Redesigned a 7-year-old educational platform from 9 fragmented versions into one unified system, increasing daily active users by 53% and student self-study time by 38%.
After 7 years and 9 versions, ZhiKe's student pad had become a fragmented ecosystem built on legacy code, while pedagogy shifted from teacher-led to student-directed learning—but our tools hadn't evolved.
Redesigned the platform around self-directed learning with gamification, personalized to-do systems, and controlled reward mechanisms that motivate without creating addiction.
Work with my mentor (1 of 2 UX designer) for 6 months, conducting student research, designing gamification systems, and collaborating with developers to modernize legacy architecture.
Key Insight: Students needed tools that fostered self-directed learning while balancing engagement with healthy screen time habits.
The Challenge
9 different versions built on 7-year-old layered code created maintenance nightmares and inconsistent experiences.
Education shifted from teacher-led to self-directed learning, but our platform still reflected passive consumption models.
Students needed motivation for independent study, but EdTech gamification often crosses into addictive territory.
What We Discovered
of students lack self-motivation outside structured curriculum
of teachers showed skepticism—some literally locked pads in cabinets
of parents worried about screen time vs educational value balance
Students respond to cosmetic rewards for healthy competition
"My parents don't like me using screens too much. They think I'm playing games even when I'm doing homework."— Hefei Fourteenth High School Freshman
Personas
Excel with minimal platform use
Leverage technology effectively
Need motivation and support
High engagement, need guidance
The Solution: Education-First Gamification
Learning-focused task management with self-directed goal setting alongside teacher assignments
Badge achievements, peer encouragement, and healthy competition fostering collaboration without grade pressure
Personal study tracking and learning insights for students, teachers, and parents while maintaining privacy
Consistent interface across all devices and subscription levels ensuring equitable learning access
Key Features
Design Strategy
Designing motivation systems that foster genuine learning while preventing addiction through evidence-based psychological principles.
Establishing moral guidelines for educational gamification
Designing meaningful and motivating reward systems
Understanding psychological drivers of engagement
Safeguarding against harmful gaming behaviors
Students set personal learning goals alongside teacher assignments
Learning analytics that show growth without time pressure
To-do lists replace app icons to center on educational goals
Rewards for task completion, not time spent on device
Controlled progression with meaningful educational perks
Avatar themes and customization with built-in expiration to keep motivation
Recognition for classroom participation and academic achievement, not competition
Focus on study habits and self-improvement, not grades or rankings
Classmate gifts and support features that build learning community
Task completion creates logical break moments in usage
Avatar customization and themes that don't affect learning functionality
Visual differentiation from commerical interfaces to address concerns
Technical Innovation
We implemented a modern framework to replace 9 separate homepage versions, requiring close collaboration with developers to retrofit legacy code.
"What made this project meaningful was watching students develop agency over their own learning journeys. The student pad was no longer just a digital textbook—it had become a companion in their educational growth."— Project Reflection
Designing motivation systems for students taught me the critical difference between engagement and exploitation. Every design decision had to balance effectiveness with ethical responsibility.
Working with 7-year-old code while maintaining user familiarity required understanding both technical constraints and user attachment to existing patterns.
Parent concerns, teacher workflows, curriculum requirements, and student development stages all influence interface design in ways consumer product design doesn't encounter.