TL;DR Onboarding
Introducing the new TL;DR feature by showcasing its core value
TL;DR
A feature introduction and walkthrough to familiarize users with the new TL;DR feature on Chegg's mobile app
Goal
Boost awareness and engagement of the new feature by highlighting its benefits and making it easy for users to get started
Role
Product designer (Research, UX/UI design, handoff, testing) in collaboration with PM, engineers, QA, data analyst, UXR, content designer and animator
CONTEXT
🧐 The problem
SWIMMING IN A SEA OF ENDLESS INFORMATION
In today’s demanding academic world, students often find themselves overwhelmed by tight deadlines, endless information, and the struggle to make sense of lengthy, complex materials.
Balancing these challenges can be exhausting, making it difficult to focus on what truly matters and to learn efficiently.
As generative AI gained popularity, we at Chegg recognized an opportunity to leverage it to address this specific pain point. While we already utilized AI to support learning, we believed that it could further help students save time and focus on learning more effectively.
Interviewees' quotes
WHAT DO THEY SAY?
"It’s hard to know what’s important in long articles, and even when I figure it out, I still struggle to retain the key details."
MICHAEL, 1ST YEAR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT
"Sometimes I skim through texts just to save time, but I worry that I’m missing key points and not really understanding the material."
LEAH, 3RD YEAR BIOLOGY STUDENT
📚 Current solution
FROM A LONG TEXT TO A SUMMARY
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In March 2024, we launched the TL;DR feature on the Chegg Study app as an experiment to assess its desirability.
With TL;DR, students can convert lengthy texts into concise, customized summaries that are easy to understand, breaking free from the weight of information overload.
This AI-based tool sharpens study sessions by delivering essential information quickly, helping students stay focused while saving valuable time.
The current solution - TL;DR: from a long document to a summary
LAUNCH & LEARN
📈 Experiment results
SO... HOW WAS IT?
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We launched the new TL;DR feature as an experiment, with 50% of app subscribers included in the test group. Throughout the experiment, we closely tracked user behavior to gain insights into how they interacted with the feature.
While the summary creation funnel saw a solid 52% completion rate among users who engaged with the feature, and 36% of the users returned to create additional summaries - overall usage remained low, with less than 2% of the allocated users participating.
This highlighted two key challenges:
01
Awareness
Many students remain unaware of this core feature, highlighting the need for better communication and increased visibility within the app to ensure users are aware of this feature and understand how it can help them.
02
Engagement
Students typically come to Chegg with a specific goal in mind - getting homework help - and may not be as inclined to explore new tools and offerings. Encouraging them to discover and utilize new features like TL;DR requires a shift in how we capture their attention and motivate deeper engagement.
🤔 How might we boost user engagement with the new TL;DR feature?
SOLUTION PROPOSAL
🥁 The next step
HIGHLIGHTING CORE VALUE
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Hypothesis
We believe that adding a feature introduction for the TL;DR feature will increase user awareness and engagement, leading to higher adoption and more frequent usage.
We planned a feature introduction with three key components designed to capture attention and clearly communicate the value of the TL;DR feature:
01
Animation
A visually engaging animation captures attention and reflects the value proposition of the feature: saving time. It visually represents how the TL;DR feature helps users streamline their study process.
02
Text
Clear, concise text highlights how the feature delivers quick, digestible summaries to help users absorb key information more efficiently.
03
Walkthrough
A guided walkthrough shows users exactly where to access the feature on the homepage or lets them start using it immediately from the walkthrough
I created a storyboard to visually explain what the TL;DR feature does and how it benefits users. I specified the elements, interactions, texts, colors, typography, and script. Working closely with an animator, we developed an engaging animation that highlights the feature's time-saving benefits in a clear and concise way.
Timing matters
We needed to determine the optimal moment to introduce the feature to users. To do this, we considered the concepts of "green" and "red" zones.
Green zone
A state when users are more available and open to exploring new features or additional tasks. In this state, users have completed a primary task or goal and are not under time pressure or stress.
Red zone
A state when users are focused on a specific goal and under time pressure or stress. They prioritize efficiency and task completion, making them less receptive to distractions.
Our goal was to engage users in their green zone. To achieve this, we decided to present the feature introduction immediately after users click out of the chat where they solved their homework. This strategic timing allows us to capture their attention right after completing a task, making them more open to exploring the benefits of the TL;DR feature.
DESIGN
🎨 Animation design
TIME SAVING IN ACTION
💡 Solution overview
ONBOARDING SCREENS
The main feature introduction screen includes the animation along with the text, featuring two text versions for A/B testing
The walkthrough screen highlights the entry point to the feature on the homepage and offers users the option to access the feature immediately
RESULTS
🕵️ After the release
ASSESSING THE IMPACT
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After analyzing user engagement and behavior, we found a 6% increase in user engagement with the TL;DR feature following the release of the feature introduction.
This growth indicates that the onboarding effectively captured users' attention and encouraged exploration, reinforcing the importance of clear communication and guidance in enhancing user interactions within the app.
NEXT STEPS
🤔 Final thoughts
WHAT'S NEXT?
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Continuous monitoring
We will conduct ongoing analysis of user engagement data to understand how users interact with the TL;DR feature. This will help us identify areas for improvement and ensure the feature continues to provide value.
User feedback
Gathering qualitative feedback is crucial for understanding user experiences. We will conduct surveys and interviews to gain deeper insights into users' perceptions, which will guide our future improvements.
