Ello

Simplifying how learners practice spoken English

2022

Data Science and AI Research Centre @ NTU

Deliverables
Set product direction through qualitative user and competitive research
Validated app effectiveness through pilot testing and learner confidence gains
Delivered an MVP-ready experience supported by a foundational design system


Role

Product Designer

Software

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

Team

Frontend developer

Backend developer

Expertise

User research

Competitive audit

Design System

User testing

Prototyping

Role

Product Designer

Software

Figma

Adobe Illustrator

Team

Frontend developer

Backend developer

Expertise

User research

Competitive audit

Design System

User testing

Prototyping

Thanks for checking out my portfolio!

I’m still polishing up the tablet experience. In the meantime, please check out my portfolio on desktop or mobile.

Thanks for checking out my portfolio!

I’m still polishing up the tablet experience. In the meantime, please check out my portfolio on desktop or mobile.

Market opportunity

Market opportunity

Designing conversation practice built for real-life schedules

Conversation practice often breaks down not because learners lack motivation, but because existing formats don’t align with how people actually find time to practice. Ello focused on making conversation easy to start and easy to repeat, so progress could come from consistency rather than intensity.

Designing conversation practice built for real-life schedules

Conversation practice often breaks down not because learners lack motivation, but because existing formats don’t align with how people actually find time to practice. Ello focused on making conversation easy to start and easy to repeat, so progress could come from consistency rather than intensity.

Designing conversation practice built for real-life schedules

Conversation practice often breaks down not because learners lack motivation, but because existing formats don’t align with how people actually find time to practice. Ello focused on making conversation easy to start and easy to repeat, so progress could come from consistency rather than intensity.

Designing conversation practice built for real-life schedules

Conversation practice often breaks down not because learners lack motivation, but because existing formats don’t align with how people actually find time to practice. Ello focused on making conversation easy to start and easy to repeat, so progress could come from consistency rather than intensity.

Designing conversation practice built for real-life schedules

Conversation practice often breaks down not because learners lack motivation, but because existing formats don’t align with how people actually find time to practice. Ello focused on making conversation easy to start and easy to repeat, so progress could come from consistency rather than intensity.

Product direction

Product direction

Creating a conversational experience that feels approachable, focused, and reliable

User research showed that users avoided open-ended conversation due to cognitive overload and fear of misunderstanding. Combined with early AI limitations, this shaped a direction toward focused, resilient, and low-pressure conversation practice.

Creating a conversational experience that feels approachable, focused, and reliable

User research showed that users avoided open-ended conversation due to cognitive overload and fear of misunderstanding. Combined with early AI limitations, this shaped a direction toward focused, resilient, and low-pressure conversation practice.

Creating a conversational experience that feels approachable, focused, and reliable

User research showed that users avoided open-ended conversation due to cognitive overload and fear of misunderstanding. Combined with early AI limitations, this shaped a direction toward focused, resilient, and low-pressure conversation practice.

Creating a conversational experience that feels approachable, focused, and reliable

User research showed that users avoided open-ended conversation due to cognitive overload and fear of misunderstanding. Combined with early AI limitations, this shaped a direction toward focused, resilient, and low-pressure conversation practice.

Creating a conversational experience that feels approachable, focused, and reliable

User research showed that users avoided open-ended conversation due to cognitive overload and fear of misunderstanding. Combined with early AI limitations, this shaped a direction toward focused, resilient, and low-pressure conversation practice.

App flows & features

App flows & features

High-level conversation experience

High-level conversation experience

High-level conversation experience

Difficulty framed as session commitment, not language ability

Instead of assessing skill, difficulty defined how much time, focus, and effort a session required. This allowed users to choose experiences that fit their availability while maintaining quality and reliability.

Difficulty framed as session commitment, not language ability

Instead of assessing skill, difficulty defined how much time, focus, and effort a session required. This allowed users to choose experiences that fit their availability while maintaining quality and reliability.

Difficulty framed as session commitment, not language ability

Instead of assessing skill, difficulty defined how much time, focus, and effort a session required. This allowed users to choose experiences that fit their availability while maintaining quality and reliability.

Predefined topics kept attention on speaking, not ideation

During conversations, users must recall vocabulary, structure sentences, and listen simultaneously. Providing a curated set of topics removed the additional burden of deciding what to talk about, allowing users to focus on speaking with confidence.

Predefined topics kept attention on speaking, not ideation

During conversations, users must recall vocabulary, structure sentences, and listen simultaneously. Providing a curated set of topics removed the additional burden of deciding what to talk about, allowing users to focus on speaking with confidence.

Predefined topics kept attention on speaking, not ideation

During conversations, users must recall vocabulary, structure sentences, and listen simultaneously. Providing a curated set of topics removed the additional burden of deciding what to talk about, allowing users to focus on speaking with confidence.

Predefined topics kept attention on speaking, not ideation

During conversations, users must recall vocabulary, structure sentences, and listen simultaneously. Providing a curated set of topics removed the additional burden of deciding what to talk about, allowing users to focus on speaking with confidence.

Predefined topics kept attention on speaking, not ideation

During conversations, users must recall vocabulary, structure sentences, and listen simultaneously. Providing a curated set of topics removed the additional burden of deciding what to talk about, allowing users to focus on speaking with confidence.

Giving users control before committing their spoken message

Because speaking a second language is emotionally risky, voice input was designed to support revision and recovery at multiple points. Commitment only happens once users feel confident in what they want to send.

Giving users control before committing their spoken message

Because speaking a second language is emotionally risky, voice input was designed to support revision and recovery at multiple points. Commitment only happens once users feel confident in what they want to send.

Giving users control before committing their spoken message

Because speaking a second language is emotionally risky, voice input was designed to support revision and recovery at multiple points. Commitment only happens once users feel confident in what they want to send.

Giving users control before committing their spoken message

Because speaking a second language is emotionally risky, voice input was designed to support revision and recovery at multiple points. Commitment only happens once users feel confident in what they want to send.

Giving users control before committing their spoken message

Because speaking a second language is emotionally risky, voice input was designed to support revision and recovery at multiple points. Commitment only happens once users feel confident in what they want to send.

Allowing practice without pulling users out of the conversation

Grammar, pronunciation, and fluency practice appeared as a slide-up panel so users could improve without losing sight of the conversation. This made it easy to pause, practice, and return, without breaking the flow.

Allowing practice without pulling users out of the conversation

Grammar, pronunciation, and fluency practice appeared as a slide-up panel so users could improve without losing sight of the conversation. This made it easy to pause, practice, and return, without breaking the flow.

Allowing practice without pulling users out of the conversation

Grammar, pronunciation, and fluency practice appeared as a slide-up panel so users could improve without losing sight of the conversation. This made it easy to pause, practice, and return, without breaking the flow.

Allowing practice without pulling users out of the conversation

Grammar, pronunciation, and fluency practice appeared as a slide-up panel so users could improve without losing sight of the conversation. This made it easy to pause, practice, and return, without breaking the flow.

Allowing practice without pulling users out of the conversation

Grammar, pronunciation, and fluency practice appeared as a slide-up panel so users could improve without losing sight of the conversation. This made it easy to pause, practice, and return, without breaking the flow.

Lowering the emotional barrier to starting a conversation

The home screen was designed to make starting feel casual rather than evaluative. By introducing the mascot as a conversational presence and using simple, inclusive language, the screen invites users to start a conversation without setup, explanation, or pressure.

Lowering the emotional barrier to starting a conversation

The home screen was designed to make starting feel casual rather than evaluative. By introducing the mascot as a conversational presence and using simple, inclusive language, the screen invites users to start a conversation without setup, explanation, or pressure.

Lowering the emotional barrier to starting a conversation

The home screen was designed to make starting feel casual rather than evaluative. By introducing the mascot as a conversational presence and using simple, inclusive language, the screen invites users to start a conversation without setup, explanation, or pressure.

Lowering the emotional barrier to starting a conversation

The home screen was designed to make starting feel casual rather than evaluative. By introducing the mascot as a conversational presence and using simple, inclusive language, the screen invites users to start a conversation without setup, explanation, or pressure.

Lowering the emotional barrier to starting a conversation

The home screen was designed to make starting feel casual rather than evaluative. By introducing the mascot as a conversational presence and using simple, inclusive language, the screen invites users to start a conversation without setup, explanation, or pressure.

Designing feedback as something users opt into

Performance feedback was designed to be optional during conversation and reflective after completion. This allowed users to stay focused by default, while giving motivated learners control over when and how they engaged with scores.

Designing feedback as something users opt into

Performance feedback was designed to be optional during conversation and reflective after completion. This allowed users to stay focused by default, while giving motivated learners control over when and how they engaged with scores.

Designing feedback as something users opt into

Performance feedback was designed to be optional during conversation and reflective after completion. This allowed users to stay focused by default, while giving motivated learners control over when and how they engaged with scores.

Designing feedback as something users opt into

Performance feedback was designed to be optional during conversation and reflective after completion. This allowed users to stay focused by default, while giving motivated learners control over when and how they engaged with scores.

Designing feedback as something users opt into

Performance feedback was designed to be optional during conversation and reflective after completion. This allowed users to stay focused by default, while giving motivated learners control over when and how they engaged with scores.

Design system

Design system

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#321291

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Quick view of conversation scores

#F4F2FA

#F4F2FA

#321291

#9888C8

#2F18A0

#5B02B5

#5034DF

#8105FF

#EBF3FF

#D2CFFD

Quick view of conversation scores

#F4F2FA

Quick view of conversation scores

#F4F2FA

Proficiency scores for serious learners

Proficiency scores for serious learners