SignTime / SignWise

SignTime / SignWise

Two apps for supporting sign language ecosystems

Design
Accessibility
Social Impact

SignTime and SignWise are two apps we designed to improve sign language communication/acquisition for deaf/HoH people and their surrounding ecosystems. I led a team of six students in UW's Design for America chapter in exploring the ecosystems, relationships, and technology that exist in modern sign language communities. Our problem statement led us to survey individuals across the country, interact with experts, and learn how to be advocates for inclusivity and accessibility.

Problem Statement

How might we improve current sign language communication/acquisition for deaf/HoH people and their surrounding ecosystems?

What did users say?

After determining our problem statement, we created a survey to address three main groups: DHH individuals, non-DHH w/ relation to DHH individuals/community, and those who want to learn ASL. We had over two dozen individuals fill out our survey, providing us with different perspectives and solutions. We also followed up with a few people, asking for more specificity to focus our design.

View Survey Results
What did users say?

Engaging with Experts

  • Toni Stromberg

    Toni is a coordinator at the Washington School for the Deaf (WaCAD). She told us about the FCC's Video Relay Service and how there are regional and cultural differences across and within sign languages.

  • Christina Lew

    Christina is a Programs Operations Specialist for UW DRS (Disability Resources for Students). She told us about the existing systems and resources at UW for students and connected us with the UW ASL Club, where we spent some time learning ASL.

  • Richard Ladner

    Dr. Ladner is Professor Emeritus in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. He talked to us about modern accessibility technology for DHH individuals and the research currently being done in those fields. We learned that inclusivity is important, and that we should be engaging with DHH individuals throughout the design process.

One DHH individual told us:

"I wish it had been easier to find community groups and connect with other DHH and interpreters."

Low Fidelity Design

Low Fidelity Design

We began by brainstorming ways to provide an accessible and convenient platform for those learning ASL to practice with other people and also foster a greater sense of community amongst DHH individuals.

User Flow

User Flow

As we continued designing, we refined the core ideas surrounding SignTime. We mapped out the user flow of our platform to think about what features our platform wants to include. This included simplifying views, adding recognizable elements, and creating an engaging/repeatable flow.

SignTime

Here are a few of the final views from SignTime, showing the navigation and exploration flows for individuals to meet and learn from others.

SignTime Prototype
SignTime

Another DHH individual told us:

"[I] wish [ASL education] was gamified or had a streak system to keep me coming back to class…"

Figuring out the learning flow

Figuring out the learning flow

Learning sign language is much different than a spoken language, which led to many iterations on navigation and progression when it comes to teaching sign language. In earlier designs, we didn't have enough gamification via streak-based learning - to which we pivoted in later designs.

Redesigning the User Flow

Redesigning the User Flow

In the second version of SignWise's design, we recreated the flow initially, with a few goals in mind. We wanted the visual design to be more playful and welcoming, make the interface easier to use and have everything visible, and place an emphasis on gamification.

SignWise

Here are a few of the final views from SignWise, showing the navigation and learning flows we designed.

SignWise Prototype
SignWise

The importance of having systems that support ASL users

“…I can't say I've fully learned ASL. I should probably try again.”

What we learned

  • There isn't one solution

    We began our design process with the goal of one solution - but after interviewing and talking to experts, we learned there isn't only one solution. SignTime and SignWise cater to specific sub-problems in our problem statement. There are other solutions that need to be explored in the same realm.

  • Sign language is similar and different to spoken language

    Just like we have dialects, accents, and variants for spoken languages due to culture, region, and diffusion - sign language also has that! But at the same time, how one learns spoken language differs from learning sign language. SignTime and SignWise engage our initial focus groups in different ways, hoping to cater to individuals' hopes when learning sign language.

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