Autodidact
Overview
My Role
Autodidact is a mobile app for creatives and self-learners. They can learn skills for free, find projects to practice, and get connected to a supportive community so they can land their dream job, become a freelancer, or launch a startup.
Led all UX/UI:
UX Research, User Interviews, Visual Design, Ideation, Prototyping, Usability Testing
Overview
Autodidact is a mobile app for creatives and self-learners. They can learn skills for free, find projects to practice, and get connected to a supportive community so they can land their dream job, become a freelancer, or launch a startup.
My Role
Led all UX/UI:
UX Research, User Interviews, Visual Design, Ideation, Prototyping, Usability Testing
Timeframe
Context
3 weeks
Self-initiated
Timeframe
3 weeks
Context
Self-initiated
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Challenge
(1) While plenty of self-learning solutions exist, online curriculums and pay-per-course options can become very expensive, especially for young people of Generation Z who are unemployed and most in need of advancing their skills during a key transitional time of their lives to create their future.
(2) Most Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) may be free but studies show astronomical dropout rates and low enrollments because self-learners find them to be very unmotivating. Similarly, while YouTube provides unlimited content for free, viewers are only able to access video content and nothing more, making it very difficult to stay motivated.
Goal
(1) Design a social media app for self-learners so they may gain the skills they need to successfully create their own futures and
(2) Create valuable premium features and effective tactics to convert free users into premium subscribers.
Design process
Research Objectives
Major takeaways from research
Generation Z Target Users
Generation Z characteristics
Generation Z (the target audience) are aged between 18 - 24 years old and want to find work they can enjoy. They want to expand their network, are very tech savvy, are budget conscious, want cheap and quick results, and think being knowledgeable is important.
Majority are looking for work
Many feel stressed about their future
Many feel stressed due to the uncertainty of their future and entering the workforce. There is a trend of growing depression among target users, linked to this transitional time in their lives.
Varying life stages
Target users can be grouped into five different groups with varying ages and levels of education (from high school to some education beyond high school, and college graduates).
Self-Learning Challenges
Self-learning needs to be exciting
Self-learning needs to be a fulfilling and exciting experience for learners but MOOCs are unsuccessful at making it so. A study using data on MOOCs provided by edX (a popular MOOC platform by MIT and Harvard) shows that “on average, only 6 out of every 100 people who enroll in a course actually complete it.”
Self-learners need to be kept motivated
There is no structure to keep students motivated. Self-learners struggle with having a sense of direction (guided by competition), a motivating learning environment, and a supportive peer group.
Self-learning needs to be experiential
Top skills that employers look for when hiring include teamwork and collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication. However, it is difficult for self-learners to gain and demonstrate they have these skills to employers without the opportunity to work with others on projects or attain experiential learning.
Top Strategies for Autodidacts
Need to make a plan
Learning a new skill on your own is difficult and it requires a lot of focus. A big reason why so many people fail in online learning is that they don’t set clear goals. Autodidacts need a plan for their self-directed learning.
Need to understand various fields
Autodidacts must understand various fields and expand their knowledge base to allow them to see the world in different perspectives and as a consequence, to innovate. In other words, “curiosity makes our brains more receptive for learning.”
Need a motivating environment
A motivating environment online is a must to stay on track of their goals. This includes hanging around a community who loves the subject and following content in a way that enables more discovery on the subject. Research has shown that “we ‘rarely grow alone’ and that we are better equipped to learn and extend our knowledge as a collective.”
Need to practice their knowledge
It's not enough to learn. Autodidacts need to practice their knowledge by working on projects to apply what they have learned and gain skills.
Competitive analysis
Why need a new solution for self-learners when there are so many solutions that already exist?
Many solutions are expensive
Business models are either tuition-based or require users to pay per course, which adds up!
Cheaper solutions are limited
Khan Academy is free but is limited to traditional K-12 curriculum and therefore does not target Generation Z. Masterclass offers a $15/month subscription model but has very few courses available and the topics are not very practical for job-ready skills. Linkedin Learning offers a $29.99/month subscription model and is the best affordable option for learning job-ready skills; however, there are no opportunities for hands-on team projects, competitions, or study peers.
Best existing solution is lacking
Among all competitors, YouTube is unmatched in offering unlimited content that covers a multitude of topics for free, which makes self-learning very affordable to users. However, YouTube did not design its media app solely with this educational purpose in mind. Its user experience makes it hard for autodidacts learning on their own to stay motivated, keep track of their learning goals, be connected to a community of other learners, or access hands-on experiential learning opportunities.
Keeping learners motivated isn't easy
Solutions struggle with keeping users motivated to complete their learning goals.
Best practices for premium conversion
MAITANE ROMAGOSA / THRILLIST
Spotify has by far one of the best models for successfully converting free users into paying customers. As one author puts it: “Spotify’s impressive paid subscriber rates—100 million paid users as of April 2019—suggest that their approach is working.” Some of the things that Spotify does well include:
Clarity
Clearly communicating the difference between free features and subscription features.
Effective conversion tactics
Spotify’s calls to action are not too intrusive but they remain persuasive. As the author of “Freemium Conversion Rate: Why Spotify Destroys Dropbox by 667%” puts it, “Spotify’s conversion tactics manage to disguise themselves as being non-aggressive (while being aggressive as hell) is that you don’t realize how much the bad parts grate on you.”
Builds desire during user experience
Spotify is able to build desire for the premium plan as users experience the app: “Seeing the features that they are missing out on with the free plan also makes the decision to upgrade to a paid plan a no-brainer in most cases.”
Effective premium prompts
Spotify makes hard and soft pushes for conversion through effective premium prompts: “Spotify has several moments in the user journey which either outright ask for the conversion or hint that the feature is only available in premium.”
Curated playlists and a personalized feed
Spotify’s curated playlists have specific appeal to users because when users are able to customize content to suit their tastes, they “make a time ‘investment’ in the app, making the user more likely to upgrade to premium.”
Facebook sign up
Reducing friction and increasing virality with Facebook sign-up: “It’s likely that the Facebook integration played a huge part in the virality of Spotify, as reportedly every paying user brings 3 free users on board.”
Personas
From the insights I gathered during my research, I created 5 different personas to account for the differing situations and education levels among the many target users who make up Generation Z (aged 18-24). To design an experience that could tailor to their needs and behaviors, I first needed to tap into their heads and hearts. By creating personas, I was able to turn statistics into what felt like real human beings. Now that they were drawing at my heartstrings, I could put them at the forefront of every decision.
Juan
Sofia
Peter
Tim
Katie
All 5 personas need to gain more experiential learning and increase their network to successfully get a job and create opportunities for themselves. All of them are looking to find an affordable way to learn job-ready skills and demonstrate practical skills to employers. They all are tech-savvy and use mobile apps and social media daily.
MVP requirements
Looking closely at my competitive analysis and personas, I was able to identify which core features would need to be prioritized for an MVP. I developed a list of MVP requirements to reflect the users’ most essential needs, and, from a business perspective, to maximize the premium conversion rate.
User flows
Just like sailors, I needed a map of my own if I wanted to make my process as smooth sailing as possible. By creating user flows, I could figure out which screens I would need to design and also map out how to connect them into an experience that users could navigate.
Signing up
For new users, it was important to personalize their experience immediately upon signing up so they could already feel invested and eager when entering the app for the first time.
Accessing and managing content
Since my project goal was to convert non-paying users into premium subscribers, I paid particular attention to how and where I could introduce upgrade prompts throughout the app experience. I needed to build up the desire among users to upgrade but also not annoy them while doing so!
I didn’t want my tactics to come off as aggressive but I also needed to adequately inform, remind, and encourage users to sign up. I needed to be persistent but meanwhile remain empathetic. I wanted each upgrade prompt to feel like an exciting opportunity for the user (piquing their interest to access more) and not like a restriction or disappointment.
Wireframes
A low-fidelity MVP for rapid testing
To quickly test out an initial MVP, I designed low-fidelity wireframes based off of my list of MVP requirements. To flag whether any aspects of my wireframes may be in need of some adjustments, I needed to conduct some rapid usability testing.
Were any aspect of these wireframes not intuitive, confusing, insufficient, or unnecessary? How would the premium prompts feel to users? Did users feel that the premium plan offered enough value and that it was distinct enough from the free version that it would compel them to sign up? I needed to discover if there were any usability problems so I could fix them.
Putting my wireframes to the test
The users who participated in the usability testing were all between the ages of 18 - 24, included both men and women and had various education levels ranging from not completing education beyond high school to having graduated from college. My goal was to find out:
- Would the wireframes be intuitive enough for users to accomplish tasks easily?
- Would the word choices and layouts clearly communicate to the user what to expect?
- Was any aspect of the app confusing to the user?
- Would users find enough value in premium features to wish to upgrade to the premium plan?
Initial findings
App felt easy-to-use and familiar
Overall, users thought the app was very “straightforward,” “easy to use,” and it felt “familiar” to them due to its similarity to other media apps they had previously used.
Free vs. premium was clear
The differences between the free and premium versions were very clear to 100% of users. The premium notifications were not seen as aggressive but instead as helpful and informative.
Built a desire to upgrade
Whenever they came across a premium feature while exploring the app, they felt encouraged to learn more and it built their desire to upgrade.
Uncovered usability issues
While overall the response was positive, I uncovered 11 usability problems and came up with 15 iterations that I would need to incorporate in my future designs.
Iterations needed
Some of the usability problems I uncovered were critical because they got in the way of users being able to complete some of their tasks or caused confusion. In one instance, a user expressed that they needed to view more information before being able to feel confident that they wished to commit to signing up for the premium.
Crafting a brand
I decided to name the app Autodidact, meaning a self-taught person. Autodidacticism is the “education without the guidance of institutions.” Autodidacts are “individuals who choose the subject they will study, their studying material, and the studying rhythm and time." Since the app is designed specifically for autodidacts, the Autodidact name creates a brand personality completely around this identity.
Since the app is designed for self-learners in creative fields who can apply their newly acquired knowledge into skills and innovative ideas, the combination of the light bulb and brain working together seemed like a perfect way to convey that message.
When I found the font named Autodidact, I could not believe my luck! It is the most perfect font to represent the Autodidact app. Not only is the font name the name of the app but the font style is perfectly aligned to the Autodidact brand. It is bold, hip, smart, and screams “outside the box.” Its handwritten appearance looks free, self-made, creative, youthful, casual, and fun.
I decided to name the app Autodidact, meaning a self-taught person. Autodidacticism is the “education without the guidance of institutions.” Autodidacts are “individuals who choose the subject they will study, their studying material, and the studying rhythm and time." Since the app is designed specifically for autodidacts, the Autodidact name creates a brand personality completely around this identity.
Since the app is designed for self-learners in creative fields who can apply their newly acquired knowledge into skills and innovative ideas, the combination of the light bulb and brain working together seemed like a perfect way to convey that message.
When I found the font named Autodidact, I could not believe my luck! It is the most perfect font to represent the Autodidact app. Not only is the font name the name of the app but the font style is perfectly aligned to the Autodidact brand. It is bold, hip, smart, and screams “outside the box.” Its handwritten appearance looks free, self-made, creative, youthful, casual, and fun.
Visual design
I selected the Proxima Nova font because it is a very readable font. It is the main typeface of some of the most popular companies in digital media including Spotify and Tik Tok so it clearly appeals to Autodidact’s young target users. It works well for screens, has great flexibility, and is trendy. It is high end but cool, modern, personal, and fun at the same time, making it a perfect match for the brand.
I discovered that Spotify had found through its usability study that users were able to navigate its media content more easily when the background was dark so I made the background black. I selected tangerine orange (and a gradient of it), which signifies creativity and joy. To make premium ads quickly attract attention, I selected two eye-catching colors with color meanings that directly aligned to the purpose of the app. Aqua signifies clarity of thought and yellow signifies wisdom and enthusiasm.
I selected the Proxima Nova font because it is a very readable font. It is the main typeface of some of the most popular companies in digital media including Spotify and Tik Tok so it clearly appeals to Autodidact’s young target users.
It works well for screens, has great flexibility, and is trendy. It is high end but cool, modern, personal, and fun at the same time, making it a perfect match for the brand.
I discovered that Spotify had found through its usability study that users were able to navigate its media content more easily when the background was dark so I made the background black. I selected tangerine orange (and a gradient of it), which signifies creativity and joy.
To make premium ads quickly attract attention, I selected two eye-catching colors with color meanings that directly aligned to the purpose of the app. Aqua signifies clarity of thought and yellow signifies wisdom and enthusiasm.
High-fidelity designs
To make the user interface visually aesthetic (and perceived as cool by Generation Z), I focused on minimalism, maximizing white space, effective color contrast for visibility, and the use of muted colors where possible to make it easier on the eyes of users.
I created emphasis when I wanted to draw the user’s attention to call to action buttons and premium prompts. I intentionally used familiar design patterns that are commonly seen in the social media apps these target users frequently use so users would not need to learn from scratch while using my app.
Testing my high-fidelity designs
The users who tested the app were all between the ages of 18 - 24, included both men and women, and had various education levels and self-learning experience. My primary goal was to discover whether the 15 design iterations I had made had successfully resolved all 11 key usability problems uncovered in the first round of testing.
New findings
100% of iterations fixed the issues
I found that ALL of my iterations successfully resolved the usability problems found in the first round of testing. All users said they would sign up for a premium free trial.
Most valuable premium offerings
Users expressed that the most valuable premium offerings were (1) being able to create their own playlists and (2) accessing the projects, competitions, and community.
All users loved the feel of the app
All users loved the color combinations, the dark background, and the overall feel and look of the app. They also loved the logo, the name of the app, and found the user interface overall very intuitive.
Uncovered new usability issues
While my iterations fixed previous problems, I uncovered 12 new usability problems. To fix them, I came up with 12 iterations to optimize the user experience.
Iterations needed
It turns out that some of the wording for certain call-to-actions confused users. For instance:
- The word “Chatrooms” was confusing to 80% of users and was panic-inducing to some who labeled themselves as introverts. They felt a social pressure to create conversation with strangers so I changed the word to “Threads,” which they all really liked.
- The word “readings,” which referred to articles, was misunderstood as video transcripts. I changed the word “readings” to “articles.”
Also, users needed to be reminded in the premium prompts that there was a 1 month free trial in case they had forgotten or had not yet tapped on the Premium tab. The other usability problems I uncovered were critical since they blocked users from completing tasks or caused confusion.
An improved prototype
Two usability tests and 27 iterations later, the revised prototype tackled the usability problems I had uncovered and resulted in an improved user experience. It was now a quick and easy app to navigate all the way through!
Key takeaways
- Current solutions are inadequate. The solutions that currently exist are either expensive or do not keep users motivated to stay on track of their goals (and sometimes both).
- Don’t be aggressive in premium conversion tactics but remain persistent. And always empathetic to how users feel!
- Users are experts on their pain points. All you have to do is listen.
- You can’t fix what you can’t see. That’s why it’s always best to put it to the test.
- Iterations lead to improvement. Major improvements!
- Last but not least, users couldn’t wait to use this app. They were eager. What that tells me is that this app is on the right track. When you never lose sight of the user and your business goals, it’s simple, you get the results you hope for.
Roadmap for the future
During usability testing, some of the testers offered additional suggestions. Since these were not included as part of the MVP during the short 3-week timeframe, my priority was fixing the usability problems. However, the 13 suggestions testers provided were insightful to consider as potential ideas to further improve the user experience in the future.
I also look forward to creating a secondary app named “Autodidacts for Teachers” for content creators to post their learning material and gain a following!
