Memorise

Overview

Ai assisted mnemonic generation iOS app for students

Responsibilities

UX Researcher

Full Stack Developer

Designer


UX Researcher

Full Stack Developer

Designer


Context

January 2024 - April 2024


Bsc Computer Science Final Year Project


Supervised by Pieter Joubert

Tools Used

Open AI

Figma

Canva

Python

Flutter

Visual Studio Code

Firebase

Git

Gitlab

Design Brief

As a degree apprentice student working for PwC, for my final year project we had to ensure our project aligned with a business need.

As a degree apprentice student working for PwC, for my final year project we had to ensure our project aligned with a business need.

Problem Statement

PwC employees often face the challenge of completing demanding professional qualifications, such as the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant). Many professionals struggle with memorising large volumes of information, which can lead to burnout and inefficiency. This highlighted the need for an innovative solution to help them efficiently retain complex content, as traditional memorisation methods often proved inadequate and required more modern, personalised techniques.

Methodology

As the project was to be submitted as an academic dissertation, I decided to blend human-centred design practices with Agile methodology for development, supported by a well-researched proposal as the foundation for my overall methodology.

As the project was to be submitted as an academic dissertation, I decided to blend human-centred design practices with Agile methodology for development, supported by a well-researched proposal as the foundation for my overall methodology.

(1). Research

Academic Research - Key Findings

To ensure the integrity of my project and to learn from the leading experts in memory, I conducted an extensive literature review into memory, Artificial Intelligence and existing memorisation solutions for revision.


Insights


Dual encoding of a memory using both visual and written is more effective

Personalising memorisation content to the user can lead to more optimal learning

Nothing in the market which provided Auto generated mnemonics for revision

User Resarch

To learn more about taking professional qualifications whilst also working a full time, I opted to conduct semi-organised interviews with PwC employees to learn about their pain points.


Insights


Memorisation of content was a significant challenge

Wanted a revision tool that was quick to use and required little effort to learn

Users wanted accurate specific content tailored to their qualifications syllabus

(2). Design

Persona Creation

To encapsulate my user research I decided to create a persona in order to be able to refer back to when creating my User Stories and system requirements

Wireframing

Using Figma, I started with low-fidelity wireframes to ensure a solid user experience (UX) for the application. From there, I created high-fidelity wireframes to explore layout options. The design emphasises simplicity and ease of use, featuring a soft colour scheme—light beige backgrounds with dark grey accents—to minimise cognitive overload.

Using Figma, I started with low-fidelity wireframes to ensure a solid user experience (UX) for the application. From there, I created high-fidelity wireframes to explore layout options. The design emphasises simplicity and ease of use, featuring a soft colour scheme—light beige backgrounds with dark grey accents—to minimise cognitive overload.

(3). Implementation

Technology Stack

The front end was developed using Flutter, while Firebase Firestore was used as the backend database for storing user data. OpenAI was integrated for generating mnemonics, and GitLab was used for continuous integration.

AI Powered Mnemonics

The app used the OpenAI API to generate personalised mnemonics based on user input, processed through a cloud function to ensure consistent results.

Iteration

By creating MVPs and gathering feedback from stakeholders and users, I was able to streamline the UX by removing an unnecessary step in the mnemonic generation process. Users reported that this optimisation made the process feel faster and more intuitive, making it easier to create mnemonics with minimal effort.

Authentication

Profile Creation - Add User Intrests

Mnemonic Generation

AI Generated Mnemonics

Accessing Created Mnemonics

Personalising Content to Syllabus

(4). User Testing

User Study

I conducted a user study with 15 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of my application compared to two leading competitors, Anki and Quizlet. The study assessed how well each application helped users memorise sections of the ACA qualification.


Participants completed an immediate recall test, followed by a second test one week later. Students using Memorise scored 25% higher than those using Quizlet, which ranked second, in the immediate recall test and 35% higher in the test one week later.

System Usability

Using the System Usability Scale, I got the participants of the user study to analyse the applications usability. Memorise scored 87.03 putting it into the excellent category.

Reflections and Acknowledgments

Initially, I developed a different solution for this project: a memory palace creator environment built in Unity. However, after consulting with stakeholders, I decided to pivot and realign my solution with the needs of my target audience. This was a crucial lesson in understanding the importance of designing for users. Following the pivot, I had a much shorter development timeline to learn mobile development and build a functioning application. As a result, I worked long hours every day up to the deadline to complete the project. Though demanding, it was an incredibly rewarding experience.


I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Pieter Joubert, for his support and guidance throughout this project. He was always available to discuss my work and provide valuable advice.

Memorise

Overview

Ai assisted mnemonic generation iOS app for students

Responsibilities

UX Researcher

Full Stack Developer

Designer


Context

January 2024 - April 2024


Bsc Computer Science Final Year Project


Supervised by Pieter Joubert

Tools Used

Open AI

Figma

Canva

Python

Flutter

Visual Studio Code

Firebase

Git

Gitlab

Design Brief

As a degree apprentice student working for PwC, for my final year project we had to ensure our project aligned with a business need.

Problem Statement

PwC employees often face the challenge of completing demanding professional qualifications, such as the ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant). Many professionals struggle with memorising large volumes of information, which can lead to burnout and inefficiency. This highlighted the need for an innovative solution to help them efficiently retain complex content, as traditional memorisation methods often proved inadequate and required more modern, personalised techniques.

Methodology

As the project was to be submitted as an academic dissertation, I decided to blend human-centred design practices with Agile methodology for development, supported by a well-researched proposal as the foundation for my overall methodology.

(1). Research

Academic Research - Key Findings

To ensure the integrity of my project and to learn from the leading experts in memory, I conducted an extensive literature review into memory, Artificial Intelligence and existing memorisation solutions for revision.


Insights


Dual encoding of a memory using both visual and written is more effective

Personalising memorisation content to the user can lead to more optimal learning

Nothing in the market which provided Auto generated mnemonics for revision

User Resarch

To learn more about taking professional qualifications whilst also working a full time, I opted to conduct semi-organised interviews with PwC employees to learn about their pain points.


Insights


Memorisation of content was a significant challenge

Wanted a revision tool that was quick to use and required little effort to learn

Users wanted accurate specific content tailored to their qualifications syllabus

(2). Design

Persona Creation

To encapsulate my user research I decided to create a persona in order to be able to refer back to when creating my User Stories and system requirements

Wireframing

Using Figma, I started with low-fidelity wireframes to ensure a solid user experience (UX) for the application. From there, I created high-fidelity wireframes to explore layout options. The design emphasises simplicity and ease of use, featuring a soft colour scheme—light beige backgrounds with dark grey accents—to minimise cognitive overload.

(3). Implementation

Technology Stack

The front end was developed using Flutter, while Firebase Firestore was used as the backend database for storing user data. OpenAI was integrated for generating mnemonics, and GitLab was used for continuous integration.

AI Powered Mnemonics

The app used the OpenAI API to generate personalised mnemonics based on user input, processed through a cloud function to ensure consistent results.

Iteration

By creating MVPs and gathering feedback from stakeholders and users, I was able to streamline the UX by removing an unnecessary step in the mnemonic generation process. Users reported that this optimisation made the process feel faster and more intuitive, making it easier to create mnemonics with minimal effort.

Authentication

Profile Creation - Add User Intrests

Mnemonic Generation

AI Generated Mnemonics

AI Generated Mnemonics

Personalising Content to Syllabus

(4). User Testing

User Study

I conducted a user study with 15 participants to evaluate the effectiveness of my application compared to two leading competitors, Anki and Quizlet. The study assessed how well each application helped users memorise sections of the ACA qualification.


Participants completed an immediate recall test, followed by a second test one week later. Students using Memorise scored 25% higher than those using Quizlet, which ranked second, in the immediate recall test and 35% higher in the test one week later.

System Usability

Using the System Usability Scale, I got the participants of the user study to analyse the applications usability. Memorise scored 87.03 putting it into the excellent category.

Reflections and Acknowledgments

Initially, I developed a different solution for this project: a memory palace creator environment built in Unity. However, after consulting with stakeholders, I decided to pivot and realign my solution with the needs of my target audience. This was a crucial lesson in understanding the importance of designing for users. Following the pivot, I had a much shorter development timeline to learn mobile development and build a functioning application. As a result, I worked long hours every day up to the deadline to complete the project. Though demanding, it was an incredibly rewarding experience.


I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Pieter Joubert, for his support and guidance throughout this project. He was always available to discuss my work and provide valuable advice.