OrcaLearn
2023 | Ed Tech Quiz Path Redesign
Summary
OrcaLearn helps users master Orca whale call identification through self-paced learning modules and structured assessment pathways. This redesign resolved critical usability friction in the assessment flow to build user confidence during evaluations.
Role: Lead UX Designer (Information Architecture, Usability Analysis, Visual Design)
Timeline: 12 weeks
Platform: Mobile Web Browser
Outcome: Reengineered quiz pathing to eliminate dead-end subroutines and navigation errors during validation.
The Problem
Users practicing Orca call identification were routinely abandoning quizzes mid-session. The original interface hid error tracking until the final submission page, forcing users into rigid, linear paths without feedback.
Hidden Feedback Loops: Users could not identify which specific questions were incorrect even after completing the quiz.
Linear Quiz Architecture: Quiz prevents users from skipping questions, reviewing previous answers, or jumping ahead.
Research & Insights
Baseline usability testing (conducted before I joined the project) showed target learners how they navigated the original quiz designs and where their confidence dropped.
Navigation Friction: 5 of 8 participants in the baseline usability test expressed frustration over being unable to skip a question and abandoned the task.
Unclear Progress: Users showed uncertainty in progress due to a lack of status indicators while answering questions.
Design Pivot: Shifted from a locked linear sequence to a non-linear, flexible assessment model with real-time feedback.
Process & Key Decisions
Redesigning the Quiz Architecture
The original quiz forced users into a strict linear path without room to review. I restructured the navigation architecture to give users full control, enabling them to jump freely between questions, review past selections, and track their progress in real time.
Usability Validation
Baseline usability data from 8 participants (collected before I joined the project) showed where the original quiz broke down. After we redesigned the quiz, my team ran usability sessions with 15 participants, and we analyzed the results. In both rounds, participants were given the same task: take the quiz. Task completion rose from 38% to 100%, and participants could identify answer accuracy without help. With flexible quiz navigation and clear answer indicators, participants voiced confidence in their learning while taking the quiz.
Developer Collaboration & Handoff
I delivered annotated Figma screens and interactive prototypes to the volunteer developer and stakeholder teams, covering flexible navigation and clear answer indicators.
The Solution
The redesigned interface introduces a flexible navigation path alongside instant answer verification.
Flexible Quiz Navigation: Allows users to jump freely between questions without answering every item before moving forward.
Immediate Answer Feedback: Displays instant correct/incorrect visual status upon answer selection to eliminate guesswork.
Impact & Retrospective
Future iterations could focus on adaptive difficulty scaling, adjusting quiz complexity in real time based on user performance metrics.
Key Outcomes & Impact
100% Task Completion Rate: Only 3 of 8 participants completed the original quiz in baseline testing, while all 15 participants in post-redesign testing successfully completed the audio identification quiz pathing without getting lost or dropping off.”
100% Feedback Clarity: 15 out of 15 participants instantly identified answer accuracy upon submission, driven by new high-contrast, color-coded validation states.
Dual-Modal Learning Precision: Integrated raw audio playback with synchronous waveform visuals, bridging the gap between sound recognition and listener confidence.
Key Takeaways
Multi-Sensory Cues Drive Confidence: Users rely heavily on visual waveform signatures alongside audio playback to differentiate complex, subtle bio-acoustic pod calls.
Closing the Feedback Loop: Replacing ambiguous submission states with immediate, explicit validation transformed the quiz flow from guesswork into an engaging, structured learning tool.