Designing the session scheduling and tutor availability feature experience for TutorComp’s online tutoring platform

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

39%

39%

39%

of students have started using the self-scheduling feature

42%

42%

42%

reduction in the average time required for scheduling a session

2x

2x

2x

reduction in the number of sessions that are cancelled or rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts

MY RESPONSIBILITIES

Research, UI Design, Testing, Prototyping, Creating & Managing the Design System, Co-ordinating with Developers, CTO and PM

THE TEAM

Myself(UX Lead) + PM + CTO + Developers

PLATFORM

Responsive Web App

ℹ️ What is TutorComp?

TutorComp is an online tutoring platform that offers personalized online tutoring services to students worldwide. The company provides one-on-one tutoring services to students of all ages and levels, from kindergarten to college, covering a wide range of subjects and curriculum.

🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏽️ Who are the users?

The users of TutorComp include students seeking academic support, parents or guardians facilitating their child's tutoring and tutors providing personalized instruction.

The user types

📜️ a little back story...

The company took a bold step at the end of 2021: starting from scratch, they set out to design an entirely new product line to replace the existing one. The goal was clear—to enhance scalability, efficiency, and deliver a seamless digital experience for all types of users. It was during this thrilling time that I joined TutorComp as the UX Lead, entrusted with a range of thrilling responsibilities.

🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏽️ Scope of this case study

In this case study, I will be focusing on the modules of session scheduling and tutor availability, exploring the challenges and solutions associated with these crucial aspects of our product line. Given the expansive nature of the product line, comprising several distinct products, and taking into account the restrictions imposed by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), the scope of this case study will be focused on two specific modules: session scheduling and tutor availability. These modules were chosen to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and solutions associated with managing tutoring sessions and ensuring the availability of qualified tutors.

What is session scheduling and tutor availability?

At the heart of the new product line lies a crucial operation—the session scheduling process. Session scheduling is the process of coordinating and arranging tutoring sessions between students and tutors, taking into account their availability and preferences to ensure effective and timely learning experiences.While, tutor availability refers to the schedule and time slots during which tutors are accessible and able to conduct tutoring sessions. It involves determining the periods when tutors are free and ready to engage with students. In the past, this responsibility fell upon academic associates who relied on phone calls and emails to manually schedule these sessions. They meticulously juggled the timetables of tutors and students, striving to find compatible time slots.

What are the problem(s) we are addressing?

The users of TutorComp include students seeking academic support, parents or guardians facilitating their child's tutoring and tutors providing personalized instruction.

The user types

What are the goals to achieve?

The user types

🔨️ now that we have the context set up, let's start rolling

Constantly converged and diverged as a team throughout the process
1. Competitor Analysis (diverge)
2. User research on top competitors (diverge)
3. Analyze research, competitors, literature & analytics to obtain insights (converge)
4. Convert RAW Insights to Design Mocks (diverge)
5. Discuss Mocks & Finalize Variants + Conduct User Survey (converge)
6. Usability Testing with Prototypes (diverge)
7. Incorporate testing feedback into final Designs and componentise(converge)

🌐️ Competitor Analysis

We analyzed seven competitors in the global online tutoring industry. The primary focus of the competitive analysis revolved around examining the utilization of online session scheduling and the marking of tutor availability.

The user types

While most competitors offer standard scheduling and availability features, none of them provide a flexible scheduling option that allows students to easily book sessions and effectively manage tutor availability.

🌐️ Qualitative Research

Talking to users confirmed our hypothesis of a flexible and convenient option to book sessions and mark availability. We conducted interviews with 15 individuals representing diverse user types, such as students, parents, tutors, academic associates, and staff. These insightful interviews validated our hypothesis of the importance of a scheduling feature that eliminates session conflicts. Additionally, our findings highlighted the users' strong desire for increased control, emphasizing the need for a seamless and user-friendly scheduling experience, including efficient availability marking.

The user types

🌐️ Personas

Based on research insights, we have identified two primary user personas: David and Emily.

The user types
The user types

Due to the limited scope of this case study, the parent/guardian persona has not been included.

🌐️ User Journey

Talking to users confirmed our importance of a personalized experience. To streamline the initial design process, we have identified an ideal user journey that addresses the primary concerns and needs of both users, while limiting the emotional phases experienced. This ideal case approach allows us to focus on creating an optimal user experience.

The user types

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© Shaban 2024

© Shaban 2024