Overview
Where to Study is an educational app that helps parents in Shanghai navigate school admissions by offering clear policy information, school selection guidance, and parenting support for families with children aged 0–12.
This redesign project focuses on enhancing the app’s user experience by upgrading features, streamlining user flows, and refining the visual design.
Goal
Attract new users and increase retention by effectively showcasing the platform’s service capabilities and delivering a more intuitive, engaging user experience.
Role
Lead UX/UI Designer — I joined the team during the optimization and iteration phase, following the release of the app’s initial version. As the sole designer, I worked closely with the product manager to lead the end-to-end UX/UI design process.
Problem
A Complicated App That Left Parents Lost and Overwhelmed
Parents—especially those without local household registration—face overwhelming difficulties navigating the school admission process. The original app lacked clear navigation and presented cluttered information, making it hard for users to find meaningful support.
Solution
A Streamlined Experience That Connects Parents with the Support They Need
We delivered a streamlined, informative, and easy-to-navigate experience—empowering parents to find the guidance they’re looking for while positioning the platform as a trusted, engaging service built for long-term growth.
Design Process
Stakeholder Interview
At the beginning of the project, the product manager and I met with our boss to understand his vision for the app optimization. The key takeaways were:
- The app needs to increase user volume and retention to maintain its value.
- It should stand out by clearly showcasing the platform’s service capabilities.
- Greater emphasis should be placed on the profitable segment.
Heuristic Analysis
I analyzed the usability of the original app and identified key issues affecting user experience and service visibility:
- Lack of clear hierarchy and categorization reduces browsing efficiency and engagement.
- Insufficient information fails to meet users' needs.
- Important service sections are not prominently highlighted.
- Element placement does not align with user expectations.
- Excessive text increases cognitive load.
User Interviews
With a basic understanding of the current UX problems, the product manager and I conducted user interviews to gather users’ perspectives and build personas. From the user group chat, we recruited and interviewed more than 10 users, who were either new users or long-term users. The interview focused on the follow topics:
- What growing phase are participants’ children in?
- What are their main concerns about school admission?
- What frustrates them most about school admission?
- What functions do they usually use in the app?
- What do they feel about the current user experience?
- What features do they want to see in the app?
Personas
User Flow
Medium-Fidelity Wireframes
Design Solutions
Addressing the project’s problem statement—optimizing the browsing flow and content structure—the key areas of optimization are as follows:
Improve Navigation Efficiency and Strengthen Visual Hierarchy on the Homepage
Showcase School Features Comprehensively While Streamlining Information Hierarchy.
Additional Key Pages
Policy Encyclopedia
Principals' Lectures
Thematic Articles
Parent Community
Mall
My Account
Learnings
I truly appreciate the opportunity this project provided to engage closely with users and learn from their experiences. By refining the user flow and structuring the app’s functions and features, I gained valuable insights into balancing user needs with business objectives. Additionally, I enhanced my illustration skills and strengthened my ability to maintain design consistency. This project has been instrumental in sharpening my skills and pushing me toward becoming a more mature UX designer.