Peerly
Designing an accessible tutoring platform that connects students with verified near-peer tutors for fast, affordable academic support.
Role
Product designer
Timeline
10 weeks
Tools
Figjam, Figma, Usberry, Lovable
Platform
Mobile app
Project Overview
Leading on a global project consisting of research based in the USA, Guatemala, and Africa facing strict timelines and building an app from ideation to final prototype that is ready for development.
The Challenge
Students in under-resourced communities often struggle to access timely and affordable academic support. Traditional tutoring services are expensive and not always accessible when students need immediate help.
While online learning platforms exist, many lack
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trust and transparency
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relatable tutors
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intuitive user experiences
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accessibility for users with varying levels of digital literacy
Project Goal
Create a platform that allows students to quickly connect with trustworthy tutors through a seamless mobile experience. The product needed to reduce friction throughout the user journey while clearly communicating trust through verification systems, profile transparency, and intuitive navigation.
PHASE 1
Research
The project began with user research focused on understanding how students currently seek academic help and what barriers prevent them from receiving support consistently. Research included interviews, empathy mapping, and synthesis exercises to better understand the emotional and functional needs of users.
Below are a few key questions asked to a handful of college students in USA, Guatemala & Africa.
Results
Many students described feeling overwhelmed when trying to find help quickly, especially before exams or assignment deadlines. Common frustrations included high tutoring costs, confusing online platforms, and uncertainty around whether tutors were trustworthy or qualified.
These findings highlighted that speed and trust would become the most important pillars of the product experience.
PHASE 2
Define the Problem
After synthesizing research findings, three major problem areas emerged: access, trust, and usability friction. Students needed immediate and affordable support, but existing systems often required too much time, effort, or money to navigate effectively. Usability issues within existing educational tools created unnecessary cognitive load and discouraged continued engagement.
These insights led to the central design challenge:
How might we design a trust and safety system that gives parents and students confidence in tutor credibility, while keeping the onboarding process simple enough for users with limited tech literacy?
PHASE 3
Ideation
The ideation process explored multiple approaches to tutor discovery, booking, and trust communication. Early sketches and user flows focused on reducing cognitive load and simplifying the number of steps required to begin a tutoring session.
Different concepts were evaluated based on how efficiently users could achieve their goals while still feeling informed and in control of their decisions. Particular attention was given to balancing speed with trust, ensuring users could quickly access help without sacrificing transparency around tutor identity or credibility.
Flow Mapping
During this phase, user flows were developed for tutor discovery, profile exploration, booking sessions, notifications, and account management. The final direction prioritized familiarity and minimal friction across all primary interactions.
Set of hand-drawn concept thumbnails.
Wireframes
The ideation process explored multiple approaches to tutor discovery, booking, and trust communication. Early sketches and user flows focused on reducing cognitive load and simplifying the number of steps required to begin a tutoring session.
PHASE 4
Mockups
The visual identity of Peerly was designed to feel approachable, trustworthy, and modern while remaining highly functional. The interface uses a clean mobile-first layout with clear hierarchy, rounded components, and accessible touch targets to support ease of use across a broad range of users.
Bright yet balanced colors were selected to create an energetic and optimistic experience without overwhelming users during high-stress academic moments. Typography and spacing systems were intentionally structured to improve readability and reduce visual clutter.
Throughout the interface, visual consistency was used to reinforce familiarity and confidence, especially in high-priority actions such as finding tutors or booking sessions.
PHASE 5
Usability Testing
Usability testing through Useberry focused on evaluating navigation clarity and ease of use across core product flows. Several participants were asked to complete realistic tasks such as finding a tutor, booking a session, viewing tutor profiles, accessing notifications, and navigating to account settings.
Results
Metrics collected during testing included 90% task success rate, first-click accuracy, time on task, and hesitation points. Overall, users were able to complete all primary tasks successfully with minimal confusion. The strongest performance was observed within tutor discovery and booking flows, which users described as intuitive and straightforward.
However, some hesitation occurred when locating notifications and account settings, suggesting opportunities to improve secondary navigation visibility and hierarchy.
PHASE 6
Design Improvements
Based on usability testing findings, several refinements were implemented to improve navigation clarity and reduce hesitation. Notification visibility was strengthened through clearer iconography and more prominent visual indicators. Profile and settings areas were adjusted to improve discoverability and reduce the number of steps required to access account-related actions.
Additional identity cues, such as clearer profile labeling and improved user recognition, were introduced to reinforce orientation and confidence. These changes focused on improving the overall usability of secondary interactions while preserving the simplicity and efficiency of the core tutoring experience.
Please interact with the prototype to explore the app
(done through Loveable)
Closing Thoughts
Peerly demonstrated how thoughtful, user-centered design can improve access to academic support while maintaining simplicity and trust. The final product delivered an intuitive experience that allowed students to quickly connect with tutors and manage sessions with minimal friction. The platform also supports broader social impact goals by expanding access to education and creating opportunities for peer mentorship.
Project
To view the entire project, please interact with the FigJam board below.