EDUCATION
Swipeable Flashcards
Role: Product Designer
Company: Quizlet
Year: 2020 - 2021
The Challenge
Previously, the Quizlet mobile app did not have a clear value proposition compared to the mobile web version. One major issue was the lack of an easy way to focus on areas of weakness other than with stars and study tools.
The current system places the responsibility on the user to “star” terms and then select the option to study only starred terms. However, it is easy to forget to “star” terms while going through flashcards, which has resulted in a low percentage of users taking advantage of this feature. Specifically, only 15% of mobile app flashcard users “stared” terms, indicating a need for a more intuitive and user-friendly system.
Previous Experience
To mark terms while studying, users had to tap on the star icon. Afterward, to focus on these starred terms, users would have to open the options menu and filter by “study-starred-only.” This process, while functional, presents a level of inconvenience and disrupts the flow of studying. As a result, it may have contributed to the low percentage of users using the “star” function. Improvements to this system could streamline the process and increase its accessibility and ease of use.
SOLUTION
Make Studying Efficient and Effective
A simpler alternative to stars is a swipe mechanism in flashcards where users can swipe right if they know a term or swipe left if they do not. Then, they can continue studying the terms they do not know. This approach will increase efficiency and effectiveness by prompting users to consider their familiarity with each term before moving on. The swipe function also adds a fun, unique dimension that enhances the value proposition of the native app. Furthermore, the swipe data will provide Quizlet with more information to improve the overall study experience.
Mobile Experience
SORTING: Users can swipe right if they know it, swipe left if they don't – followed by a CTA to continue studying what they don't know.
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE: Users will need to confirm whether they know each term before moving on to the next.
Tablet Experience
INCREASE VALUE PROP: The proposed swipe mechanism not only adds a playful dimension unique to the native app but also provides valuable data to improve the rest of the study experience. This approach enhances the value proposition of the native app and offers users a more engaging and effective method of studying. Additionally, the data generated from the swipe function can be leveraged to optimize the entire study experience on the app. Overall, this solution provides a win-win situation for both users and Quizlet.
Outcome
10.2% increase questions answered, increasing from 143 to 158.
15% increase in the number of users reaching any end screen (i.e. the end of the study mode)
+0.85% lift in 7 day study retention, +3% lift in number of flashcards viewed.
+1.8% lift in median minutes studied within 7 days, 4% reduction in users swiping in only 1 direction in Quiz mode.