NovaTutor
4 months
Product Designer
1 Designer, 4 Engineers
Project Overview
An integrated learning dashboard and marketplace connecting students with expert tutors globally.
Business Background
The tutoring market was highly fragmented. NovaTutor wanted to build a centralized platform where students could discover tutors, schedule sessions, and conduct video lessons all in one place.
The Problem
High friction in the discovery and booking process led to significant drop-offs. Tutors were leaving the platform due to poor calendar management tools.
Objectives
- Streamline the tutor booking flow
- Improve tutor retention by offering better management tools
- Increase repeat bookings
Success Metrics
- ↑ 150% increase in completed bookings
- ↓ 20% bounce rate on search pages
- ↑ 40% user retention month-over-month
The Challenge
Designing for two distinct user groups (Students and Tutors) with conflicting needs regarding scheduling and flexibility.
Discovery & Research
Kickoff & Audit
Mapped the core loop: Search -> Review Profile -> Message/Book -> Session -> Review.
The existing MVP required students to message tutors back-and-forth just to find a suitable time.
Key Pain Points
- Scheduling across timezones was causing a 15% missed-session rate.
- Tutor profiles lacked personality; students couldn't gauge teaching style.
- The checkout process was disjointed from the booking process.
Opportunities
- Auto-convert all times to the user's local timezone.
- Introduce short introduction videos on tutor profiles.
- Implement a 1-click booking flow with saved payment methods.
Research Methodology
Surveys sent to 500 existing users, followed by 10 deep-dive interviews (5 students, 5 tutors).
Key Insights:
Personas & Journey
Leo, High School Student
Learner
Goals
- • Pass AP Calculus
- • Find a tutor who explains things simply
Behaviors
Prefers booking 30-minute trial sessions before committing.
Maria, Math Tutor
Educator
Goals
- • Earn a full-time income
- • Minimize no-shows
Behaviors
Uses a laptop for teaching. Wants a dashboard to track earnings.
User Journey Shift
Before
Search -> Message 5 tutors -> Wait for replies -> Negotiate time -> Pay via 3rd party -> Meet on Zoom.
After
Search -> Watch intro video -> View live availability in local time -> Click Book -> Auto-pay -> Meet in-app.
Design Execution
UI Exploration
Typography: Nunito (rounded, friendly) to reduce the anxiety associated with learning and tutoring.
Colors: Vibrant Purple and Yellow to feel energetic and modern, breaking away from traditional boring "academic" blues.
Design System Components
Final Design Execution
A high-fidelity look at the final polished interfaces, components, and key interactions that were successfully handed off to engineering.
Final Outcome & Impact
NovaTutor successfully removed the friction from online tutoring, creating a marketplace where educators can thrive and students can learn seamlessly.
Key Learnings
- •Handling the edge cases of calendar syncing (e.g., Daylight Savings Time changes across different hemispheres).
Future Improvements
- •Implement an interactive whiteboard within the video classroom feature.