Study Bunny
Education
Gamification
Mobile App
Gamifying Studying for Students
I redesigned Study Bunny's UX, UI, and brand for a freelance project. Study Bunny is a study timer app for students.
Gamification was the main addition of this redesign. Users earn coins while a study-timer runs
-
This project followed an iterative, Agile workflow.
-
Market & User Research
-
Brand audit on the original Study Bunny App
-
User Testing (4 rounds)
Context
Context
Study Bunny is a study timer app targeting middle and high school students.
Problem
Usage drops off after 3 weeks because the gamification aspects of the app aren't deeply developed enough and students also rely on other tools Study Buddy doesn't yet offer.
Goal
Retain usage by improving gamification mechanics in the app, and offering other popular studying tools.
Motivation
Users
-
Tech-savvy, self-motivated individual
-
Between the ages of 15 and 30
-
Needs a way to make studying more fun.
-
More likely female
Typical User Profile
They are driven by staying productive and high academic performance, but sometimes they need extra motivation to keep the ball rolling.
Market Research
Comparing features between Study Bunny & its competitors
In considering the features our competitors offered, alongside our users, several opportunities fit into the future vision of Study Buddy well:
Opportunities
-
Multiple ways to earn 'coins'
-
In-app unlocks
-
Competition
-
Pomodoro timer
-
Flashcards
Figma Prototype
It's very heavy on assets, so please give it a minute to load, thank you!
Solution
Improved look & gamification
-
To-do list
Completing items on the to-do list rewards users with coins. Due dates can be set and visualized to aid time-management.
-
Flash cards
Flash cards can be created and shared in Study Bunny's new social network. Users are rewarded for creating a popular set.
New productivity tools that replace our users' reliance on other tools.
Retaining Users
Studying with a buddy helps students feel more motivated - they get less lonely, and enjoy some friendly competition.
Social Components
-
Chat & Group Chat
Social profiles & chat motivates users through:-
Preventing loneliness as a distraction
-
Friendly competition
-
Answering each others' questions
-
Holding each other to studying schedules
-
-
Forum
Users can post flash cards and notes on forums separated by topics.
-
Studying Together
Users can earn more coins if they study together with a buddy.
A longer, more exciting study timer mode for big study timelines, like exams. It improves motivation by giving each study block a more meaning.
Adventure Mode
-
Study Timer Adventure Mode
Originally, each study timer is a standalone action. With the Adventure mode, users can set a study schedule over a long timeline towards a big goal (an exam)-
Milestones earn students extra rewards
-
Keeps users invested in the app for a longer time
-
Payoff of finishing a big project feels very rewarding
-
Outcome
In testing, the new Study Bunny was received very well and only 24% of users dropped off after 2 months of use as opposed to the original 68%. That was a huge success.
The most popular new features were the flash cars, to-do list, and the adventure mode. Users appreciated how simple these were. They also found the new design and gamification additions (new items in the shop) to be very fun.
The social components of the app were hard to test as they require a bigger usage base to use. In addition, there are a lot of logistical difficulties with it including safety for our young user base.
Although I conducted many rounds and methods of user testing (questionnaires, interviews, play testing) and used that data to drive decisions that increased user retention, I did this as a freelance project, which means that unfortunately, I can't follow-up with users on the success of Study Bunny's transformation.
