Freddie Sukprasong

Design

Illustration

About

Freddie Sukprasong

Role:

Product designer

Co-designer:

Kai Wanschura

Responsibilities:

  • Strategic design

  • User research

  • Interface and experience design

Synopsis:

Optimising content discovery experience cannot overlook the issues in the content structure. By addressing these challenges, we aimed to enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

Content discovery design for Europe's largest learning platform StudySmarter

Content discovery design for Europe's largest learning platform StudySmarter

Design for content discovery for Europe's largest learning platform at StudySmarter

Product overview


StudySmarter provides intelligent tools for learning material creation including flashcards and notes. The platform is trusted by 22+ million learners worldwide.

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Problem space


StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

Impact


We found that the solutions to improve personalisation and content navigation promoted more engaging learning journeys that served the needs of more various user groups. The implementation led to higher user satisfaction and retention. The dynamic content structure (not implemented) could increase Studysmarter's market reach, supporting the platform’s growth sustainably.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

  1. User journeys & intentions map

We started the project by creating a foundation of content discovery journeys of the users, believing that doing so would provide a holistic view on different types of needs and intents. We filtered through existing body of knowledge at the company and extracted the parts where the users mentioned how they searched for or discovered content of their wish.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

Nothing specific

User may have some ideas of what could be interesting for them, but they are either not actively looking or are open to discover something new. Their focal space becomes smaller as they see more content.


Specific school or university

User is looking for study materials from specific institute, either their own schools or others'. An example is when a user would like to see what other students from the same state are studying.


Specific subject or field of study

User's intention is to find some materials for specific subject. This intent is common for students looking for additional materials to prepare for an exam or as a source for writing academic paper.


Specific topic

User with this intent possess certain level of knowledge on the topic, therefore they have a clear idea of what they are looking for. This intent is common for a quick exam preparation.


Specific question

User is looking for an answer to specific question. They need a quick and easy path to reach to achieve this goal. An example of a journey is when a school student needs an answer for their homework or mock exams.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

  1. Problem identification

Challenge 1: Content structure is not optimal for content discovery with looser intent

Comparing the user journeys with the content structure, we found that the we assumed that the users knew how the topics were organised.


In other words, it required that the user knew that, for example, Independent Clause is a under the topic of English Grammar. This structure of navigation was not optimal for the users whose topics are structured differently at their school or university.

(Diagram) Users who starts their journey with Lexis and Semantics cannot reach Dependent Clause unless they knew exactly where it locates.

  1. Problem identification

Challenge 1: Content structure is not optimal for content discovery with looser intent

Comparing the user journeys with the content structure, we found that the we assumed that the users knew how the topics were organised.


In other words, it required that the user knew that, for example, Independent Clause is a under the topic of English Grammar. This structure of navigation was not optimal for the users whose topics are structured differently at their school or university.

(Diagram) Users who starts their journey with Lexis and Semantics cannot reach Dependent Clause unless they knew exactly where it locates.

(Diagram) Users who starts their journey with Lexis and Semantics cannot reach Dependent Clause unless they knew exactly where it locates.

(Diagram) Users who starts their journey with Lexis and Semantics cannot reach Dependent Clause unless they knew exactly where it locates.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

Challenge 2: Current search capability isn't optimised for users to type keywords of any intent level

Through mapping the intents based on quantitative and qualitative insights, we found that users of different intents typed different keywords in the search bar.


For example, students who are looking for study materials for a specific field of study would normally start by typing a name of the field. The search capability, therefore, needed to be able to recognise these keywords that are not topic names, which was the main mechanism of the current search functionality.

  1. Solutioning

Solution 1: Browsing feature

An intuitive browsing experience should give users the ability to smoothly navigate through the layers of content while also allowing them to jump directly to specific topics when they need to. With a strong emphasis on navigation, we aimed to communicate clearly to the users where they are in the structure of content. Our approach was to balance the rigid content hierarchy and the flexibility to quickly access specific topics, ensuring that users can efficiently explore the platform's offerings.


By facilitating easy navigation through content layers, users can dive deeper into subjects and access related materials. Simultaneously, the option to jump directly to specific topics enables users to quickly find and study specific topics they require. The browsing feature overall is to empower the users to tailor their learning journey while providing them with a pathway that fit their intents.

  1. Solutioning

Solution 1: Browsing feature

An intuitive browsing experience should give users the ability to smoothly navigate through the layers of content while also allowing them to jump directly to specific topics when they need to. With a strong emphasis on navigation, we aimed to communicate clearly to the users where they are in the structure of content. Our approach was to balance the rigid content hierarchy and the flexibility to quickly access specific topics, ensuring that users can efficiently explore the platform's offerings.


By facilitating easy navigation through content layers, users can dive deeper into subjects and access related materials. Simultaneously, the option to jump directly to specific topics enables users to quickly find and study specific topics they require. The browsing feature overall is to empower the users to tailor their learning journey while providing them with a pathway that fit their intents.

Solution 2: More fuzzy, yet specific search capabilities

Searching for specific subjects enables the search system to recognise subject names and allowing users to browse content in that specific subject.

Solution 2: More fuzzy, yet specific search capabilities

Search history allows users to see their previous searches so they can to revisit or refine their recurring study topics.

Solution 2: More fuzzy, yet specific search capabilities

Content suggestions in the drop-down offers users relevant options based on their profiles and the trending topics among users of the same levels.

Solution 2: More fuzzy, yet specific search capabilities

Dynamic, fuzzy search in the drop-down offers users relevant options based on the keywords they type.

Solution 2: More fuzzy, yet specific search capabilities

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

StudySmarter aims to enhance its content discovery experience to provide users with a personalised and engaging learning journey. However, the current content discovery mechanisms lack efficiency and effective content organisation, resulting in low user retention and frustrating learning experiences.

  1. Validation

Usability test

To mitigate usability risks (despite the limit of design prototype test on content finding), we conducted our primary tests of the two solutions. The results of both convinced us that the users understood the logic of the flows and would be able to use the solution in live environment.


Testing in live environment

We moved on to develop the solutions and observe the following activities:

  1. Content impressions

  2. Opening rate of study materials

  3. Time spent on studying

I am more than a sum of pixels.

I love facilitating collaboration, understanding different points of view and taming chaos.


When not in front of the screen, you can see me roam around museums, forests, or ceramic studios. I'm also often found concocting culinary creations in the kitchen.


Recently, I've been exploring alternative design approaches. Need book recommendations or just fancy a chat about sustainability? Hit me up anytime!

Email / LinkedIn / Read.cv

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