Building a Q&A study community for medical students

Building a Q&A study community for medical students

Company

Company

Allen's Library

Platform

Platform

Web App

Team

Team

1 PM
1 UX/UI Designer
1 Frontend Developer
2 Backend Developers

Role

Role

Sole Designer
(User Interview,
Competitive Analysis,
Wireframing, UI Design,
Interaction Design,
Design Iteration)

Overview

Overview

Allen’s Library is an online learning platform that helps Korean medical students prepare for the Korean Medical Licensing Examination.

Allen’s Library is an online learning platform that helps Korean medical students prepare for the Korean Medical Licensing Examination.

What was the problem?

What was the problem?

Medical students in Allen’s Library have no way to resolve uncertainties while solving practice questions

Medical students in Allen’s Library have no way to resolve uncertainties while solving practice questions

While 13% of the inquiries to Allen’s Library’s chatbot were questions related to practice content, our team was responsible only for general inquiries, leaving those questions unanswered

While 13% of the inquiries to Allen’s Library’s chatbot were questions related to practice content, our team was responsible only for general inquiries, leaving those questions unanswered

Solution

Solution

Designed a community feature, enabling students to ask questions and get answers

1. Community posts linked directly to each practice question screen

1. Community posts linked directly to each practice question screen

After completing a practice question, related Q&A posts are displayed below the question screen, allowing users to quickly review them if something is unclear.

2. Community page with subject-specific menus

2. Community page with subject-specific menus

The community main page features categorized menus, allowing students to easily navigate to the discussions they are interested in.

3. Subscription required notice

3. Subscription required notice

If users click on a practice question link in a post that isn’t included in their subscription plan, they’re redirected to a notification page indicating which plan is required to access it.

Business and User Impact

Business and User Impact

How did this project help business and users?

How did this project help business and users?

Operational Efficiency

Operational Efficiency

Before the community feature, 13% of chatbot inquiries were about exam questions. With the community in place, these inquiries decreased, allowing the team to focus on higher-value tasks.

Before the community feature, 13% of chatbot inquiries were about exam questions. With the community in place, these inquiries decreased, allowing the team to focus on higher-value tasks.

Enhanced User Engagement

Enhanced User Engagement

Over 60% of user inquiries posted in the community received responses, fostering active participation through answers, likes, and comments.

Over 60% of user inquiries posted in the community received responses, fostering active participation through answers, likes, and comments.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Value

User-Generated Content (UGC) Value

As users contributed and accumulated knowledge over time, the platform built a rich repository of question-related discussions. This allowed students to access relevant answers even before posting, enhancing study efficiency.

As users contributed and accumulated knowledge over time, the platform built a rich repository of question-related discussions. This allowed students to access relevant answers even before posting, enhancing study efficiency.

AS IS & Pain points

AS IS & Pain points

When medical students are unsure about practice questions, they often turn to group chats or search online

When medical students are unsure about practice questions, they often turn to group chats or search online

I conducted brief interviews with 6 medical students to learn how they handle uncertainties while using our service. Their approaches mainly involved either posting questions in group chats or asking peers.

I conducted brief interviews with 6 medical students to learn how they handle uncertainties while using our service. Their approaches mainly involved either posting questions in group chats or asking peers.

1. Posting questions in group chats

1. Posting questions in group chats

The same questions are repeatedly posted

The same questions are repeatedly posted

2. Searching online

2. Searching online

Leaving the service interrupts learning

Leaving the service interrupts learning

This revealed an opportunity to integrate a community service into the platform, allowing students to post and resolve questions after solving them—without leaving the site.

This revealed an opportunity to integrate a community service into the platform, allowing students to post and resolve questions after solving them—without leaving the site.

Competitive Analysis

Competitive Analysis

I began competitive research on other online learning platforms that offer community features to engage users during study.

I began competitive research on other online learning platforms that offer community features to engage users during study.

1. Eduwill

1. Eduwill

Strength: Community pages are divided into educational and general content.


Limitation: Questions are not linked back to the original study material. Without context, user engagement remains low.

Strength: Community pages are divided into educational and general content.


Limitation: Questions are not linked back to the original study material. Without context, user engagement remains low.

2. Khan Academy

2. Khan Academy

Strength: Users can post questions directly under each lesson or exercise, which keeps discussions contextual and relevant.


Limitation: There is no centralized hub; discussions are fragmented across different lessons.

Strength: Users can post questions directly under each lesson or exercise, which keeps discussions contextual and relevant.


Limitation: There is no centralized hub; discussions are fragmented across different lessons.

Key takeaways

1. Connect posts with their corresponding practice questions to provide context and encourage more responses.

1. Connect posts with their corresponding practice questions to provide context and encourage more responses.

2. Enable students to explore all posts on the community page to find and participate in discussions.

2. Enable students to explore all posts on the community page to find and participate in discussions.

Goals

Goals

Establish a community feature that facilitates peer-to-peer support while studying.

Success metrics

Success metrics

User engagement : ≥20% MAU actively engaging with the community feature within the first 4 months

User engagement : ≥20% MAU actively engaging with the community feature within the first 4 months

Peer-to-peer support : ≥50% of posts answered within 5 days

Peer-to-peer support : ≥50% of posts answered within 5 days

User satisfaction: ≥ +30 NPS for the community feature in the annual user survey

User satisfaction: ≥ +30 NPS for the community feature in the annual user survey

Design Decisions

Design Decisions

Shared the wireframes with the team to gather early feedback and iterate on them.

Shared the wireframes with the team to gather early feedback and iterate on them.

I created low-fidelity wireframes early on to align with the PM and developers, ensuring feasibility. Within the wireframes, I mapped out how features connect to each other, making it easier to identify overlooked functions and ensure a seamless process.

1. Community posts under practice question screen

1. Community posts under practice question screen

We decided to show more information about the post so that users can quickly determine its relevance by skimming the title and content.

2. Main community page

2. Main community page

We decided to organize the study-related menu by subject, making it easier for students to find and gather questions.

Final Designs

Final Designs

1. Community posting linked to each practice question screen

1. Community posting linked to each practice question screen

Related community postings are displayed directly below each question screen. This allows other students to easily understand the context and provide more accurate, relevant responses.

2. Community page with subject-specific menus

2. Community page with subject-specific menus

The community main page features categorized menus, allowing students to easily navigate to the discussions they are interested in.

3. Subscription required notice

3. Subscription required notice

When users click a question link in a post that is outside their subscription plan, they are taken to a notification page explaining the access restriction.

Improved mobile accessibility

Improved mobile accessibility

In the mobile version of our web app, I introduced a top-down question flow to let users solve exercises seamlessly. I also adjusted fonts, icon sizes, and color contrast to improve readability and accessibility.

Tracking Impact

Tracking Impact

Success metrics

Success metrics

1. User engagement ( ≥20% MAU within the first 4 months )

1. User engagement ( ≥20% MAU within the first 4 months )

Succeeded : Community MAU hit 32%, indicating high engagement from users.

Succeeded : Community MAU hit 32%, indicating high engagement from users.

2. Peer-to-peer support ( ≥50% of posts answered within 5 days)

2. Peer-to-peer support ( ≥50% of posts answered within 5 days)

Succeeded : For study-related questions, 68% received a response.

Succeeded : For study-related questions, 68% received a response.

Needs improvement : For non-study related questions, only around 21% got a comment.

Needs improvement : For non-study related questions, only around 21% got a comment.

3. User satisfaction: ( ≥ +30 NPS for the community feature in the annual survey )

3. User satisfaction: ( ≥ +30 NPS for the community feature in the annual survey )

Succeeded : Got 42 NPS at the annual survey regarding the community feature.

Succeeded : Got 42 NPS at the annual survey regarding the community feature.

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

What I learned from this project

What I learned from this project

1. Comprehending a project's big picture holds greater value than focusing purely on aesthetics

1. Comprehending a project's big picture holds greater value than focusing purely on aesthetics

I learned that understanding the project’s purpose and impact matters more than just visual polish, helping me focus on solutions that create real value for both the business and users.

2. Maintain frequent and prompt communication with developers

2. Maintain frequent and prompt communication with developers

I found that involving developers early with prototypes was key to evaluating feasibility and exploring alternatives within technical constraints.

3. Importance of story telling

3. Importance of story telling

As the sole designer, I learned that storytelling is crucial for presenting research findings, giving context, and helping the team build a shared understanding.

Let’s create experience together!

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