Overview
This case study is based on my Master's thesis and academic research, which was also submitted for consideration in international journals. It explores how gamification can enhance motivation in mobile language learning, moving beyond traditional points and badges. By combining user research, UX design, and behavioral science, I developed and tested a more engaging and personalized learning experience for Korean language learners.
Team
Disciplines
Tools
Challenge Highlight
Problem Statement
Imagine you are excited to learn Korean language to watch your favorite shows without subtitles, make Korean friends, and even live in the country of your dreams. Then, you decided to learn Korean through a mobile app. But as time goes on, learning starts to feel long and boring, so you just give up.
Repetitive and irrelevant exercises
Most apps rely on repetitive tasks, making learning feel more like a chore. Users often complete irrelevant exercises instead of learning what they actually need.
Some apps try to keep users engaged with leaderboards, points, and badges, but many learners lose interest once the novelty wears off.
Other apps connect users with native speakers, but they aren't always interested in teaching, leaving learners lost and unmotivated.
So I started with this:
The Question:
How to design a language learning app that keeps users engaged and motivated to learn Korean in a meaningful way?
Solution Highlight
The Solution:
Insider - a gamified app where learning Korean isn’t just about memorizing words!
Process
Research
Problem
Desk Research
User Research
Synthesis
User Needs
Persona
Design objectives
Ideation
Game Story
Process Flow
Wireframes
Design
User Testing
Final Design
Prototype
Reflection
User Evaluation
Conclusion
What's Next?
Research
Desk Research
As the first step, I decided to review related research, books, and design articles to understand the problem and how to solve it.
Here's what I've found:
29% of users quit within the first three months
Without a good motivating design, mobile-based language learning is prone to high user drop-out rates.
Gamification can motivate us to learn
Gamification is about using all the fun and engaging elements found in games to motivate users towards certain activities.
Points and badges aren't a one-size-fits-all solution
Points and badges don’t work for everyone; learners need different ways to stay motivated.
Then, I realized that I needed:
The Idea:
A more personalized gamification design that fits different learners' motivations and needs.
Research
User Research: Behavioral Questionnaire
To build a more personalized experience, I wanted to understand learners’ different motivational behaviors. That's why I decided to conduct user research in two phases. I invited 15 participants that has used a mobile app to learn Korean within the past 6 months. Firstly, I asked them to complete a test which identifies their motivational behavior type.
I found that participants' behavior can be categorized into five types:
These results confirmed that a one-size-fits-all approach won't work for every learner. Some learners enjoy competitions, while others seek meaningful interactions or creative freedom.
Research
User Research: Interviews
After the questionnaire, I talked to those 15 Korean language learners and asked them about their experiences. I analyzed their answers using a framework that helps design motivational learning experiences.
The questions were focused on:
Attention
What can capture and hold learners’ interest throughout the learning experience?
Confidence
How the app can increase learners' confidence and help to feel prepared to use the language?
Relevance
How to align the app with users' learning goals and personal interests?
Satisfaction
How can the app help learners feel accomplished and stay motivated?
Synthesis
User Needs
I synthesized the collected data from the interviews using the thematic data analysis method. Here are my key findings:
Users want more ways to stay engaged
Points and badges don't keep learners engaged for long
Leaderboards, points, and rewards sparked excitement at first, but once the “new app” feeling faded, many users lost interest.
Users want media-based content and different practice tasks
Translation exercises felt too repetitive and lacked variety. Users wanted different types of practice tasks and media-based learning content to stay motivated.
Users want to learn about Korean culture
Several participants said that learning about Korean culture helps them understand how to use the language, making the experience more meaningful.
Users want more personalized and curatable experience
Users are frustrated with restrictive learning paths
Map‐like designs and level systems forced users to complete irrelevant lessons before reaching what they actually needed.
Learners want control over their learning experience
Many participants wanted to set their own goals, notification schedules, learning plans and challenges, deciding what, when, and how to learn.
Users need opportunities to practice with others
Competition isn't for everyone
Some participants enjoyed competitions, but others found them stressful and unhelpful, preferring alternative individual and collaborative tasks instead.
Peer and mentor support builds confidence
Users needed guidance from peers and mentors to feel more confident in real-life communication.
Synthesis
Persona
Based on the user research findings, I developed personas to guide the design decisions:
Synthesis
Design objectives
Based on the research findings, I discussed different design ideas with my advisor. As a result, we came up with these core objectives:
Various engaging learning content
Videos, reading materials, and podcasts to show real-world applications.
Relevant storytelling to introduce Korean culture in small bits.
Collaborations and social support
Collaborations, peer support, mentorship, and group discussions.
Different challenge modes and review tasks
Individual, competitive, and collaborative practice tasks.
Balanced leaderboards for competitive challenges.
Review tasks with feedback.
Personalization and more user control
Setting personal goals, managing schedules, choosing learning content and challenge types.
Personalized lesson recommendations.
Choosing preferred rewards.
Ideation
Game Story Development
Instead of boring levels and translation tasks, I designed the learning experience like a story-driven adventure ✨
The story was inspired by the "Alien Registration Card," a foreigner identification card in Korea. This unique terminology sparked the idea of undercover agents trying to integrate into human society by learning Korean language and culture.
As undercover alien agents, players' mission involves:
Step 2.
Ideation
Process Flow
It was important to choose game elements that matched design objectives and motivated users with different behavior. So I used Octalysis game elements and planned how to apply them using process flowcharts. Here's a small peek on the game flow:
Ideation
Wireframes
At first, I designed mid-fidelity wireframes to visualize the structure and functionality of the application. Then, I built high-fidelity versions to showcase the gamified features in a focus group of five potential users. The high-fidelity wireframes allowed users to better understand the experience and provide feedback on what can be improved. Their feedback helped fine-tune the design before moving forward. Here are some of the wireframes:
Design
User Testing and Improvements
I discussed the prototype with 5 learners, and based on their feedback, I made three key updates:
Design Improvements:
Edited Discussions in collaborative challenges to keep users task-oriented.
Added Report feature to flag inappropriate behavior.
Added a Translation feature to help users communicate better.
Introduced a Penalty System:
Lose 1 life for inappropriate behavior
0 lives = temporary challenge ban
Design
Final UI Design and Prototype
After researching, analyzing user feedback, and iterating, here's the final design solution - an engaging and gamified Korean language learning experience adapted to different learners!
1.
Onboarding - Your Mission Begins
Start by customizing your mission and learning experience. The app introduces your role as an alien agent adapting to life in Korea. Choose your mission plan—like school life, career path, or travel—and set your notification schedule. This sets the tone and gives you full control over how your journey begins. And also, don't forget your personal Alien ID card!
2.
Promotion Requirements & Galactic Briefs
To level up, you’ll complete required tasks like watching Galactic Briefs—daily videos about Korean culture and social norms. Each day brings a new mystery-box-style video that keeps things exciting while building cultural knowledge.
3.
Creating Your Learning Space
Browse recommended lessons based on your mission and interests. Add them to My Learning Space, your personal hub where you can organize and complete tasks at your own pace. This space is fully customizable—like building your own learning playlist.
4.
Challenges - Choose How You Practice
Each lesson comes with a challenge, and you decide how to tackle it:
Individual: Practice solo and focus on your own pace.
Collaborative: Team up with peers to solve problems together via chat or voice.
Competitive: Go head-to-head and climb the leaderboard in a fair, multi-category ranking system.
5.
Stellar Mastery Scan - Test Your Skills
Once you finish all lessons within one Learning Space task module, unlock the Stellar Mastery Scan—a review challenge that helps you evaluate your grammar and vocabulary knowledge. You’ll receive instant feedback and see your strengths and growth areas.
6.
Feedback and Reward Shop
Every challenge earns you reward points that you can spend on certificates, coupons, or fun game boosters. They can also help you to progress to the new levels!
7.
Mentor Agents & Sharing Space
Need help? Ask a Mentor Agent, an experienced peer who can guide you and earn XP for helping out. Or open the Sharing Space—a forum where learners connect, exchange tips, and chat about Korean language and culture. Together, these features foster real community support, confidence, and long-term engagement.
Reflection
User Evaluation Results
To evaluate the prototype, I conducted a task-based user experience study focused on motivation and engagement.
Here’s a breakdown of the key results from 10 participants:
100%
Reflection
Conclusion
I've completed my biggest UX project and got my Master's degree (Woohoo!). I definitely learned a lot, and I hope to continue improving my UX design skills and apply my insights into future projects.
Here are my biggest takeaways:
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work
Different users are motivated by different things. Some learners thrive on competition, while others prefer autonomy, collaboration, or exploration.
Personalization makes learning feel more meaningful
Giving users control over their learning journeys, challenges, and progress helps them stay motivated and invested in their success.
Communicating ideas is important
Even strong ideas can be rejected if they’re not presented well. It’s important to be clear, persuasive, and confident. The ability to advocate for your design is a skill — and one I’m actively continuing to develop.
Reflection
What's Next?
If I had more time and resources, I would love to:
Work on the user flows
Some user flows could be simplified to make navigation more intuitive and seamless.
Refine logo and some UI elements
These could be redesigned to improve visual appeal and perceptual engagement.
Add live speaking challenges
This would help users to boost confidence and learn while having real conversations.
Conduct long-term evaluations
This would have helped us to test if the app is effective in motivating users over time and improve the app.
The End?