Project
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Info
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Polako
a web application for learning essential Serbian vocabulary
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Figma
In 2022, after immigrating to Serbia, I faced the challenge of learning basic Serbian. As I connected with others, I found that many Russian-speaking immigrants were struggling with the same language barrier. This realisation inspired me to create Polako — a project to not only support this community but also to deepen my research and design skills.
Timeline
6 weeks
Overview
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The Need
Despite the popularity of language learning platforms in Russia, major apps like Quizlet and Duolingo lacked Serbian language courses. With a significant wave of Russian immigrants arriving in Serbia in 2022, a real need emerged for resources to help newcomers learn the language and integrate smoothly.
Research
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Competitor Analysis
To ensure that Polako offered a familiar, intuitive experience, I analyzed popular language learning platforms in Russia. This approach guided my design decisions to align with user expectations and habits, making the UX as accessible as possible for Russian-speaking users.
User Research
& Insights
& Insights
Research indicated that Russian immigrants made up approximately 2.24% of Serbia's population by 2023, totaling around 150,000 people, including those with temporary or informal status. From this group, I identified three core user personas with distinct language-learning needs:
Alexey, 40 y.o.
Programmer
Motivation
Relocated to work at a Serbian company; needs to communicate with colleagues.
Expectation
Learn everyday and business-specific phrases.
Maria, 36 y.o.
Housewife and Mother
Motivation
Moved with her family, responsible for daily logistics and activities.
Expectation
Master basic phrases around childcare, healthcare, shopping, and rentals.
Lisa, 27 y.o.
Entrepreneur
Motivation
Organisation of commercial activities and maintenance of official documentation.
Expectation
Communicate confidently in business and everyday situations.
Feature #1
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Users can save words directly from the search tool to their collections, eliminating the need for external translation tools.
This feature keeps the user experience fast and efficient.
This feature keeps the user experience fast and efficient.
Integrated Dictionary
Feature #2
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Users can create personalised word collections with custom names, descriptions, and icons, maintaining a cohesive visual style.
These collections can be easily shared with friends or classmates by username, social media link, or direct copy-paste.
These collections can be easily shared with friends or classmates by username, social media link, or direct copy-paste.
Customisable Collections
Feature #3
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A dedicated section, marked with an asterisk, lets users save words they find particularly difficult to remember. This allows focused practice, with progress tracking for each word individually to monitor improvement on these words specifically.
Challenging Words
Lessons Learned
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Project Reflections
and Future Potential
and Future Potential
This project was a valuable exercise in honing my skills in competitor and user research, as well as in designing an intuitive interface that meets specific user needs.
Moving forward, Polako could expand through partnerships with Russian-Serbian language schools, evolving into a full-featured platform complete with textbooks and interactive exercises.
Moving forward, Polako could expand through partnerships with Russian-Serbian language schools, evolving into a full-featured platform complete with textbooks and interactive exercises.
Let's continue!
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