Audora
AI speech coaching for ESL speakers
ROLE
Product Design
Brand Design
TIMELINE
6 months
(Dec 2025 - May 2026)
TEAM
1 Project Manager
5 Developers
1 Product Designer (thats me!)
SKILLS
0 →1 Product Design
User research
Rapid Prototyping using AI
ROLE
Product Design
Brand Design
TEAM
1 Project Manager
5 Developers
1 Product Designer (thats me!)
TIMELINE
6 months
(Dec 2025 - May 2026)
SKILLS
0 →1 Product Design
User research
Rapid Prototyping using AI
CONTEXT
What is Audora?
Audora is a platform for ESL learners looking to upgrade their career & communication skillset
I was in-charge of revamping all of Audora’s user-experience & brand-identity to better reflect the needs of english language speakers wanting to improve their communication and confidence.
Audora is a platform for ESL learners looking to upgrade their career & communication skillset
I was in-charge of revamping all of Audora’s user-experience & brand-identity to better reflect the needs of english language speakers wanting to improve their communication and confidence
Audora is a platform for ESL learners looking to upgrade their career & communication skillset
I was in-charge of revamping all of Audora’s user-experience & brand-identity to better reflect the needs of english language speakers wanting to improve their communication and confidence
Problem:
ESL professionals looking to land new opportunities often practice alone with tools that feel like homework
How might we provide ESL speakers with actionable feedback on real conversations, instead of generic advice practiced in isolation?
How might we provide ESL speakers with actionable feedback on real conversations, instead of generic advice practiced in isolation?
The Outcome:
AI communication platform that makes practice social and gamified
🏆 1st place for Best Design
Judged by a panel of senior designers, VC's & senior engineers
SOLUTION PREVIEW
Audora spots your speaking patterns and shows you what to fix
Audora spots your speaking patterns and shows you what to fix
Audora let's you practice with real people in your network
Audora let's you practice with real people in your network
RESEARCH
Let's step back a bit…what was the reason for Audora?
Let's step back a bit…what was the reason for Audora?
Before designing anything, I went through existing speech-coaching platforms in the market, looking for a gap in current tools. I found that every leading platform for speech-coaching relies on users in front of a screen, isolated. Never with real people.
Before designing anything, I went through existing speech-coaching platforms in the market, looking for a gap in current tools. I found that every leading platform for speech-coaching relies on users in front of a screen, isolated. Never with real people.
At this point, I found the missing piece in all these platforms: none of these tools are built for real conversations. The next step was validating whether that gap promised a real opportunity in the existing ESL market.
At this point, I found the missing piece in all these platforms: none of these tools are built for real conversations. The next step was validating whether that gap promised a real opportunity in the existing ESL market.
Is there a market for it?
Is there a market for it?
Yes & it's growing fast. Demand for real-world speaking practice among ESL speakers is steadily projected to grow in Canada.
Yes & it's growing fast. Demand for real-world speaking practice among ESL speakers is steadily projected to grow in Canada.
1 in 4
1 in 4
Canadian workers speak English as a second language.
Canadian workers speak English as a second language.
$586B
$586B
Projected growth size of the language learning market by 2035
Projected growth size of the language learning market by 2035
0 Tools
0 Tools
built for ESL speakers to practice with real people face-to-face
built for ESL speakers to practice with real people face-to-face
With demand only projected to grow, we decided to take Audora further
With demand only projected to grow, we decided to take Audora further
Did other ESL learners face this problem?
I interviewed 9 ESL speakers to move from a validated problem to a clear direction. We knew face-to-face conversation practice was missing. What I needed to understand was what that experience should look like, and what other pain points did people have with current tools for speech-coaching.
I interviewed 9 ESL speakers to move from a validated problem to a clear direction. We knew face-to-face conversation practice was missing. What I needed to understand was what that experience should look like, and what other pain points did people have with current tools for speech-coaching.
User insights gathered from 9 ESL participants
01
Practice from ESL tools never applied in real interviews
(8/9 participants)
02
Had tried newcomer centres but found them slow and expensive
(6/9 participants)
03
Lacked motivation to improve communication skills
(9/9 participants)
FEATURE DEFINITION + LOW-FIDELITY
Translating user insights into low-fidelity features
Translating user insights into low-fidelity features
Chat summary + Transcript
Metrics & action items give user's direct points to improve communication
Metrics & action items give user's direct points to improve communication
Network to connect with friends
Add people from network & practice conversations together
Add people from network & practice conversations together
Gamify communication learning
Streaks + small wins that make the learning journey feel more enjoyable and consistent
Streaks + small wins that make the learning journey feel more enjoyable and consistent
AI-powered chat interface
A user's personal coach that tracks patterns & gives feedback across conversations over time
A coach that tracks patterns across your conversations over time.
A coach that tracks patterns across your conversations over time.
ss conversations rather than grading each one in isolation.
A user's personal coach that tracks patterns & gives feedback across conversations over time
A coach that tracks patterns across your conversations over time.
A coach that tracks patterns across your conversations over time.
ss conversations rather than grading each one in isolation.
DESIGN ITERATIONS
I created initial wireframes and ran usability testing with ESL users
I created initial wireframes and ran usability testing with ESL users
Before
❌ Users spent unneccesary time navigating between main dashboard & invitations below
❌ Users spent unneccesary time navigating between main dashboard & invitations below
After
✅ Users can now easily scan between network invitations & their main dashboard
✅ Users can now easily scan between network invitations & their main dashboard
Before
❌ Audora's games felt isolating & users weren't inclined to navigate the page
❌ Audora's games felt isolating & users weren't inclined to navigate the page
After
✅ Network streaks were added for more motivation to engage with Audora's games
✅ Network streaks were added for more motivation to engage with Audora's games
FINAL DESIGNS
Chat Summary + Transcript
Chat Summary + Transcript
Understand where mistakes happen in the conversation and when it can be improved
Understand where mistakes happen in the conversation and when it can be improved
Practice speaking with your friends
Practice speaking with your friends
Add people from a user's network to start conversating with them in real-time
Add people from a user's network to start conversating with them in real-time
Make learning more fun and social
Make learning more fun and social
Make communication practice more motivating & consistent with users
Make communication practice more motivating & consistent with users
AI-powered Chat Interface
AI-powered Chat Interface
Link previous chats & track learning progress over time
Link previous chats & track learning progress over time
🏆
Voted Best in Design
Voted Best in Design
Our team was voted first place out of seven teams after we presented
Our team was voted first place out of seven teams when we presented Audora
Our team was voted first place out of seven teams when we presented Audora
JUDGES FROM
FINAL TAKEAWAYS
Scope ambitious feature early
Our games concept stayed a concept because we prioritized it too late. On my next design project, I understand the time it takes to build complex features and how it should be tackled first
Our games concept stayed a concept because we prioritized it too late. On my next design project, I understand the time it takes to build complex features and how it should be tackled first
Leading design alongside engineers
Audora was one of my favourite projects to work on! I got to build alongside a team who each brought something different, and seeing my designs come to life with code taught me even more on how to design with technical constraints in mind
Audora was one of my favourite projects to work on! I got to build alongside a team who each brought something different, and seeing my designs come to life with code taught me even more on how to design with technical constraints in mind
AI is an assistant, not a boss
It speeds up exploration but it does not replace judgment and craft. Knowing when to lean on it and when to use my best judgement has been my biggest learned lesson when helping build Audora
It speeds up exploration but it does not replace judgment and craft. Knowing when to lean on it and when to use my best judgement has been my biggest learned lesson when helping build Audora