Study Guides
Launching a new AI product offering for Quizlet
Launching a new AI product offering for Quizlet
Role
Lead product designer
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Timeline
2023-2024
For the biz
For the biz
For the biz
Grow business with a big swing. Quizlet is the industry leader in flashcards, but we needed to sustain our competitive edge by expanding into new study spaces. The opportunity area was in creating and reviewing notes.
Grow business with a big swing. Quizlet is the industry leader in flashcards, but we needed to sustain our competitive edge by expanding into new study spaces. The opportunity area was in creating and reviewing notes.
Grow business with a big swing. Quizlet is the industry leader in flashcards, but we needed to sustain our competitive edge by expanding into new study spaces. The opportunity area was in creating and reviewing notes.
For the user
For the user
For the user
Help the user save time and study more effectively by using AI to create tailored, high-quality study material.
Help the user save time and study more effectively by using AI to create tailored, high-quality study material.
Help the user save time and study more effectively by using AI to create tailored, high-quality study material.
The impact
The impact
The impact
The team I grew the product to 1.3M MAU (distinct from existing flashcards audience) in 18 months. The product expanded the business by offering new and distinct value for users. The v2 of the product saw a 160% increase in subscriptions billings over the v1.
AI can supercharge this big swing
Research & prioritization
We conducted user interviews with 20 students across different majors to better understand note-taking habits. Three themes of jobs emerged: (1) Prioritize key concepts; (2) Organize source material; (3) Rework information to make it stick
We conducted user interviews with 20 students across different majors to better understand note-taking habits. Three themes of jobs emerged: (1) Prioritize key concepts; (2) Organize source material; (3) Rework information to make it stick
We conducted user interviews with 20 students across different majors to better understand note-taking habits. Three themes of jobs emerged: (1) Prioritize key concepts; (2) Organize source material; (3) Rework information to make it stick
Based on user research, feasibility, and quality, the Machine Learning engineers and I prioritized these 5 artifacts to generate for the v1 launch:
Based on user research, feasibility, and quality, the Machine Learning engineers and I prioritized these 5 artifacts to generate for the v1 launch:
Based on user research, feasibility, and quality, the Machine Learning engineers and I prioritized these 5 artifacts to generate for the v1 launch:
(1) Summary
(2) Outline
(3) Flashcards
(4) Sample essay questions
(5) Practice test
(1) Summary
(2) Outline
(3) Flashcards
(4) Sample essay questions
(5) Practice test
(1) Summary
(2) Outline
(3) Flashcards
(4) Sample essay questions
(5) Practice test
Launched the V1 in 4 months
Key questions I considered during the design process: How do we encourage users to upload materials? Does the user have any say in what is created for them? What input methods are most useful on your phone vs. computer? How do we present the 5 artifacts in a way that promotes discovery?
Key questions I considered during the design process: How do we encourage users to upload materials? Does the user have any say in what is created for them? What input methods are most useful on your phone vs. computer? How do we present the 5 artifacts in a way that promotes discovery?
Key questions I considered during the design process: How do we encourage users to upload materials? Does the user have any say in what is created for them? What input methods are most useful on your phone vs. computer? How do we present the 5 artifacts in a way that promotes discovery?
The initial feedback blew us away
But digging deeper, we found that all 5 artifacts together created a confusing experience. The summary and outline were too similar, practice test quality was inconsistent, sample essay questions didn't make sense for STEM subjects. This user quote was personally very memorable:
But digging deeper, we found that all 5 artifacts together created a confusing experience. The summary and outline were too similar, practice test quality was inconsistent, sample essay questions didn't make sense for STEM subjects. This user quote was personally very memorable:
But digging deeper, we found that all 5 artifacts together created a confusing experience. The summary and outline were too similar, practice test quality was inconsistent, sample essay questions didn't make sense for STEM subjects. This user quote was personally very memorable:
“This experience feels like chaos mode. It’s too confusing when it gives me all these options at once.”
“This experience feels like chaos mode. It’s too confusing when it gives me all these options at once.”
“This experience feels like chaos mode. It’s too confusing when it gives me all these options at once.”
Looking at the quantitative data, it's no surprise Flashcards comes first in engagement. We are Quizlet after all, and it's the most recognizable artifact on the page. The outline surprised expectations. The Summary was disappointing, especially given that it was at the top of the screen.
Looking at the quantitative data, it's no surprise Flashcards comes first in engagement. We are Quizlet after all, and it's the most recognizable artifact on the page. The outline surprised expectations. The Summary was disappointing, especially given that it was at the top of the screen.
Looking at the quantitative data, it's no surprise Flashcards comes first in engagement. We are Quizlet after all, and it's the most recognizable artifact on the page. The outline surprised expectations. The Summary was disappointing, especially given that it was at the top of the screen.
Flashcards
Flashcards
Flashcards
Outline
Outline
Outline
Practice test
Practice test
Practice test
Summary
Summary
Summary
Sample essay questions
Sample essay questions
Sample essay questions
68%
68%
68%
36%
36%
36%
29%
29%
29%
25%
25%
25%
17%
17%
17%
The V2 — Give the user choice and focus on the outline
Instead of creating all 5 artifacts, we removed everything on the page except for the outline, creating a more focused experience. The outline had the highest engagement after flashcards, qualitative feedback told us there was a lot of potential, and it aligns with the initial research.
Gave user choice on which study artifact they wanted to create
Added editing and highlighting capabilities (top user feature request), images from the original upload, and inline AI explanations
Instead of creating all 5 artifacts, we removed everything on the page except for the outline, creating a more focused experience. The outline had the highest engagement after flashcards, qualitative feedback told us there was a lot of potential, and it aligns with the initial research.
Gave user choice on which study artifact they wanted to create
Added editing and highlighting capabilities (top user feature request), images from the original upload, and inline AI explanations
Instead of creating all 5 artifacts, we removed everything on the page except for the outline, creating a more focused experience. The outline had the highest engagement after flashcards, qualitative feedback told us there was a lot of potential, and it aligns with the initial research.
Gave user choice on which study artifact they wanted to create
Added editing and highlighting capabilities (top user feature request), images from the original upload, and inline AI explanations
I worked hard to rally stakeholders toward this vision
Product stakeholders were hesitant about removing other artifacts (especially flashcards) from the page because of perceived engagement drops, even though they agreed it was a better user experience. I was bullish on the more focused outline experience. I devised a series of A/B tests that validated the approach of focusing on the outline.
A/B test: Removing every thing on the page except for flashcards and the outline
A/B test: Removing every thing on the page except for flashcards and the outline
A/B test: Removing every thing on the page except for flashcards and the outline
+8.1%
in time spent on the page
in time spent on the page
in time spent on the page
+6.2%
in users returning the page
in users returning the page
in users returning the page
A/B test: Unbundling flashcards and study guides at the point of creation
A/B test: Unbundling flashcards and study guides at the point of creation
A/B test: Unbundling flashcards and study guides at the point of creation
+47%
in conversion on Upload screen
in conversion on Upload screen
in conversion on Upload screen
+15%
in creation with AI
in creation with AI
in creation with AI
Overall impact of the v2
+160%
In total subscription billings after shipping the v2, despite having generous amount of free features
+81%
Growth in monthly engaged users despite decoupling it from Flashcards.
Growth in monthly engaged users despite decoupling it from Flashcards.
Growth in monthly engaged users despite decoupling it from Flashcards.
+36%
Increase in 1-30D retention
Increase in 1-30D retention
Increase in 1-30D retention
71%
Would be “very disappointed” if they could no longer use the product
Would be “very disappointed” if they could no longer use the product
Would be “very disappointed” if they could no longer use the product
Other case studies
Other case studies
Improving pathing + navigation
Clearer paths helped students find what they needed on the app — boosting deep studying by 10%.
Information architecture
iOS + Android
The social experiment
A bold experiment in social studying, created in 2 weeks, demonstrated real user value.
Vision work
Web
Improving pathing + navigation
Clearer paths helped students find what they needed on the app — boosting deep studying by 10%.
Information architecture
iOS + Android
The social experiment
A bold experiment in social studying, created in 2 weeks, demonstrated real user value.
Vision work
Web
Improving pathing + navigation
Clearer paths helped students find what they needed on the app — boosting deep studying by 10%.
Information architecture
iOS + Android
The social experiment
A bold experiment in social studying, created in 2 weeks, demonstrated real user value.
Vision work
Web