HobbyHub Case Study
An end-to-end platform dedicated to fostering a support system for hobby learners.
Project Timeline
80 hours
Project Type
Hobby Groups
Social
Conceptual
Contributor
Simran Singal
UX/ UI Designer
My Contributions
UX Research
UI Design
Brand Design
Starting Point
The surge in online learning has made it easier for individuals to pursue hobbies or acquire new skills affordably and conveniently. Despite the plethora of available activities, many enthusiasts begin courses in photography, coding, or other fields, only to lose motivation and abandon their learning journeys shortly after the initial excitement.
This case study proposes that a lack of supportive networks contributes to this dropout trend. Without a platform for discussing progress, engaging in peer learning, and sharing experiences, the learning process becomes isolating and unrewarding.
In addressing this issue, our design process aims to establish dedicated peer networks or small groups based on users' shared interests and ongoing learning pursuits. By fostering positive connections, we seek to enhance users' commitment to long-term learning goals.
Design Process
Market Research
Recent research shows a growing trend in collaborative hobby-based learning with peers, enhancing the learning process and sustaining interest in acquiring skills. This approach, driven by the benefits of discipline and shared experiences, offers crucial support during tough learning phases.
Active engagement with peers promotes resource exchange and diverse problem-solving methods, providing constructive feedback for self-assessment. While solitary learning remains popular for its flexibility and focus, there's an emerging consensus on a hybrid approach. This model allows individuals to pursue hobbies at their own pace while benefiting from a supportive network, integrating shared insights into their personal learning journey.
Competitor Research
I meticulously evaluated five competitors chosen for their status as learning platforms with a pronounced emphasis on fostering learning communities. This specific criterion was devised to gain insights into the diverse landscape of peer and learning communities, aiming to understand people's preferences and concerns regarding these platforms. Through this approach, we identified fundamental features that users expect in hobby learning communities. Notably, we excluded structured learning programs like Coursera and SkillShare from our analysis, as our focus lies on creating dynamic learning communities rather than formal programs. This refined selection process positioned Meetup and Hobify as direct competitors, while Unblnd, Facebook, and Upskillist emerged as indirect competitors in our exploration of collaborative hobby-based learning platforms.
User Interviews to Affinity Mapping!
In order to delve into firsthand experiences and uncover overarching trends, I conducted interviews with five individuals who have engaged in learning hobbies through online platforms or have attempted such learning endeavors. Armed with comprehensive market knowledge and insights from competitor analysis, I was well-prepared to conduct insightful and targeted interviews. The objective was to gain a deeper understanding of individuals' real-life experiences, allowing for a more empathetic and nuanced exploration of the subject matter.
Example questions
What aspects of a peer learning group are exciting for you?
What aspects might deter you from joining?
What do you hope to get out of a learning community/ group?
Problem Statement
Enhance connections for learners in communities to prevent disengagement and loss of crucial support during their learning journey.
User Personas
After doing all the research and conducting interviews, I was able to understand the users on a deeper level and empathize with their journeys and the problems faced on those journeys. The following two user archetypes emerged.
Alex, The Dynamic Competitor
Alex, a creative spirit, draws joy from learning various sports. Constantly adding new activities to her repertoire, she seeks like-minded individuals for competitive learning. Geographical constraints in learning communities pose a challenge, yet Alex persists, believing that meeting and learning from diverse individuals is vital for maximizing the benefits of any sport.
Emma, The Curious Explorer
Emma, a keen learner, enthusiastically embraces new hobbies but craves encouragement and accountability as her learning journey progresses. Working remotely, she seeks like-minded individuals for support. Despite initial hesitations about connecting with strangers and past feelings of being lost in communities, Emma remains hopeful, acknowledging the potential rewards of discovering a meaningful learning community.
Idea Brainstorming
Guided by the following questions, I set out to brainstorming some solutions to the defined problem.
How might we increase the connection building aspect of learning communities?
How might we make the user feel more confident (or comfortable) about interacting with the community?
How might we make the communities more engaging for the users?
Solution
In the collaborative discussions with fellow designers, the following solution emerged as the most promising due to its alignment with user preferences for small, informal learning groups. The solution was developed further by taking into account the business goals and information from the user affinity mapping.
Participants will be organized into small cohorts of 10, matched based on hobby type, learning level, and availability through a questionnaire. Guided by the chatbot, they will schedule weekly video calls or “huddles” in the cohort group chats to collectively learn and discuss specific aspects of their hobby.
This comprehensive solution adeptly addressed the challenge of scheduling regular interactions, acknowledging the difficulty users face in engaging with strangers. The proposed chatbot will help with the ice-breaking, assist in planning weekly huddles, and maintain cohort engagement through prompts. It ensures a user-friendly, engaging, and flexible approach to learning in small, tailored cohorts.
Project Goals
The following goals guided the solution building process!
Feature Prioritization
From this solution, numerous features and ideas emerged. To adhere to the concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), I meticulously chose the most crucial features. These features were either fundamental or served to provide a distinct edge to the product. Prioritizing aspects related to huddles, cohort building, and aligning the most suitable learners with the right cohort took precedence in this selection process.
User Flows
I crafted three primary user flows for this product. The 'joining a hobby group' flow, although relatively lengthy, remains manageable as it follows a familiar process for users - finding their desired hobby, checking group details, and completing a questionnaire to join.
The 'Plan Huddle' flow posed a slight challenge due to the novelty of the feature. Ensuring simplicity and learnability to reduce friction in understanding its purpose and usage was crucial. Introducing prompts from the chatbot directly linked to huddle planning, along with polls appearing in the relevant hobby chat window, emerged as the most suitable approach.
The 'Join a Call' flow, while straightforward to design, emphasized the priority of expediency. I aimed to streamline the process, allowing users to swiftly enter a call, especially when running late or pressed for time, a common scenario experienced joining ongoing calls.
Sketches
Having drawn inspiration from various online sources and my surroundings, I opted to create wireframes that are familiar to users. This approach allows them to concentrate more on understanding the product and eagerly engaging with its features. Given the MVP nature of the project, I concentrated on designing the most critical features while also incorporating baseline features to provide users with an accurate first run experience.
Brand Design
Given the product's emphasis on social motivation and the personal learning experience, I crafted a brand that radiates happiness, fosters trust in building new connections, and evokes a sense of welcome and belongingness.
High Fidelity Wireframes
Testing the Prototype
To assess the prototype's effectiveness, validate design decisions, and identify areas for improvement, I conducted a moderated testing session with a sample of five individuals. The primary focus was on evaluating ease of use, comprehending the product's purpose, and overall user satisfaction. Additionally, I sought insights into whether the product idea resonated with participants and assessed the general usability of the user interface.
Join a Hobby Group: Upon signing up, users navigate the steps to join a group based on their preferred hobby or multiple groups for various interests. After understanding the group's dynamics from the particular hobby pages, users complete a questionnaire, leading to matching with like-minded enthusiasts, facilitated by a chatbot in a group chat.
Plan a Huddle: Following introductions, participants are guided to plan their huddles. The huddle's day and time are determined by responses in the previous questionnaire, and users simply decide the huddle type (Co-work/Week work) and select a topic from provided options.
Join an Ongoing Huddle Call: The streamlined process of joining an ongoing huddle call is a key feature, ensuring users can seamlessly access this vital function in the product.
Feedback Synthesis
Questionnaire
Hobby Page
Group Chat
Looking Ahead
Within the 80-hour timeframe, HobbyHub was crafted, centering on injecting a social element into the current landscape of hobby learning. It aims to facilitate mutual learning, support, and motivation among users, fostering a sense of community to fuel their individual learning journeys.
Moving ahead, the product can enhance the huddles feature by introducing an in-person option for meetups, catering to hobbies requiring a physical presence, such as sports. Further research and testing of the online huddles feature will refine its functionality based on user behavior and feedback. Beyond integrating features from the existing matrix, active engagement with users and garnering their impressions will be valuable. Conducting in-depth research to understand users within the product context will drive further development and refinement of the product concept.
As we continue to evolve HobbyHub, the user experience remains at the forefront, ensuring a seamless and enriching journey for hobby learners, fostering connections, and igniting the joy of learning.