Demystify Dyslexia:
Affordable Learning
Client: Dyslexia Foundation of Nigeria (DFN)
Role: UX Designer
Team: 6 Designers
Time: 8 Weeks
With my team, I designed & prototyped an open-sourced,
classroom application for educators to support dyslexic kids.
Summary
Challenge: High Costs, Low Dyslexia Awareness
DFN offers education for dyslexic children, but they face issues with:
❌ Lack of free, low-cost learning resources available 💸
❌ Lack of awareness or knowledge on dyslexia from teachers and parents 🤯
These barriers cause students to either fall behind or be withdrawn from school…
🌍 33.3%
Prevalence rate of
dyslexia in Nigeria
(Dyslexia Compass, 2022)
Prevalence rate of
dyslexia in Nigeria
(Dyslexia Compass, 2022)
🏫 75%
Nigerian teachers not meeting
knowledge check on dyslexia
(Okechukwu et al., 2023)
Nigerian teachers not meeting knowledge check on dyslexia
(Okechukwu et al., 2023)
Solution: Learning App on Desktop—Offline & Open-sourced
Since laptops are DFN's primary platform, designing an MVP with these features would be
valuable for the teachers and students.
Role: UX Designer in 6-person Team
In 8 weeks, I was challenged to design a region-specific learning app focusing on teachers.
“After assessments at a training center, I discovered that my
son had dyslexia and heard that word for the very first time.
At the time, I was teaching at the University of Calabar.
Imagine a lecturer who did not know what dyslexia meant.”
“After assessments at a training center,
I discovered that my son had dyslexia and heard that word for the very first time.
At the time, I was teaching at the University of Calabar.
Imagine a lecturer who did not know what dyslexia meant.”
Ben Arikpo - CEO, Dyslexia Foundation of Nigeria
Problem: Nonlocal Users
My team and I were not local to Nigeria—we would face difficulties contacting and researching users.
Despite constraints, what steps did I take to design for end-user needs and pain points?
Used existing local/nonlocal user research
Conducted local/nonlocal user interviews
Met weekly with DFN's stakeholder and SME
Analyzed competitors and market solutions
1| Research Users, Craft MVP
From researching data about our user groups through interviews & previous research, I created a collection of insights of who our users were and their experiences with dyslexia
🇳🇬 Local
Teachers
🌍
Local
Teachers
1-2 years tutoring & teaching
Learned about dyslexia recently
Trouble with keeping kids focused
Only uses free educational software
🇺🇸 Nonlocal
Teachers
2-4 years teaching kids
Generally knew of dyslexia
Trouble with keeping kids focused
Utilizes apps like Google Classroom
2-4 years teaching kids
Generally knew of dyslexia
Trouble with keeping kids focused
Utilizes apps like Google Classroom
Once completed and having time constraints, I rapidly ideated with my team by gathering additional data over 2 weeks that would determine MVP features
When I grouped this input data together by similarity, 3 user themes emerged:
Metric Tracking, Student Customization, & User Retention
These 3 themes or Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)
told me how & why teachers NEED the MVP
Next, I ideated on features with my team
that could resolve the user themes/JTBD
Lastly, I prioritized features by sorting each one
into a distinct effort:impact category—finalizing the MVP!
Site Map: Blueprint of App Screens
Using the finalized list of MVP screens, I drafted a site map with my team.
This defined an outline of the hierarchy and possible user flows of the screens.
2| Designing LexiLearn
MVP: Early Sketches
I started sketching and exchanging design ideas while utilizing the site map.
I wanted to explore how much or how little information the dashboard & profiles would use.
Style Guide: Cultural Symbol & Uniqueness
Final Designs and Features
3| Reflections
✍️ Handoff and Documentation
LexiLearn is an ongoing project; the teams has collected all artifacts and resources to pass on to the next phase.
🧑🔬 Usability Testing
Testing with a diverse group of users is needed to validate the design. Based on the feedback, necessary adjustments will be added.
🦾 Accessible Features:
Adding options for different fonts and light mode would further accommodate those who need it.
Thank you so much for reading!
✍️ Handoff and Documentation
LexiLearn is an ongoing project; the teams has collected all artifacts and resources to pass on to the next phase.
🧑🔬 Usability Testing
Testing with a diverse group of users is needed to validate the design. Based on the feedback, necessary adjustments will be added.
🦾 Accessible Features:
Adding options for different fonts and light mode would further accommodate those who need it.
Thank you so much for reading!
Demystify Dyslexia: Kids Afford to Learn
Client: Dyslexia Foundation of Nigeria
I designed & prototyped an open-sourced, classroom application for educators to support dyslexic students.
Connect to Content
Add layers or components to swipe between.
“After assessments at a training center, I discovered that my
son had dyslexia and heard that word for the very first time.
At the time, I was teaching at the University of Calabar.
Imagine a lecturer who did not know what dyslexia meant.”
Ben Arikpo - CEO, Dyslexia Foundation of Nigeria
Problem: Nonlocal Users
My team and I were not local to Nigeria—we would face difficulties contacting and researching users.
Despite constraints, what steps did I take to design for end-user needs and pain points?
Used existing local/nonlocal user research
Conducted local/nonlocal user interviews
Met weekly with DFN's stakeholder and SME
Analyzed competitors and market solutions
Problem: Nonlocal Users
My team and I were not local to Nigeria—we would face difficulties contacting and researching users.
Despite constraints, what steps did I take to design for end-user needs and pain points?
Used existing local/nonlocal user research
Conducted local/nonlocal user interviews
Met weekly with DFN's stakeholder and SME
Analyzed competitors and market solutions
Having time constraints, I rapidly ideated with my team by
gathering data over 2 weeks that will determine the MVP features
When I grouped this input data together by similarity, 3 themes emerged:
Metric Tracking, Student Customization, & User Retention
These 3 themes or Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)
told me how & why teachers NEED the MVP
Next, I ideated on features with my team
that could resolve the user themes/JTBD
Lastly, I prioritized features by placing them
into a distinct effort:impact category—finalizing the MVP
Navigation Map
Now with a finalized list of screens from the MVP, I started sketching and exchanging design ideas.
MVP: Dashboard
Now with a finalized list of screens from the MVP, I started sketching and exchanging design ideas.