What we need to build an MVP
With research and user flow in mind, we were left with three pivotal design challenges.
How can this tool…
fully integrate into the existing Netflix interface?
keep users from getting overwhelmed with language-learning content?
encourage users to review new vocabulary immediately after finishing an episode?
The Design
Iterations & solutions
1. Netflix Integration
Navigation & Info Architecture
The Learn Mode icon was developed following the thick, sharp icon language of the Netflix design system. Menu layout also completely integrates with existing menus.
The Learn Mode setting is nestled into the bottom menu, revealing itself when tapped or hovered.
Users can discover Learn Mode either by clicking the icon or through the Audio & Subtitles menu.
Multiple avenues of discovery allows unfamiliar users to experiment with the new feature.
Multiple places to toggle the feature on and off allows users ease if they need to switch between modes.
2. Limiting Cognitive Overload
Dual Subtitle View
The layout of the subtitles took the most time and iterations. Even when following the native Netflix subtitle design, overlaying the visuals resulted in a complicated and overwhelming experience.
In order to reduce cognitive overload, I decided to create two separate screen areas, even at the cost of reducing the area of the visuals.
This way, users can still enjoy the show but also be able to quickly scan and parse the two sets of subtitles.
Users can navigate the content by clicking the left and right arrows. This allows them to engage piece by piece rather than all at once.
Users can also repeat the line to help retention by selecting the repeat icon at the top of the subtitles bar.
3. Encouraging Review
Quick Practice
To allow users to retain vocabulary, I developed a quick study session that allows users to practice immediately following every episode.
The questions are generated by the vocabulary words saved by the user. This allows the quiz to be unique.
Users can customize their practice session length and choose whether to include saved vocabulary from other episodes.
The Final Prototype
Device Responsive
Smartphone
Tablet
TV with Linked Smartphone
It was important to allow flexibility in terms of device. Users like to watch TV in many different contexts and the tool should reflect that.
Next Steps
Further Research & Usability Testing
Two main aspects of the tool have potential for growth and enhancement: the post-episode review and the dual subtitles.
Further research questions could be:
What other game options would encourage review?
Would other subtitle layouts assist in reducing cognitive overload?
Would other language necessitate a variety of layouts or features?
A Useful Product Within a Growing Market
Research indicates a popular and valuable market. Adoptions could result in increased revenue, opportunity for corporate/education partnership, and of course, increased language skills for the user!
I believe this product has a place within the Netflix toolbox as well as within the classroom. I’m excited to see further developments.