Survey & user interviews
De-risking a mobile beta release at Thinkific.
The challenge
Thinkific is a software platform that helps over 50,000 creators make and sell online courses to millions of learners. Company leadership was keen to invest in a mobile app focused on the learning experience due to creator demand.
While the team had considerable data into creators, there was little direct insight into learner behaviours and needs, making the launch of the mobile app risky. Leadership and the direct team responsible for the app were keen to understand adoption opportunities so that they could best position the beta and make decisions about what features to prioritise.
My role
Collaborating closely with the mobile team, I designed and led a generative research study to understand the routines of learners as they relate to device usage: mobile versus laptop.
The working team included:
Myself, acting as a senior researcher
A junior researcher
Product manager
Product marketing manager
This is a 4-minute summary video relaying study highlights which I shared at a company-wide all hands to help to shed light on this previously overlooked user segment.
Approach
Designing the study
Since the main goal of the mobile app beta was to increase learner adoption, I approached the study design by asking, “How can a mobile channel help learners reach their goals and improve their learning experiences?” I then:
Reviewed past research data, both internal and external, to frame research directions.
Presented my findings of past research and potential research questions to the team.
Led workshop-style kick-off with the direct team, to share my findings of past research, share potential research questions, engage their expertise, and align on their beta release plans.
I prepared a research plan for final review with the team, using what I learned in the kick-off to write the plan.
Running the study
After the plan was complete, the junior researcher and I worked together to:
Recruit through Thinkific creators. (This was actually the most challenging part of the study because learners are creator’s customers. We could not reach out to them directly!)
Develop a survey to understand broad learner segments and to screen for interviews.
Run semi-structured interviews with learners to hear and see how they learn.
Walk the team through “I-Statements” or themes in a “walk the wall” workshop, where everyone could see affinity-mapped interview notes first-hand.
Wondering what “I-Statements” are? Check-out this 5-minute explanation.
Results
We learned that Learners’ mobile touch points are limited and the app learning experience needs to be ready when they are.
Learners often use free time for passive learning, like watching videos or listening to audio lessons. They’ll pick up their phone or tablet when they can, expecting to pick up where they left off. Focused learning usually happens on a desktop computer.
With this new shared understanding of a previously overlooked user segment, the research study:
Aligned the mobile team around a data-backed roadmap, post beta.
Set-up beta customers for success by giving them direct insight into their own learners.
Enabled other teams such as customer support and marketing to tailor their approaches in communications in and outside of the Thinkific platform.