Afghan Refugee Women - ESL

Role: UX Researcher/Designer
At: University of Michigan School of Information | Class: SI 591 Humanitarian Innovation
Time Frame: January - April 2024 | Collaborators: Lauren Wojciechowski, Naima Shaikh, and Amna Abbas

Project Overview

1. Objectives and Original Problem Statement
2. User Research
3. Co-Design Sessions
4. Final Recommendations and Continuity Plan
5. Impact

"Becoming proficient in a new language is one of the first skills that refugees have to learn when they are resettled. Language skills are essential, not just for official tasks like applying for a driver’s license or social security card, but also for everyday tasks, like taking the bus or doing grocery shopping. A number of Afghan women have limited literacy in their native language as well (Pashto or Dari), and that makes it challenging for them to learn a new language. Furthermore, female Afghan refugees often find it difficult to take classes online, given their household and childcare responsibilities. Not knowing English also adds to the fears that refugees face, such as the risk of being deported for not responding to an official email or not following the proper etiquette for doing so.

Resettlement agencies offer free english-language skills training when refugees first arrive, but these classes are limited in scope and duration. Community colleges like the Washtenaw Community College have English as a Second Language (ESL) certifications. Also, platforms such as Voxy exist; however, refugees are often unaware of them. Initial research with Afghan women uncovered preference for real-time conversations to enhance communication skills."

1. Objectives

Formal Semi-Structured Interviews

We conducted semi-structured interviews with a male translator present. Considering their cultural backgrounds, interviewees were given the option to choose the location where they felt most comfortable.

Core areas explored in the interviews:

2. User Research

Stake Holder Analysis

We started by identifying stakeholders within the project and ranking

The stakeholder table was continuously updated and referred to as we uncovered new stakeholders and relationships between the project and stakeholders.

Problem Framing/Objective Tree

We used an objective tree to help understand and breakdown means to achieving the project objective, improving ESL for Afghan Refugee women.

Core means areas to explore:

We broke down the core means into two additional levels. At each level we asked ourselves, "how do we achieve this?". Examples of our final level of means were:

Our objective tree helped establish the design requirements for the project and aligned our team, ensuring everyone was clear on our main goals.

PATH Statement
Our final PATH Statement after numerous revisions throughout the semester:

Afghan women prefer in-person classes, but there are limited options for in-person classes, and the options that do exist are not easily accessible due to external factors (i.e. childcare, transportation). We aim to utilize existing resources (people and time) in the community to improve remote ESL programming, specifically for Afghan women who are proficient in their native language, have moderate digital literacy, and have access to the necessary technology. We hope to do this in order to empower Afghan women motivated to improve their communication skills.

Exploring Possible Solutions

Updated Design Requirements Table

After updating our design requirements table to include measurable units, we held a brainstorming session to generate ideas. We picked a few ideas to explore further:

3. Co-Design Sessions

First Co-Design Session

Our goals for the first co-design session

We prepared for the co-design session by including storyboards explaining each generated solution

Storyboard 1

Storyboard 2

Storyboard 3

Results of first co-design session

We conducted an informal co-design session with 5 Afghan women, including one woman who acted as the translator, that lasted approximately 45 minutes. We presented the storyboards and asked for discussion around each storyboard.

- Key takeaways from design requirements feedback:

- Key takeaways from idea feedback:

We generated initial final ideas after co-design session 1. Those ideas were presented in the second co-design session for further feedback.

Initial Final Idea Storyboard

Initial Final Idea Mock Lesson Plan

Second Co-Design Session

The second co-design session was conducted with a community consaltant, a member of the Afghan refugee community, and an NGO representative. The Whatsapp solution and mock lesson plan were presented.

-Key takeaways

4. Final Recommendations & Continuity Plan

Our final deliverable was a report on our progress and findings and future directions to guide new students in building on our work. We included mid-fidelity mockups of current solutions to help better illustrate ideas generated. We suggested a weekly format that utilizes a Whatsapp broadcast, video lessons, and a lesson plan PDF/worksheet.

Weekly Class Format with Lesson Plan PDF

Broadcast mockup

5. Impact

Overall, our project strived to empower Afghan women with the language skills needed for personal and professional growth, while ensuring learning remains accessible and responsive to their unique needs.

Personally I learned the UX design thinking is versatile, and the project demonstrated UX's applicability across a wide range of situations, regardless of complexity. UX enables the deconstruction of seemingly unmanageable projects into more manageable components. UX research and design offers a structured framework for analyzing and addressing multi-layered challenges effectively.

Afghan Refugee Women - ESL

Role: UX Researcher/Designer At: University of Michigan School of Information | Class: SI 591 Humanitarian Innovation Time Frame: January - April 2024 | Collaborators: Lauren Wojciechowski, Naima Shaikh, and Amna Abbas

Project Overview

1. Objectives and Original Problem Statement 2. User Research 3. Co-Design Sessions 4. Final Recommendations and Continuity Plan 5. Impact

1. Objectives

Formal Semi-Structured Interviews We conducted semi-structured interviews with a male translator present. Considering their cultural backgrounds, interviewees were given the option to choose the location where they felt most comfortable. Core areas explored in the interviews:

skill assessment

goals and motivations

learning methods and experiences

application of English

2. User Research

Stake Holder Analysis We started by identifying stakeholders within the project and ranking

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their interest in the project

their effect on project interests

importance of stakeholder for success of the project

degree of influence over other stakeholders.

The stakeholder table was continuously updated and referred to as we uncovered new stakeholders and relationships between the project and stakeholders.

Problem Framing/Objective Tree We used an objective tree to help understand and breakdown means to achieving the project objective, improving ESL for Afghan Refugee women. Core means areas to explore:

improve current available classes

improve self-paced online courses and applications

improve access to currently available options

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We broke down the core means into two additional levels. At each level we asked ourselves, "how do we achieve this?". Examples of our final level of means were:

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place a consistent instructor in classes

include a native speaker within the class

start a community led-child care program freeing up learner's availability

implement aspiration based courses

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Our objective tree helped establish the design requirements for the project and aligned our team, ensuring everyone was clear on our main goals.

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PATH Statement Our final PATH Statement after numerous revisions throughout the semester:

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Exploring Possible Solutions

Updated Design Requirements Table​​​​​

​After updating our design requirements table to include measurable units, we held a brainstorming session to generate ideas. We picked a few ideas to explore further:

Make a simple illustrative Zoom guide available to volunteer tutors so they can send to students

Create Whatsapp group for ESL in the community for women to self coordinate with tutors

Have students learn (videos, worksheets, etc.) on their own time and meet as a group to practice skills

Have ESL coordinator rather than instructor to help get everyone online at the same time and facilitates conversations

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3. Co-Design Sessions

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First Co-Design Session

Our goals for the first co-design session

Overview of project goals

Feedback on and prioritization of design requirements

Feedback on ideas generated

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We prepared for the co-design session by including storyboards explaining each generated solution ​​​​​​​

Storyboard 1

Storyboard 2

Storyboard 3

​​​

Results of first co-design session

​

We conducted an informal co-design session with 5 Afghan women, including one woman who acted as the translator, that lasted approximately 45 minutes. We presented the storyboards and asked for discussion around each storyboard.

​

- Key takeaways from design requirements feedback:

Needs to encourage student participation

solution needs to follow a set plan with a take home element

ideal timing would be 9am-11 am

idea number of students would be 10 or less per instructor

- Key takeaways from idea feedback:

more comfortable with Whatsapp than Zoom but a user guide with tips may help

Would like to meet up with other Afghan women for in-person informal English practice, but childcare may be limiting

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We generated initial final ideas after co-design session 1. Those ideas were presented in the second co-design session for further feedback.

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Initial Final Idea Storyboard

Initial Final Idea Mock Lesson Plan

Role: UX Researcher/Designer
At: University of Michigan School of Information | Class: SI 591 Humanitarian Innovation
Time Frame: January - April 2024 | Collaborators: Lauren Wojciechowski, Naima Shaikh, and Amna Abbas

1. Objectives and Original Problem Statement
2. User Research
3. Co-Design Sessions
4. Final Recommendations and Continuity Plan
5. Impact

Formal Semi-Structured Interviews

We conducted semi-structured interviews with a male translator present. Considering their cultural backgrounds, interviewees were given the option to choose the location where they felt most comfortable.

Core areas explored in the interviews:

Stake Holder Analysis

We started by identifying stakeholders within the project and ranking

Problem Framing/Objective Tree

We used an objective tree to help understand and breakdown means to achieving the project objective, improving ESL for Afghan Refugee women.

Core means areas to explore:

PATH Statement
Our final PATH Statement after numerous revisions throughout the semester:

Updated Design Requirements Table

After updating our design requirements table to include measurable units, we held a brainstorming session to generate ideas. We picked a few ideas to explore further:

We prepared for the co-design session by including storyboards explaining each generated solution

Second Co-Design Session

Consideration for privacy

Weekly Class Format with Lesson Plan PDF

Broadcast mockup

Overall, our project strived to empower Afghan women with the language skills needed for personal and professional growth, while ensuring learning remains accessible and responsive to their unique needs.