‘MicroLearnable’ helps beginners learn coding in Dart language - from basics to building products. The journey starts with 'First Step in Coding,' a simple game where teens learn basic coding concepts by helping an otter escape prison using drag-and-drop code blocks to control its movements.

I discovered that students had a high failure rate from this very first stage. To increase the success rate, I improved the user experience to be more seamless and reduced the completion time.

Background

Goal

  • Optimize UX flow in the First Step in Coding

  • Reduce game completion time

My role

  • Product Manager

  • UX Designer

Duration

  • 2023.10.-2024.02

Understanding the Problem

  • The high failure rate in First Step in Coding

The high failure rate in 'First Step in Coding' blocked students from moving forward. This first step was key - students who finished it had an 81% chance of succeeding in the next stage, while those who skipped it had only a 6.7% chance.

Problem Statement

How can I address the causes of high failure rates
to ensure users have a successful experience?

  • Competitive Analysis
    : Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of existing content

Approach to Problem

Compared to Naver's ‘Entry ‘and Apple's ‘Swift Playgrounds’, First Step in Coding of ‘MicroLearnable’ offers clear mission instructions but struggles with unintuitive game screens and lacks proper coding concept explanations for beginners.

I aimed to understand users’ pain points by conducting usability testing and observing UX flow. To determine target audiences, I surveyed over 100 students from six countries on their smartphone ownership, screen time, and familiarity with digital tools. As a result, I decided to conduct usability testing with Korean students, who had the highest digital proficiency, and Malawian students, who had the lowest.

  • Usability Testing: Understandingthe user pain points

During testing, I recorded both the students' gameplay screens and their faces. I observed significant differences in completion times: Korean students finished the game in under an hour, while Malawian students took over two hours with the teacher’s help. To identify the root cause, I analyzed video recordings of their gameplay and conducted interviews.

  • Outcomes: Three painpoints

Based on the analysis of usability testing, I identified three key pain points that students faced. These obstacles increased completion times and led to higher failure rates.

Solution to Problem

Intuitive game screen design

  • Modified to create an engaging design that aligns with the game's story
    → Designed to feel like a game rather than educational content, fostering familiarity with coding

  • Created realistic game elements for visual clarity, reducing text-heavy instructions in favor of intuitive visual cues

Previous Game Interface

*

Videos and examples for coding concepts

Explanatory videos

  • Incorporated explanatory videos for each new coding concept as it's introduced

  • Added visual demonstrations showing how code applies in game scenario

Visual demonstrations

Tutorial

  • Created a comprehensive tutorial explaining game interface layout and control mechanisms

  • Strategically placed before gameplay to improve user comprehension

Difficulty level refinement

Extended stage

7-Level Structure

  • Segmented difficulty into 7 levels, each chapter dedicated to a single coding concept

  • Extended practice stages with incremental complexity
    e.g. 2 basic stages + 2 practice stages

Solution Validation

  • Second-round Testing: Verification of problem solutions

I evaluated solution effectiveness through second-round testing with 3 new participants, using consistent testing methodology.

  • Key Outcomes

23% reduction in completion time

Solutions addressing key pain points yielded positive user feedback and resulted in 23% faster completion times.

Increased Positive Feedback

  • User satisfaction increased by 12% 
in positive feedback

  • Overall user experience improved with a 15% reduction in negative feedback

Reflection

My background as a kindergarten teacher turned out to be surprisingly relevant to product design. Just as I once helped children with language delays learn step-by-step, I found myself using similar techniques to help users grasp coding concepts and build design.

Through this project, I learned that numbers don't tell the whole story. Putting myself in users' shoes opened my eyes to solutions I couldn't see from data alone. While data showed high failure rates, it was the real conversations with users that illuminated the path forward. By listening to their struggles and feedback, I was able to make meaningful improvements that led to a 23% reduction in completion time.