Project

001

Snapask's Homepage Usability

I led a usability study and proposed four design suggestions. These were incorporated into the product plan, resulting in easier page navigation for 200,000+ students and a 7% increase in the conversion rate.

Overview

002

Problem

How can we ensure a seamless user experience for both our current and
new users with the new homepage?

Solution

A usability report that was shared among the cross-functional team.

Info

003

Method

Moderated & Unmoderated Usability Testing, Interview, Survey

My Role

UX Researcher

Timeline

2 weeks

Team

1 Researcher (me)
2 UX Designers
1 Engineer
1 Project Manager

Impact

1. A product plan informed by research
2. Deeper user empathy within the cross-functional team

Timeline

004

Unpacking the problem

005

Understand assumptions.

The project began with a rather ambiguous request: 'Can you arrange a few testing sessions before we revamp the homepage in three weeks?' I scheduled stakeholder interviews to understand what the team wanted to learn and what assumptions they were making about the new homepage.

Research Question

010

01. How effectively can existing users ask questions using the new homepage? 

01

How effectively can existing users ask questions using the new homepage?

02

How effectively can existing users review their

02

Help team be more data-driven

Scoping, planning, recruiting

006

Optimize cross-country research with mixed-methods.

Considering the cross-country scope of our research in Hong Kong and Taiwan, I chose using mixed-methods approach consisting of unmoderated & moderated usability testing, surveys, and interviews to obtain user insights.

I recruited 30 users (27 from HK and 3 from TW) via in-app notification to test our hypotheses focused on existing users. I also included 5 TW students (non-users) to gain insight into how they interact with the new homepage.

Method

HK- Unmoderated usability testing
TW- Moderated usability testing & Interview
All- Survey

Task

1. Ask a math question
2. Select specific tutor
3. Check available question token
4. Review purchase plan

Tool

Maze - provide success rates, time taken, and heat maps
to
give team more usability context
Miro -  synthesize research findings
Figma - high-fidelity wireframes

Pilot Testing

007

Good research
requires iterations.

Before the research sessions, I sent the unmoderated testing link to six colleagues - three UXers and three non-UX professionals - to identify any potential confusion in the
tasks and survey.

Analyzing Data

008

Quotes & clicks.

By combining data from interviews, surveys, and click data collected by Maze, I used affinity diagramming to quickly uncover crucial insights.

Sharing

009

From findings to
actionable design recs.

After analyzing and synthesizing the findings, I converted them into actionable design recommendations, making it easier for my team to grasp the key takeaways from the research. Here are a few example slides that I've shared with them:

Impacting the team 

010

Be a Multiplier.

In a cross-functional world, researchers are no longer just methodology experts but discovery guides, enabling everyone to hear the voice of the users.

01

Design recommendations

I proposed four design recommendations and they were all accepted and implemented. These design changes have made a significant impact on the experience of over 200,000+ students who use the new home page.

02

Help team be more data-driven

In our product meetings, designers and engineers reference the misclick rate. Numbers can be a powerful tool in telling the story of the user experience and helping stakeholders visualize the impact of their work.

What I've Learned

011

Use the right tools

Knowing what research tools to use is a crucial skill, especially for unmoderated testing. These tools offer vital context that compensates for the absence of in-person observation.

Involve your team ASAP

UXR multiplies team learning about users. Since stakeholders have limited time, lightweight methods like displaying user quotes in meeting rooms can give them a taste of the research process.

Moving forward: build impact framework

My report resulted in design changes, but I'm uncertain of its impact on stakeholders. To measure impact, I'll ask stakeholders how quickly they make decisions after receiving an insight.

Moving forward: document more

Including my design reasoning, research influence, and user impact would help track my progress and provide context for future team members.

What's It Like Working With Me

012



I was able to see that not only is she smart, she also has a growth mindset and is able to reflect and learn through asking the right questions. The answers to her questions even led to changes in our three year product plan. The entire product team often rely on Sonia's comments to help us gain a new perspective and to come up with solution that open doors full of possibilities for our products.
- Jason Wang (VP of Design @ Snapask) 

Sonia is a brilliant and gifted UX researcher who really understands how to find valuable insights and advocate for users. She has a strong desire for creative problem solving and the ability to plan, manage and execute end-to-end UX research projects.
- Ben (Senior UX designer @ IBM) 

Inspiring, motivating, and fun! I had the pleasure of working with Sonia in the UX team at Snapask for over 6 months. She's great at handling multiple projects simultaneously, sharp at analyzing and finding insights, and creative in storytelling.
- Vera (UX writer @ HelloFresh)