ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — The Oral Translation app guides users through the intricate process of recording and managing translations, designed to support the oral translation methodology. Built with communities in mind where digital familiarity is rare, the app enables even those new to technology to engage with the translation process seamlessly.
Serving communities with limited literacy and technology exposure, the app relies on large icons and graphics to enhance accessibility, accommodating users with poor eyesight due to limited healthcare. Designed around touchscreen interactions, the interface is intuitive for users unfamiliar with a mouse, aligning with their provided HP touchscreen laptops.
To avoid long presses or multiple taps, we needed to add unconventional elements to the screen, such as the two buttons right next to the player.
Gathering feedback to refine the interface of a global app involved local recruitment in New Mexico and insights from senior family members in Brazil. This provided practical feedback, guiding design decisions for usability across diverse experience levels.
Large player buttons were designed to accommodate user's visual needs and help make touch interactions more accessible.
A visual-first approach with bold, recognizable UI elements, along with a linear workflow, enhances usability for those with limited digital experience or poor eyesight. This makes navigation straightforward and approachable. The linear workflow resembles the real world and large graphic elements recognize the importance of clear, visual instructions over text for our users.
The bold waveform serves as a robust visual indicator of recording progress.
Unlike traditional software, the app follows a linear workflow, reflecting linear real-world processes. After recording, tasks are passed to peers for review, simulating the collaborative, community-based structure of oral translation workshops. Limited supervision and a step-by-step structure help users work independently; critical given the language barriers present.
The icons guide the user through a linear workflow, where each step leads to the one right after, reducing the need for extensive instructions and helping them focus on the task at hand.
Each user listens to a text prompt in a familiar language before recording it in their own language, helping preserve meaning. By enabling people to create translations in their native languages, the app fosters confidence and accuracy, even for those who aren't professional translators.
Each user records a portion of text after listening to that same text in a language they might know, such as Portuguese, English, or French.
Designing the Oral Translation app involved balancing ease of use with support for a complex, multilingual workflow. The linear structure and visually guided interface ensure accessibility, allowing users to focus on tasks without complex instructions. The app not only aids in language documentation but also provides an engaging experience for communities, making computer use approachable and enjoyable for all.
In 2024, the number of languages translated using oral translation methodologies within a month has equaled what previously took a year just a few years ago. This explains the app's role in accelerating translation efforts and empowering communities, as well as the organization's recent successes.
