My Role
UX Designer | UX Writer | UX Researcher
Team
CEO | Web Development | Marketing | UX
Timeline
Apr 2021 - Nov 2021
Background
An ed-tech startup enhancing remote learning through research competitions
As online learning became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic, misleading and false information became a greater challenge for students. Bridgit.io, an education tech startup, wanted to tackle this issue through an online platform that can host competitive research challenges. That platform is called Bridger. In these challenges, students are given the tools to research and connect—or bridge—different pieces of online media about current events. This allows students to contextualize and fact-check pieces of online content, creating a web of connections between reliable information.
The Challenge
Users become confused before they can finish signing up
Bridgit.io wants to encourage users to sign up and participate in its bridging challenges. However, bridging is an entirely new concept, and first-time users were struggling to understand how the process works before they could complete the sign-up process.
First Impressions Count. Having first-time student users deal with this kind of mental entry barrier could have a major impact on the success of the project:
Users might drop off before they can even finish signing up.
Others that go on to use the platform while still struggling to understand the process, are likely to deal with more friction in the user flow.
The Solution
Lower the entry barrier through the use of infographics and video
Through usability testing, our team arrived at multiple design changes to make Bridger’s landing page and onboarding process more accessible to first-time users. This included incorporating more visual elements to the landing page, such as infographics and an introductory video.
My Contributions
Writing, testing, & ideating
I joined the Bridger intern team shortly before the start of usability testing on the first parts of the onboarding process. Through a series of design sprints, which included designers, developers, and our CEO, I collaborated with other team members on solving issues with the onboarding process. During the first phase of this internship, I focused on editing written components for clarity, tone, and comprehension. I also contributed to UI improvements.
I participated in usability testing by co-leading interviews with other designers, as well as conducting testing sessions on my own. Our team then discussed the findings, ideated solutions, and split up into smaller teams to elaborate those solutions further.
Towards the end of my internship, I was part of a two-person team focused on using video to improve the user flow. This led to the adoption of an introductory video as a prominent part of the landing page.
Our Approach
Discovery → framing → iterating
Our approach to identifying and solving this design challenge started with discovery, which was achieved through usability testing. Afterwards, our team discussed the findings, framing them as specific design problems and potential solutions. Finally, we iterated solutions, which underwent additional testing before being incorporated into the latest version of the design.
The Process
User Testing
We ran moderated user tests via Zoom using a test group that represented new users. Our testing script combined open-ended user exploration and direct tasks, such as completing the sign-up process. Our goals included measuring the usability of the onboarding flow for new users and catching any major pain points.
Takeaways
From the beginning, users had difficulty understanding the concept of “bridging” before moving on to completing the next steps of the sign-up process. This interrupted the user flow and kept them wandering back and forth between the landing page and other parts of the site, trying to piece things together. It was clear our test users wanted for things to “click” in their minds before they could move on, but they struggled to reach this step with the information that was provided.
The Outcome
Since our target users—middle to high school students—are generally more inclined to visual learning, we hypothesized that we could cut down on friction with a more effective use of visuals.
Design Improvements. The new design will include a brief introductory video at the top of the landing page. The page will also use additional infographic sections instead of lists to guide new users through the process of bridging.
Next Steps. These modifications were added to the latest version of the design and will undergo additional rounds of user testing once production of the video is complete. If our approach was correct, these changes will help users spend less time jumping between lines of text as they complete the onboarding process.
Final Reflection
Some important lessons I took away from this experience
1. Running Efficient Meetings. Each week, our teams had limited time to come together virtually and move the design process forward. As a new team member, one of the first things I noted was the way that team leaders stayed ahead of our time deficit by running efficient meetings at the start of each work session. I observed how our meetings were structured to include an agenda and clear action items for the day. I also took note of how the meetings were facilitated, which prevented the discussion from getting stuck in one place. Likewise, I observed the value of good task delegation during meetings, as smaller break-out groups were assigned to continue tackling smaller unsolved issues outside of the main agenda.
2. Team Collaboration. During my time as a UX team member, I learned about the immense value of collaboration within and across different teams. Setting the right goals, making corrections, and meeting hand-off deadlines meant that the UX team could not afford to work within a bubble. There had to be regular cross-communication during work sessions with other stakeholders, such as developers and our CEO. For some multi-faceted projects, it may even feel like you’re spending more time communicating and working with people from outside the UX team. In this case, when I became part of a two-person team focusing on the new video for the landing page, many of our design questions hinged on issues outside the scope of UX. Hence, for a few weeks, our primary collaborators became our CEO and Project Coordinator.
3. Working Relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience contributing to Bridger.live, and a big part of that has to do with the people that were part of my team. Some of the very first things that made an impression on me were the friendliness and support I received from the designers that conducted my initial interview and onboarding process. As a newcomer, I felt empowered by their willingness to walk me through different processes and ask for clarification whenever I needed it. This allowed me to feel very much at ease with jumping into the work and openly sharing my ideas. As time went on and I got the chance to work with new people, I tried my best to bring that same spirit of friendliness and support into each relationship. As I’ve come to learn from this and other experiences working with others, small acts that build comfort and support among team members are like the grease that allows the intricate gears of a large organization to run smoothly.