App Development
about project
Name | HSK Reader |
URL | |
Type | AI-assisted language learning web app |
Role | Product Designer, Learning Experience Designer, Builder |
Focus | MVP strategy, learner experience, AI-assisted product development |
Audience | Chinese learners reading real-world content at their Chinese level (used HSK levels as benchmarks) |
Stage | Concept to MVP |
Product Thinking
Learner problem
Chinese language learners want to read content that's relevant to them. Traditional Chinese reading practice can be pedantic at beginner levels and simply translating an English article yields Chinese that is too difficult, dense, or not level-appropriate.
MVP strategy
I focused on solving one core job-to-be-done first: helping learners turn articles they normally read in English into readable, level-adjusted Chinese reading practice.
Design priorities
The product needed to be simple, calm, and useful - reducing friction while supporting comprehension and repeated use.
Build Approach
I built HSK Reader in Lovable, using an AI-assisted workflow to move quickly from concept to MVP while iterating on product logic, user flows, and feature behaviour. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, I used it as a build collaborator — accelerating debugging and iteration while I focused on product logic, learner needs, and the overall reading experience.
A large part of the build process centered on QA and level-specific usability. Since beginner learners have limited vocabulary and a lower tolerance for difficult content, I spent significant time testing and refining the experience for HSK 1 and HSK 2 to ensure translations were level-appropriate, comprehensible, and actually supportive and useful for learning.
Strategic Takeaway
This project reflects how I approach product development through a learning lens: start with a real user problem, build lean, and iterate toward usefulness.