examkrackers UX/UI Design
The Problem
Examkrackers is a well-respected MCAT (medical school entrance exam) prep company with over 25 years of experience helping 300,000 future doctors get their highest score on the MCAT. They created a comprehensive interactive learning platform that’s available at a low price. Examkrackers aims to increase conversions from the free trial to paid subscriptions as well as increase revenue. We suspect that usability and design flaws may be affecting purchase decisions. I was tasked with redesigning several key pages of the interactive learning platform.
Old Designs
The Process
We began by gathering data on our competitors and customers (pre-med students and post-bacs). I conducted a thorough examination of our competitors and presented my results using a SWOT analysis.
Competitor SWOT Analysis
Our team conducted two rounds of user testing via Zoom to identify opportunities to improve the Examkrackers interactive learning platform, focusing on key areas we identified, such as the homepage, dashboard, and the calendar.
User Testing Example
We took and synthesized our notes using a Miro board.
User Testing Notes
User testing stats: Number of participants: 5 | Data points: 377 | Hours of interviews: 3.75
Based on our research findings, we prioritized redesigning aspects of the calendar and the dashboard. Our subject matter expert also identified the importance of a clear exam score page to MCAT success, so I created that page as well.
The Solution:
I used Figma to redesign the calendar, exam score page, and dashboard. The following redesigned screens are 100% my own original design.
Calendar (top: original; bottom: redesign)
Students expressed their excitement for a customizable calendar in user testing. The old calendar was too large to see the month at a glance, and lacked many important features. My work on the calendar focused on adding features such as the left calendar and making it more branded and eye catching. This calendar is still in development and will continue to be tested in the future.
Exam Score Page (top: original; bottom: redesign)
Participants in user testing expressed the importance of taking practice exams and reviewing the exams for MCAT readiness. However, the current exam score page is confusing, and it’s hard to find your actual score. I made a new exam score page with the score on the forefront, with a breakdown of several important aspects: the exam curve, percentile rank, and raw score; each of these aspects will help students understand their MCAT readiness and what areas can be improved upon. I am eager to learn how this page can be improved when we conduct future testing.
Dashboard (top: original; bottom: redesign)
In user testing, students expressed confusion about the old dashboard, especially toward the gauges, so I replaced them with study stats. I also added the calendar, an essential component of MCAT preparation. User testing revealed that the book progress was the key aspect of determining MCAT readiness, so I emphasized the books panel by adding our mascot, Salty, color, icons, and progress circles. Overall, I cleaned up the design and matched the colors to company branding. Upon further user testing, we have identified more opportunities to improve this dashboard, and while we believe it’s moving in the right direction, we will continue to refine it.