Sololearn
Sololearn is a platform to boost coding and tech skills through courses with real-world practice. Over a period of four years, I collaborated with Sololearn as Product Designer in improving engagement, driving growth, and integrating AI into the learning process.
This summary covers my work in the areas of Activation, Engagement, Learning Experience, and Monetization.
Team
4 × Product Designers
1 × Product Manager
1 × Data Analyst
1 × Engineer Manager
4 × Developers
1 × UX Researcher
1 × Motion Designer
1 × Content Strategist
1 × Curriculum Designer
Flow (simplified)
User-Centric Onboarding
The short version
Problem:
Users showed high engagement only after using the app for two consecutive days, and drop-offs occurred during onboarding.
Solution:
Designed a personalized onboarding and activation flow based on user expectations, knowledge level, interests and age.
Impact:
Reduced drop-offs during onboarding, decreased course switching, and increased retention.
My Strategy:
Extended the onboarding process into a broader activation flow to engage users from the start.
01
We noticed our users showed high engagement after two consecutive days of app usage.
Our task was to design an appealing onboarding and activation journey to achieve this duration.
Traditionally, we would refer to Onboarding as the process of creating a user's account. However, we extended this definition. We considered a user to be 'activated' only after they completed at least one Lesson per day for two consecutive days. This perspective led us to expand the onboarding process into a broader 'Activation' flow.
Depending on the user's expectations, knowledge level, interests, age, etc., we suggested a Course tailored to their needs and immediately presented their first lesson.
This approach reduced drop-offs during onboarding, decreased the number of users switching courses, and ultimately increased retention.
We introduced screens with motivational motion design to illustrate the learning dynamics and inspire users to learn.
Gamified Engagement
The short version
Problem:
Users were using the app sporadically without sustained commitment.
Solution:
Introduced gamified features such as Streaks, Leaderboards, and a reward system with Bits and XP.
Impact:
Increased lesson completion and weekly retention rates, leading to a boost in revenue.
My Strategy:
Designed a gamified experience tailored to different personality types to foster user commitment.
02
Users found it challenging to commit to learning without any motivation.
They were using the app sporadically, rather than in a sustained way.
To foster user commitment, we designed a gamified experience tailored to different personality types. We implemented a Streak feature to track daily lesson completion and a Leaderboard for friendly community competition.
For both, we implemented a reward system using Bits (currency) and XP (experience) to encourage user engagement with these features.
The result was an increase in Lesson Completion and Weekly Retention rates, which subsequently led to a boost in Revenue, a secondary metric.
Compete against others
Compete against myself
Leaderboard
Since our community is highly diverse, we've chosen a Spatial theme for the Leaderboard levels. This aims to promote a shared interpretation and avoid potential cultural misunderstandings that could occur with certain topics or themes.
“Streaks” has proven to bring effective results in Retention and Engagement. After testing the feature during a period that allowed us to confirm positive results, we quickly designed and implemented the “Streak Freeze”, a way for users to keep their Streak alive even if they skip learning for one day.
Streak freeze logic
AI-Driven Learning Experience
The short version
Problem:
Highly engaged users found the learning experience limiting after completing all courses.
Solution:
Developed AI features like Kodie, the AI mentor, and the Bug Hunter game.
Impact:
Improved lesson completion rates, retention, engagement, and user comprehension of concepts.
My Strategy:
Integrated AI solutions to provide an unlimited learning experience and conducted A/B tests to optimize conversions for trials and subscriptions.
03
Users who are highly engaged often find the learning experience limiting after completing all the courses.
While they can solve user-generated challenges, we believe there is potential for an unlimited learning experience through AI.
We developed Kodie, an AI mentor mascot, and the Bug Hunter game, each with various skill levels.
Both features significantly improved the Lesson Completion rate, leading to users better understanding the concepts and answering more accurately than before. Additionally, they increased Retention and Engagement. Users spent more time studying within the app and were more likely to return the following day.
However, another key metric to consider after implementing AI solutions is Conversions. This is because the APIs are not free, and our ultimate goal was to monetize these highly engaged users. We offered the features for free for a limited number of uses and conducted A/B tests to determine the most effective result in quantity for Trials and Subscriptions.
Kodie utilizes AI to:
Quickly explain errors in users' answers in a relatable manner and rephrase them to ensure comprehension.
Provide hints, code explanations, and alternative solutions to code exercises, allowing users to break down problems and tackling them gradually.
With Bug Hunter, we have managed to:
Enhance the learning experience through gamification and theming based on the bug's size: the larger the bug, the more challenging the problem. Users can engage in six levels per language, ranging from an Ant to a Spider.
Allow continuous practice in bug detection: Users can play several times consecutively with AI-generated codes without encountering the same challenge twice.
Boost users' soft skills, such as communication, by making them explain coding errors in a relatable way. Sometimes, coders can become so immersed in their work that they may only understand an error when they explain it themselves.
Effective Monetization Strategies
The short version
Problem:
Needed to generate revenue to support free coding education.
Solution:
Created PRO Subscription features such as hands-on Code Coach challenges and unlimited access to AI features, implemented relevant paywalls, and conducted A/B tests.
Impact:
Significantly improved free trials and PRO subscriptions, generating necessary revenue.
My Strategy:
Focused on identifying user frustrations and offering valuable features through a strategically placed paywall system to enhance monetization.
04
Although Sololearn offers free coding education, we need revenue to operate.
So, we asked our most committed users what they would consider paying for in a PRO Subscription.
Users often seek additional practice to reinforce their knowledge. To cater to this need, we created a set of hands-on Code Coach challenges. We also provided exclusive access to AI features, such as Kodie and Bug Hunter, to PRO users only.
To determine and implement the best placement for paywalls, we conducted several A/B tests until we found the most effective combinations. We decided to move away from generic paywalls and instead, create paywalls relevant to the user journey.
For instance, if a user loses their Hearts due to five incorrect answers, we would present a paywall focused on offering Unlimited Hearts.
The added value in terms of content was already there, but we needed to address and capitalize the frustration some users felt due to waiting times. In the PRO plan, we offered infinite Hearts for unlimited mistakes, Ad removal, and the ability to Skip Modules.
The introduction of a custom touchpoint, which promptly offered a refill when users lost all their Hearts, significantly improved Free Trials and PRO Subscriptions.
05
Reflections
While our changes improved engagement and retention, deeper user research, such as more interviews and focus groups, could have revealed additional needs and preferences. This insight could have led to even more effective onboarding strategies.
Gamified elements like Streaks and Leaderboards increased engagement but must not overshadow educational value. Collaborating more with educators could have ensured that gamification supported, rather than detracted from, meaningful learning.
Our iterative approach with paywalls was effective, but ongoing testing is crucial. Continuous iteration ensures the product evolves with user needs and preferences, maintaining its effectiveness over time.
06
