Wordrive
Wordrive
Wordrive
I’ve taken German since the 6th grade, and loved the language and the process of learning itself; part of this process was meeting people who found just as much joy and reward in the challenge, and the two programmers who reached out about this project were actually friends I’d studied German with! They designed this Chrome extension as a way for readers and foreign language learners to easily store words as they’re reading.
I’ve taken German since the 6th grade, and loved the language and the process of learning itself; part of this process was meeting people who found just as much joy and reward in the challenge, and the two programmers who reached out about this project were actually friends I’d studied German with! They designed this Chrome extension as a way for readers and foreign language learners to easily store words as they’re reading.
I’ve taken German since the 6th grade, and loved the language and the process of learning itself; part of this process was meeting people who found just as much joy and reward in the challenge, and the two programmers who reached out about this project were actually friends I’d studied German with! They designed this Chrome extension as a way for readers and foreign language learners to easily store words as they’re reading.
Project
Passion Project
Project
Passion Project
Project
Passion Project
Role
Designer + Researcher
Role
Designer + Researcher
Role
Designer + Researcher
Timeline
Jul 2022 - Aug 2022
Timeline
Jul 2022 - Aug 2022
Timeline
Jul 2022 - Aug 2022
Collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration
I took the design initiative on this, but the people who conceptualized and made it actually come to life are Aaron Z. Zhu, Columbia ‘25 studying Computer Science and Linguistics, and Andrew S. Chen, Stanford ‘25 studying Mathematics and Computer Science after developing the Chen Method for language-learning! They were enthusiastic to get their hands dirty when learning the nuances of design, and I definitely encourage you to take a look at their work.
I took the design initiative on this, but the people who conceptualized and made it actually come to life are Aaron Z. Zhu, Columbia ‘25 studying Computer Science and Linguistics, and Andrew S. Chen, Stanford ‘25 studying Mathematics and Computer Science after developing the Chen Method for language-learning! They were enthusiastic to get their hands dirty when learning the nuances of design, and I definitely encourage you to take a look at their work.
I took the design initiative on this, but the people who conceptualized and made it actually come to life are Aaron Z. Zhu, Columbia ‘25 studying Computer Science and Linguistics, and Andrew S. Chen, Stanford ‘25 studying Mathematics and Computer Science after developing the Chen Method for language-learning! They were enthusiastic to get their hands dirty when learning the nuances of design, and I definitely encourage you to take a look at their work.
Project Plan
Project Plan
Project Plan
(Software Requirements Specification given to me when onboarded)
(Software Requirements Specification given to me when onboarded)
(Software Requirements Specification given to me when onboarded)
Overview
Overview
Overview
People who want to learn new vocabulary or jot down words need an easy way to save and keep track of the notable words and phrases they come across. Unfortunately, the leading browsers and browsing tools do not offer users an efficient way to do this. Wordrive solves this problem by helping users save words quickly and with minimal interruption to their reading. The extension is intended to be open-source software.
People who want to learn new vocabulary or jot down words need an easy way to save and keep track of the notable words and phrases they come across. Unfortunately, the leading browsers and browsing tools do not offer users an efficient way to do this. Wordrive solves this problem by helping users save words quickly and with minimal interruption to their reading. The extension is intended to be open-source software.
People who want to learn new vocabulary or jot down words need an easy way to save and keep track of the notable words and phrases they come across. Unfortunately, the leading browsers and browsing tools do not offer users an efficient way to do this. Wordrive solves this problem by helping users save words quickly and with minimal interruption to their reading. The extension is intended to be open-source software.
Intended Audience
Intended Audience
Intended Audience
The intended audience is Google Chrome users, particularly those who read on their browser and are interested in boosting their retention of vocabulary or keeping track of new words they learn.
The intended audience is Google Chrome users, particularly those who read on their browser and are interested in boosting their retention of vocabulary or keeping track of new words they learn.
The intended audience is Google Chrome users, particularly those who read on their browser and are interested in boosting their retention of vocabulary or keeping track of new words they learn.
Functionality
Functionality
Functionality
Users should be able to:
• highlight a word or phrase on a web page and save it
• review the list of words they have saved
• manually enter a word (not through highlighting)
• remove words from their current list
• access a history of all words added to the list
• access the URL(s) of the page that the word came from
• export words to documents
Future:
• access the original context(s) that the word existed in, without needing to access the URL
• for foreign languages, resolve ambiguity between similar words
Users should be able to:
• highlight a word or phrase on a web page and save it
• review the list of words they have saved
• manually enter a word (not through highlighting)
• remove words from their current list
• access a history of all words added to the list
• access the URL(s) of the page that the word came from
• export words to documents
Future:
• access the original context(s) that the word existed in, without needing to access the URL
• for foreign languages, resolve ambiguity between similar words
Users should be able to:
• highlight a word or phrase on a web page and save it
• review the list of words they have saved
• manually enter a word (not through highlighting)
• remove words from their current list
• access a history of all words added to the list
• access the URL(s) of the page that the word came from
• export words to documents
Future:
• access the original context(s) that the word existed in, without needing to access the URL
• for foreign languages, resolve ambiguity between similar words
Wordrive in all is...
Wordrive in all is...
Wordrive in all is...
Open-source
Open-source
Open-source
• It is not a ‘marketable’ application in the traditional sense; there are no user upgrades or transactions (there are no ‘premium’ accounts, for example); users should not feel like they are using a tool made by a corporation.
• It is intended to be democratizing and free-to-use.
• It is not a ‘marketable’ application in the traditional sense; there are no user upgrades or transactions (there are no ‘premium’ accounts, for example); users should not feel like they are using a tool made by a corporation.
• It is intended to be democratizing and free-to-use.
• It is not a ‘marketable’ application in the traditional sense; there are no user upgrades or transactions (there are no ‘premium’ accounts, for example); users should not feel like they are using a tool made by a corporation.
• It is intended to be democratizing and free-to-use.
For reference and tracking more than studying
For reference and tracking more than studying
For reference and tracking more than studying
• It is not intended to be used for flashcards or rote memorization.
• It does not display entire word definitions; instead, it links users to reference materials and the sites on which they saved their words.
• It is not intended to be used for flashcards or rote memorization.
• It does not display entire word definitions; instead, it links users to reference materials and the sites on which they saved their words.
• It is not intended to be used for flashcards or rote memorization.
• It does not display entire word definitions; instead, it links users to reference materials and the sites on which they saved their words.
Bookish
Bookish
Bookish
• It will be of greatest interest to students — of literature and foreign languages especially — avid readers, and language learners.
• It will be of greatest interest to students — of literature and foreign languages especially — avid readers, and language learners.
• It will be of greatest interest to students — of literature and foreign languages especially — avid readers, and language learners.
Intelligently energetic
Intelligently energetic
Intelligently energetic
• It is smart, powerful, accessible, but not overbearingly flashy or conspicuous — it aids a user’s learning experience rather than takes over it.
• It is smart, powerful, accessible, but not overbearingly flashy or conspicuous — it aids a user’s learning experience rather than takes over it.
• It is smart, powerful, accessible, but not overbearingly flashy or conspicuous — it aids a user’s learning experience rather than takes over it.
Preliminary Competitive Analysis (Brief)
Preliminary Competitive Analysis (Brief)
Preliminary Competitive Analysis (Brief)
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Wordrive
Dictozo
Rememberry
Readlang
Main Purpose: What each extension’s intention is
Mission
• Used as a reference, storage and tracking tool
• Not intended for flashcards or note memorization
• No displayed word definitions, but links to reference materials and site sources of word
• Designed for simplicity
• Save definitions and translations of English words
• Creation of flashcards (on external site) as a study tool
• Used specifically as a definition and translation study tool
• Creates flashcards (within extension) that give Answer for translation, Synonyms, Antonyms, Definition (English), and Example
• Direct translation service
• Generates flashcards (on external site) from anything highlighted
Audience
Readers primarily, foreign language learners
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners that learn by reading
Marketability
None, free with no ‘premium’ privileges
Free: $0
Standard: $5/month
• Saves custom definitions for any word
None
Free
Premium: $5/month
• Unlimited phrase translations
• Book specificity?
Standout Features
• Definition and translation toggle bar
• Ability to select more than one definition for a word
• Highlights saved words on webpages
• Gives variety of information on the word
• Can create decks
• Can cut and paste words between decks
• Takes into account grammar and syntax as highlighting
• No excess clicking, get direct translation as reading
Standout Flaws
• Saves every single selected item
Specific Comparison Features: Seeing as Wordrive prioritizes simplicity and storage, naturally, there are functions from other extensions that have been chosen to be left out (i.e. flashcard generation). This section analyzes only shared features that Wordrive is targeting for implementation.
Saving Words
• Select word, right click, ‘Add to Wordrive’
• Select word, open Dictozo extension, select definitions, save
• Select word, click icon under word, select translations, upper left corner save drive button
• Any selected word
Word Display
• Vertically stacked with dropdowns
• Click three dots, saved words, vertically numbered with definitions given (no condensation)
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension)
• Menu, Review Flashcards
Word Deletion
• Select word(s) and delete
• Offers Delete All and Undo
• Select box, Delete Selected or Delete All at bottom of Word Display
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Select box to delete
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Delete (gives Undo option immediately after)
- Also includes Deleted page
Reference Materials
• Users will be given a preset of known online references, but can choose in settings which to use and can also potentially add their own
None
None
None
Source Link
• Can either be from source or none
None
None
• Gives source link within Word List
• Click on the word, and can get the context
Export
• Thinking of exporting but instead of only links, also include QR codes for potential printing
• Exports as CSV
• Includes word, type, and definition
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Actions, Export
• Exports as JSON or CSV
• Includes word and translation
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Export
• Can choose what features to export and what not to
• Exports as a .txt file
Wordrive
Dictozo
Rememberry
Readlang
Main Purpose: What each extension’s intention is
Mission
• Used as a reference, storage and tracking tool
• Not intended for flashcards or note memorization
• No displayed word definitions, but links to reference materials and site sources of word
• Designed for simplicity
• Save definitions and translations of English words
• Creation of flashcards (on external site) as a study tool
• Used specifically as a definition and translation study tool
• Creates flashcards (within extension) that give Answer for translation, Synonyms, Antonyms, Definition (English), and Example
• Direct translation service
• Generates flashcards (on external site) from anything highlighted
Audience
Readers primarily, foreign language learners
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners that learn by reading
Marketability
None, free with no ‘premium’ privileges
Free: $0
Standard: $5/month
• Saves custom definitions for any word
None
Free
Premium: $5/month
• Unlimited phrase translations
• Book specificity?
Standout Features
• Definition and translation toggle bar
• Ability to select more than one definition for a word
• Highlights saved words on webpages
• Gives variety of information on the word
• Can create decks
• Can cut and paste words between decks
• Takes into account grammar and syntax as highlighting
• No excess clicking, get direct translation as reading
Standout Flaws
• Saves every single selected item
Specific Comparison Features: Seeing as Wordrive prioritizes simplicity and storage, naturally, there are functions from other extensions that have been chosen to be left out (i.e. flashcard generation). This section analyzes only shared features that Wordrive is targeting for implementation.
Saving Words
• Select word, right click, ‘Add to Wordrive’
• Select word, open Dictozo extension, select definitions, save
• Select word, click icon under word, select translations, upper left corner save drive button
• Any selected word
Word Display
• Vertically stacked with dropdowns
• Click three dots, saved words, vertically numbered with definitions given (no condensation)
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension)
• Menu, Review Flashcards
Word Deletion
• Select word(s) and delete
• Offers Delete All and Undo
• Select box, Delete Selected or Delete All at bottom of Word Display
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Select box to delete
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Delete (gives Undo option immediately after)
- Also includes Deleted page
Reference Materials
• Users will be given a preset of known online references, but can choose in settings which to use and can also potentially add their own
None
None
None
Source Link
• Can either be from source or none
None
None
• Gives source link within Word List
• Click on the word, and can get the context
Export
• Thinking of exporting but instead of only links, also include QR codes for potential printing
• Exports as CSV
• Includes word, type, and definition
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Actions, Export
• Exports as JSON or CSV
• Includes word and translation
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Export
• Can choose what features to export and what not to
• Exports as a .txt file
Wordrive
Dictozo
Rememberry
Readlang
Main Purpose: What each extension’s intention is
Mission
• Used as a reference, storage and tracking tool
• Not intended for flashcards or note memorization
• No displayed word definitions, but links to reference materials and site sources of word
• Designed for simplicity
• Save definitions and translations of English words
• Creation of flashcards (on external site) as a study tool
• Used specifically as a definition and translation study tool
• Creates flashcards (within extension) that give Answer for translation, Synonyms, Antonyms, Definition (English), and Example
• Direct translation service
• Generates flashcards (on external site) from anything highlighted
Audience
Readers primarily, foreign language learners
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners, readers
Foreign language learners that learn by reading
Marketability
None, free with no ‘premium’ privileges
Free: $0
Standard: $5/month
• Saves custom definitions for any word
None
Free
Premium: $5/month
• Unlimited phrase translations
• Book specificity?
Standout Features
• Definition and translation toggle bar
• Ability to select more than one definition for a word
• Highlights saved words on webpages
• Gives variety of information on the word
• Can create decks
• Can cut and paste words between decks
• Takes into account grammar and syntax as highlighting
• No excess clicking, get direct translation as reading
Standout Flaws
• Saves every single selected item
Specific Comparison Features: Seeing as Wordrive prioritizes simplicity and storage, naturally, there are functions from other extensions that have been chosen to be left out (i.e. flashcard generation). This section analyzes only shared features that Wordrive is targeting for implementation.
Saving Words
• Select word, right click, ‘Add to Wordrive’
• Select word, open Dictozo extension, select definitions, save
• Select word, click icon under word, select translations, upper left corner save drive button
• Any selected word
Word Display
• Vertically stacked with dropdowns
• Click three dots, saved words, vertically numbered with definitions given (no condensation)
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension)
• Menu, Review Flashcards
Word Deletion
• Select word(s) and delete
• Offers Delete All and Undo
• Select box, Delete Selected or Delete All at bottom of Word Display
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Select box to delete
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Delete (gives Undo option immediately after)
- Also includes Deleted page
Reference Materials
• Users will be given a preset of known online references, but can choose in settings which to use and can also potentially add their own
None
None
None
Source Link
• Can either be from source or none
None
None
• Gives source link within Word List
• Click on the word, and can get the context
Export
• Thinking of exporting but instead of only links, also include QR codes for potential printing
• Exports as CSV
• Includes word, type, and definition
• Dropdown, Settings, Flashcard icon (takes you external of extension), Actions, Export
• Exports as JSON or CSV
• Includes word and translation
• Menu, Review Flashcards, Word List, Select, Actions, Export
• Can choose what features to export and what not to
• Exports as a .txt file
Sketches
Sketches
Sketches
scroll→
Iterations
Iterations
Iterations
Set 1
Set 1
Set 1
scroll→
Set 2
Set 2
Set 2
scroll→
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
Prototype To-Size
Prototype To-Size
Prototype To-Size
Run-Through
Run-Through
Run-Through
Annotated Features
Annotated Features
Search Bar
for increasing volumes of words
Numbered
Language Switch
able to save words of multiple languages, as well as an All option that combines all saved words regardless of language
Settings
enable users to determine which of the preset dictionaries they want their words to be referenced from, etc.
Add references
(if URL is valid)
Delete references
Add sources
(if URL is valid)
Add notes
notes automatically deleted if blank
Delete sources
All Tab
Starred Tab
Recent Tab
for the last 7 words added
Sorting
can sort words alphabetically forwards or backwards, and chronologically from newest or from oldest
Select one
or more words
Deselect all words
Select all words
Custom exports
Undo deletion
Delete words
Star words
Unstar words
Search Bar
for increasing volumes of words
Numbered
Language Switch
able to save words of multiple languages, as well as an All option that combines all saved words regardless of language
Settings
enable users to determine which of the preset dictionaries they want their words to be referenced from, etc.
Add references
(if URL is valid)
Delete references
Add sources
(if URL is valid)
Add notes
notes automatically deleted if blank
Delete sources
All Tab
Starred Tab
Recent Tab
for the last 7 words added
Sorting
can sort words alphabetically forwards or backwards, and chronologically from newest or from oldest
Select one
or more words
Deselect all words
Select all words
Custom exports
Undo deletion
Delete words
Star words
Unstar words
Search Bar
for increasing volumes of words
Numbered
Language Switch
able to save words of multiple languages, as well as an All option that combines all saved words regardless of language
Settings
enable users to determine which of the preset dictionaries they want their words to be referenced from, etc.
Add references
(if URL is valid)
Delete references
Add sources
(if URL is valid)
Add notes
notes automatically deleted if blank
Delete sources
All Tab
Starred Tab
Recent Tab
for the last 7 words added
Sorting
can sort words alphabetically forwards or backwards, and chronologically from newest or from oldest
Select one
or more words
Deselect all words
Select all words
Custom exports
Undo deletion
Delete words
Star words
Unstar words
Search Bar
for increasing volumes of words
Numbered
Language Switch
able to save words of multiple languages, as well as an All option that combines all saved words regardless of language
Settings
enable users to determine which of the preset dictionaries they want their words to be referenced from, etc.
Add references
(if URL is valid)
Delete references
Add sources
(if URL is valid)
Add notes
notes automatically deleted if blank
Delete sources
All Tab
Starred Tab
Recent Tab
for the last 7 words added
Sorting
can sort words alphabetically forwards or backwards, and chronologically from newest or from oldest
Select one
or more words
Deselect all words
Select all words
Custom exports
Undo deletion
Delete words
Star words
Unstar words
