Online education
for schoolchildren
Context
Period
2019 – 2022, Full timePlatform
Web applicationRole
Senior Product DesignerIndustry
EdTech, B2G, B2CYandex.Schoolbook is an online service offering over 45,000 assignments in math and the Russian language for grades 1-5. The platform helps teachers save time on routine tasks by automatically selecting and grading assignments. It also allows teachers to monitor each student's progress through built-in analytics and to create individualized educational paths based on the gathered data.
Business Goal
When I joined the team, the product was already established, had undergone testing, and the team was aiming high. Our ambitious goal was to triple the number of active users while retaining our existing user base.
My Role
I spent three years at Yandex, and during that time my responsibilities shifted twice. For the first year and a half, I focused on the student interface. The latter part of my tenure was dedicated to the teacher interface, cross-product integration, and overarching system design. Throughout my time there, my work involved extensive research and collaboration with the R&D team, illustrators, and developers.
Student account
The student account acts as an online learning environment for basic school subjects. Teachers assign tasks, which the system then automatically grades and provides analytics for the teacher to review.
When I first joined the team, the student interface was noticeably outdated. Everything from the user interface quality to navigation and user interactions needed a thorough redesign.
I got to work
I gathered feedback and conducted interviews with team members, teachers, and students to better understand our product's strengths and weaknesses.
After spending a few weeks researching and observing students use our platform for many hours, I identified some key insights. These led to a plan for updating and improving the student account section on the platform.
A new interesting
tidbits from research
For instance, using a "fire" icon to say "urgent deadline" just makes kids think it's a "fire assignment." They don't get the metaphor.
My tests showed that 9 out of 10 kids aim the mouse at the arrow next to a link, not the link itself. It appears that they're not familiar with this common design pattern. Additionally, their fine motor skills are still developing, making this seemingly simple task surprisingly challenging for them.
Results
In my first year, I completely overhauled the student interface. We developed a design system that was integrated not just in Figma but also documented in a storybook. We created content guides, making the UI more predictable and user-friendly for kids.
We also rolled out versions for tablets and mobile phones. Special focus was given to animations, micro-interactions, and typography. I collaborated closely with content designers and illustrators to create a guide.
However, the bulk of our time was invested in developing mission scenarios, tutorial mechanics, validation systems, and hints. While I spearheaded these efforts, it's important to mention that I wasn't working alone. I had a team member who, under my mentorship, contributed significantly to the design and logic behind these mechanics.
After witnessing the impact of the redesign on the student interface, the positive feedback we garnered was heartening. Research outcomes were clear: students found the revamped platform more engaging, there was a noticeable uptick in active participation, and our product became an indispensable tool for students who previously struggled. This was a testament to our combined efforts.
A special shoutout goes to our illustrators and content designers. By adhering to my guidelines, they managed to craft captivating tasks, underlining the fact that in EdTech, while the interface is pivotal, content reigns supreme. If it captivates and engages, children are naturally drawn to learning.
Teacher's Account
After a successful year dedicated to enhancing the student experience, our management team turned its focus towards the teacher's interface, entrusting me with the responsibility. A series of challenges awaited: from retention mechanics, primary usage scenarios, to a much-needed interface revamp.
I won't delve deep into the intricacies of the redesign, but I'll outline my key contributions:
Spearheading major initiatives, notably the "Olympiad."
Overhauling the registration mechanism to boost conversion rates.
Introducing new mechanics to enhance repeat lesson issuance rates.
Curating a design system in tandem with Storybook.
Streamlining the content search within our library.
Pioneering the redesign of lesson collection processes, coupled with granular lesson statistics.
Conclusions
Over the course of three years, I was able to establish a robust design system for our product. This not only streamlined the design process but also empowered developers to swiftly and efficiently roll out new features to production.
In my role as the lead designer, I successfully spearheaded two significant special projects: the “Online Olympiad” in both 2021 and 2022. These projects saw the participation of over 1M children, serving as a catalyst for our business to attract a fresh influx of users to the platform.
Another personal triumph was the noticeable enhancement of two key metrics: “Registration” and “Repeat Lesson Issuance” by teachers. In collaboration with the product manager and analytics team, we designed solutions that were both elegant and cost-effective.
I'm immensely grateful to this wonderful team of brilliant individuals. Together, we worked towards making the world a better place. After all, education is paramount.
Thanks.
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