Lexio

When I began my senior capstone project in August, my goal was to design a market-viable digital product that leverages technology for good. To identify the specific subject matter, I drew on two key observations from my summer internship:

• Observation 1: Many writing interfaces prioritize formatting the final product rather than supporting the drafting process.

• Observation 2: Some multilingual English users rely on ChatGPT to improve their writing's professionalism and fix grammatical errors.

Reflecting on Observation 1, I recognized an opportunity to apply human-centered design principles to create a more supportive writing interface. However, because the word-processing market is dominated by large technology companies, I concluded that focusing on a unique niche would be crucial for market viability.

Observation 2 inspired me to develop writing software tailored for English learners. This niche not only offers a distinct market opportunity but also aligns with my goal to create a product with meaningful impact. The existing use of AI tools by English learners suggested a genuine need, which I later validated through survey data. Additionally, my mother’s experience as an ESL teacher and my cousin’s work as a college admissions consultant for international students further underscored the value of focusing on this demographic.

Rather than simply replicating AI tools, I saw an opportunity to design software that teaches English skills instead of having the AI do all the work. At the same time, incorporating large language model (LLM) technology could enable a tutor-like experience that provides intelligent, personalized guidance.

To validate these ideas, I conducted research and collected data. Throughout this process, I remained intentional about avoiding assumptions regarding what English learners want or need. As someone outside the target audience, empathy and data-driven insights are critical to developing a product that truly resonates.

This capstone project represents an opportunity to merge human-centered design, technology, and social good. I look forward to bringing Lexio to life.

I’ve highlighted some of the slides from my proposal presentation in the case study below. To see all of the slides in their original format, please click the button below.