Hooked on Phonics
Redesigned navigation and information architecture to improve content discoverability and reduce friction for parents.
SERVICE
Product Design
CLIENT
Hooked on Phonics
DURATION
3 months, Sep - Dec 2025
MY ROLE
Product Designer & Project Manager
TOOLS
Figma
TEAM
Gloria Y, Aayushi B, Anvita S, Conor M
See the results
Project Overview
Improving Navigation and Content Discovery in a Learning Platform
Parents struggled to find relevant learning resources for their children in Hooked on Phonics due to unclear navigation and fragmented content structure.
In this project, I led UX research and design to uncover how users explored the platform and where they encountered friction. Through usability testing and behavioral analysis, I identified gaps in information architecture and navigation clarity, and translated these insights into a redesigned structure that improved discoverability and reduced cognitive load.
Impact
↓ Reduced navigation friction across key flows
↑ Improved content discoverability and engagement
↑ Faster access to learning resources
Defining the Challenge
When Navigation Doesn’t Match How Users Think
The Initial Assumption vs. The Reality
The initial assumption was that Learning Resources underperformed due to visibility and UI issues.
However, research revealed a deeper problem: the platform’s structure didn’t align with how parents expected to find and explore learning content. Users weren’t struggling because content was missing, they were struggling because they couldn’t find, interpret, or navigate it with confidence.
Validating Through Research
To understand where and why breakdowns occurred, I conducted exploratory research across stakeholders, competitors, and parents, focusing on how users search, scan, and decide.
Stakeholder & Client Insights
Initial conversations highlighted early assumptions:
Learning resources lacked visibility
Navigation hierarchy felt unclear
Filters and breadcrumbs were inconsistent
The core product offering was not clearly communicated
User Research Focus
We centered research around two key questions:
How do parents navigate to and within learning resources?
Where does the current structure support or break their decision-making?
Competitive Analysis
I analyzed leading educational platforms (Mindly Games, Education.com, SplashLearn, K5 Learning) to understand patterns in content discovery.
What's Missing
Across all research, one pattern emerged:
The issue wasn’t lack of content, it was lack of structure, clarity, and guidance.
Key Insights
Where the Experience Breaks Down?
After synthesizing our research, three major problems emerged that were preventing parents from successfully using the Learning Resources section.
INSIGHT 1 – CONTENT IS HARD TO FIND
Learning resources are hard to find
Top navigation lacks clarity & hierarchy: with lack of clear entry points, unclear language, and overlapping labels
Search functionality goes unnoticed and there is inconsistency in how the search functionality works across the site
Filters are unpredictable: content filters resemble a side nav, the filter results aren’t properly communicated with the user
INSIGHT 2 – EXPLORATION DOESN'T LEAD TO PROGRESSION
Individual resource pages limit continued engagement and learning progression
Breadcrumb structure is inconsistent & doesn’t allow easy backtracking
Users miss links while scrolling
Users misunderstand sneak peak videos of the app as playable games on the website
Users expect guidance to the next relevant resource
INSIGHT 3 – CORE PRODUCT IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINED
Users do not know what the core product is
Users don’t know the overall product offering
The homepage does not define the product
“Get Started for $1” creates confusion rather than entice users to pay
Users want to experience the product before subscribing
Strategic Direction
From fixing pages to designing a learning journey
Based on these key insights, we established following strategic direction to guide our design decisions.
Design a continuous, exploration-based user experience that helps parents guide their children’s learning journey, while clearly communicating the extent of free and paid product offerings.
Build a continuous, exploration-based experience
Supporting users in navigating the site through multiple entry points to find the resource they need.
Support a guided learning journey
Providing clear direction on what resources to use next to support child's learning progress
Communicating free & paid product offerings
Connect free and paid resources, making it easy for the users to understand the breath of offerings.
Ideation
Translating Insights into Product Decisions
Instead of redesigning individual pages, I focused on resolving three critical breakdowns in how users find, evaluate, and progress through content.
Each design decision targets a specific failure in the learning journey, transforming the experience from fragmented exploration into a guided system.
PAGE 1 – RESOURCE HUB
From Scattered Exploration to Structured Discovery
The Problem
Users struggled to locate relevant content due to unclear hierarchy, inconsistent filtering, and overlapping labels.
Design Decision
Restructure the hub to support predictable, goal-driven browsing:
Convert filters into true filtering mechanisms (not side navigation)
Introduce filter chips + result counts for visibility and feedback
Add subtopics as structured filtering options
Improve layout spacing for faster scanning
Introduce sorting to support different browsing behaviors
PAGE 2 – RESOURCE DETAIL PAGE
From Dead Ends to Guided Progression
The Problem
Users lacked direction after viewing a resource and struggled to navigate backward or forward.
Design Decision
Transform resource pages into connected learning nodes:
Clarify breadcrumb hierarchy for reliable backtracking
Introduce clickable grade + topic tags
Surface related resources aligned to the current context
Reframe sneak peek content to clarify free vs paid value
PAGE 3 – HOMEPAGE
From Ambiguity to Clear Product Framing
The Problem
Users didn’t understand what the product offered or how free and paid content differed.
Design Decision
Clarify product value and guide users into the experience:
Introduce a clear value proposition above the fold
Use visuals to communicate what’s included in the product
Add a direct entry point into Learning Resources
Clearly distinguish free vs paid offerings
Validation the Redesign
Did the new structure actually reduce friction?
After refining the high-fidelity designs, I conducted 5 moderated usability sessions with parents of preschool and early-elementary children (30–45 minutes each).
The goal was to validate whether the redesigned experience aligned with how parents expect to find, evaluate, and act on learning content.
What Changed?
KEY CHANGE 1 – NAVIGATION
Filters, Breadcrumbs & Hierarchy Supported Quick Discovery
Before: Users hovered, backtracked, and relied on trial-and-error to find content.
After:
Parents immediately applied filters, understood their location, and navigated with intent.
"Everything was where I expected it to be. This feels really intuitive."
KEY CHANGE 2 – CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT
Clickable Tags & Related Resources Built Stronger Learning Pathways
Before: Resource pages acted as endpoints with no clear next step.
After:
Parents actively explored: Related resources, Topic tags, and Next-step materials
"I immediately get if this fits my child, and what to use next.”
What We Didn't Fully Solve
IMPROVEMENT 1 – LANAGUAGE
Language still created friction
Testing also revealed subtle but important friction.
3 out of 5 participants clicked “Learn Concepts” expecting worksheets or practice materials. The label activated the wrong mental model. The structure worked, but the language did not.
“I thought Learn Concepts was where the worksheets would be. It sounds like the place where kids learn.”
So we changed “Learn Concepts” to “Curriculum Guide.”
In follow-up conversations, parents immediately understood it as informational rather than downloadable materials. The problem was not navigation anymore.
IMPROVEMENT 2 – PRODUCT OFFERING
Inconsistent CTA messaging created confusion about the product offering
On the homepage, parents interpreted “Start for $1” as access to the full bundle—app + physical materials. However, on the resource page, the same offer felt like app-only access.
This inconsistency caused hesitations around value, expectations, and trust.
We unified the copy across pages to clearly communicate that the offer included both interactive app content and hands-on materials.
After the change, parents expressed clearer understanding of what they were paying for.
Final Solution
Bringing Clarity to Learning Discovery
The final designs present a clearer, more intuitive Learning Resources experience for parents.
Outcomes & Impact
Turning Learning Resources into a Growth Engine
The redesign transformed Learning Resources from a passive content library into a strategic entry point that drives discovery, engagement, and product understanding.
By aligning the experience with parent mental models, the system now supports clearer decision-making and more intentional navigation.
Behavioral Outcomes
100% task completion
All participants successfully found grade-specific resources
Reduced hesitation
Users navigated directly without backtracking or confusion
Clearer product understanding
Users correctly interpreted the offer after copy refinement
Stronger engagement
Users explored related content and next steps easily
Product-Level Impact
Strengthened Learning Resources as a top-of-funnel discovery entry point
Improved clarity of free vs paid offering, reducing conversion friction
Created a foundation for scalable content organization and future growth
“The redesign opens up a lot of opportunities and really helps us think through what we should prioritize next.”
— Our Client, Tatum
"Once again, thank you all for a splendid presentation. It’s obvious you understood our site and our various needs. I’m so impressed by the depth of your suggested solutions. I know we’ll be spending a lot of time poring over your IA diagram."
— HoP Stakeholder, Donna
