UX Research & Design - Client Project  |  Oct 26 - Dec 8, 2023

Knowunity’s Unrealized Potential

Team: Jimin, Gatha, Rong, Rafa, and Hugo

Collaborated with two PMs from Knowunity

What the Client Wants to Know :

Gain insights into user expectations both before and after onboarding, with the aim of providing actionable recommendations to enhance the onboarding experience.

My Role

  • Acted as a primary client contact, hosting client check-in meetings, managing emails and follow-up messages with clients, and leading internal discussions throughout the project.

  • Led research within the project scope, ensuring alignment with objectives.

  • Initiated the presentation by introducing project goals, presenting key findings, and addressing client questions during the Q&A session.

Project Goal

Bridging the gap between user expectation and app experience.

Project Journey

  1. Kick-off with Client David from Knowunity

  2. Writing an interview script and questionnaire to evaluate expectations and experience gaps

  3. 5 pilot tests

  4. 14 moderated user testing interviews

  5. Data collection and analysis

  6. Prioritizing identified issues

  7. Developing recommendations

  8. Presentation

  9. Retrospective session

Three Main Research Challenges and Our Decision to Overcome

😓  Challenge 1

Is onboarding just the four initial sign-up screens first-time users encounter?

👍🏼  Solution

Clarify the range of onboarding experience.

The typical onboarding process of the app includes the initial introductory screens or preference-setting screens. Our goal was not merely to evaluate the experience of the current Knowunity's four initial sign-up process screens. Consequently, we opted to broaden the scope of the onboarding assessment. This assessment will encompass the TikTok ad, which attracts 40% of current users. It will then extend to the App Store/Google Play, the sign-up process (the initial four screens) within the app, and the first exploration.
😓  Challenge 2

How will we assess the gap between user expectations and the app experience through user interviews?

👍🏼  Solution

Ask questions about the expectations at each step of the onboarding journey. 

Utilizing the same-purpose questions with different wording before and after each process—TikTok ad, App Store, sign-up, and first exploration—we discovered that repetitive questions are valuable in observing changes and improvements in expectations. Through the pilot test, we found out that this method could potentially bother participants, so we informed them in advance about the repetition in our actual user tests. Additionally, we observed that asking the same question after the sign-up process did not yield perceptual changes in answers; hence, we assessed usability only for this particular step.
😓  Challenge 3

How will we prioritize the most impactful issues?

👍🏼  Solution

Identify the most frequently mentioned issues and then utilize the RIC method to determine the reporting order. 

To prioritize the most impactful findings for our client, we compiled all user feedback, incorporating their reactions and quotes into a spreadsheet. Our selection process involved choosing findings with solid evidence or reasons to avoid subjective design results. After analyzing the most impactful issues, we considered our initial recommendations. If some recommendations were primarily UI-focused, we placed those issues lower on the list. Upon narrowing down the most impactful problems to four, we applied the RIC method to establish the priority order of our findings.
We reported cases where we had compelling recommendations slightly deviating from the onboarding process scope as bonus findings. Our client appreciated these bonus findings as well.

Findings & Recommendations

After 45 minutes of in-depth interviews with 14 middle & high school students in the US, we found that

  • 71% did not know they were going to love My AI, Chat, and QuizWhiz.

  • 64% had no idea of the concept of KP, and it can be converted to their volunteer hours.

  • 29% were hesitant to rely on the content.

  • First-timers love the social vibe, yet there is potential to attract them even more.

1

Users did not expect My AI, QuizWhiz, and Chat to be the features they would love most.

“It had more than I expected—more pages and tools than I thought.”
— Sarah (9th Grade)
Recommendation :

Introducing Captivating Features from the Start

To bridge the gap between expectation and app experience, it is imperative to introduce captivating features from the outset. Knowunity's statistics show that first-time users most often exit the app on the first screen, the age selection page. This indicates that merely adding more screens is not the primary reason people leave the Knowunity. This proactive approach not only narrows the gap but also contributes to a more engaging and satisfying overall app experience.

Solution

←

Short form video before sign-up

Introduce captivating features using short forms like TikTok at the app's outset to highlight functionalities beyond the basics. Also, not an additional page!

↑

Popular features showcased before sign-up

Based on user testing, revealing the AI's distinct role and the availability to convert KP into volunteer hours significantly boosts user favorability towards the app. This information, absent in current TikTok ads and App Store previews, will bridge the gap between user expectations and actual app experience if presented right after launch.

2

Users Were Unfamiliar With the Usage of KP to Earn Volunteer Hours

“Initially, I thought volunteer hours were like community service for school transcripts...”
— Anne (12th Grade)
Recommendation :

Enhancing the Emphasis on “Volunteer Hours”

In the current Knowunity mobile app, there is a missed opportunity to introduce the concept of KP. While encountering unfamiliar concepts at the beginning is expected for first-time users, not providing an introduction to internally used terms is not ideal for the onboarding process. Additionally, as gaining volunteer hours is crucial for college applications, informing first-time users about what KP is, how to earn KP, and the option to convert KP into volunteer hours would be highly beneficial for Knowunity. Addressing unfamiliar terms and concepts for first-time users will enhance their initial interaction with the app.

Solution

↑

Promoting ‘Volunteer Hours’ , avoiding the term 'KP'

Use tooltips or introductory screens in the onboarding process to explain the concept of KP and guide users in earning and exchanging volunteer hours, enhancing the overall onboarding experience.

3

Users Were Hesitant to rely on the content

“Do they like.. check the notes before they post them on here?”
— Tina (11th Grade)
Recommendation :

Building Trust by Informing Users that the Content is Verified and Safe

29% of participants raised concerns regarding the review process for uploaded notes and the effectiveness of chats for homework help. Given the unreliable first impression of the app, first-time users are unlikely to continue exploring it further. Therefore, informing users that the content is verified and safe is crucial.

Solution

↑

Review and safe chat reminder

Add a pop-up in the Search page stating that all content has been reviewed for user consumption, alleviating concerns about note reliability. Implement a banner during chat sessions that messages are moderated, emphasizing adherence to rules and guidelines for safe interaction.

Bonus Finding!

First-timers love the social vibe, yet there is potential to attract them even more.

“I’m all alone, So I have to build connections in online communities primarily.”
— Anne (12th grade, Home school)
Recommendation :

Emphasize Social Aspect. Make it Even more like a social media platform

  1. Encourage Users to Connect with Classmates:
    • Make Adding Classmates More Discoverable
    • Add a Referral Feature
  2. Enhance Peer-to-Peer Interactions
using Social Media Elements
    • “Story” for Notes
Make Sharing Notes FOMO
    • “Study Room” 
for collective study

What’s Next?

We aim to assess the practical impact of our findings and recommendations on the app, whether directly or indirectly affecting the actual industry.
  1. Follow up with our clients after approximately 3 weeks to inquire about the implementation or plans related to our findings and recommendations. If not implemented, seek reasons and gather feedback on areas for improvement.
  2. Explore opportunities for future collaboration and assistance that we could provide to enhance the app further.

My Personal Takeaway

Enhanced Interaction Skills with Clients and Team Members:

Overcoming my shyness and language barrier as a non-English speaker, I took on the role of a host and main contact with the client, actively participating in presentations and discussions. This experience boosted my confidence and taught me valuable lessons on effective teamwork through trial and error.

Gained Diverse Perspectives

Embracing the diverse perspectives of my smart and creative team members, I found joy in exploring different viewpoints. Recognizing that there are no right or wrong answers, the process of determining the most suitable recommendations for the identified issues and findings was both enjoyable and insightful.

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