How Scholly Became Featured in the App Store
iOS and Web App
Timeframe
2020 - 2021
Role
Head of Product Design
Overview —
Scholly aimed to expand its user base and improve engagement by redesigning its iOS app to make scholarship searching faster, easier, and more personalized for students. The challenge was to balance simplicity with robust functionality while maintaining the app’s accessibility and inclusivity.
The Search app lacked the ability to apply for scholarships within the app. The list of scholarships brought students to an external website to apply. Without a clear walkthrough of the app, students were confused about how to use features. We set out to change that.
Outcome —
The app was redesigned with a focus on student’s time and needs. We also simplified the application process and revised the core value proposition to increase the overall conversion. Added was a feature to allow a student to apply in a short amount of time-based on the onboarding questions defined by the donors.
This lead to the iOS app being featured in the Apple App Store and becoming App of the Week on multiple occations in 2020 and 2021.
Results —
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Increase in new account sign-ups
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Increase in user engagement
Process —
Research findings for both students and donors have been used to iterate the wireframes during the design process, improve user experience on the website, and create the ultimate design solution. Being able to streamline exclusive scholarships for the donor gives us the parameters to allow students to quickly review and apply to applications.
A design system was created with custom components to define elements such as typography, colors, cards, inputs, icons, etc. This helps streamline the work between designers and developers and ensures continuity.
Application Creation & Management
Creating exclusive scholarships for organizations and donors was key to utilizing the common app feature for students. A scholarship provider can set up an application based on common parameters that are predefined, making it quicker for students to apply to applications based on their profile completion. A donor can also manage applicants to choose top picks for the award and application stats all in one place.
Impact —
Based on the interviews with participants and researchers, we have devised a pattern to keep users coming back by easing the amount of time going through applications. It symbolizes the young people use this app if it fits into their lifestyle and schedule. With applications built into the app, any student can quickly apply for a scholarship on their breaks. Providers can also set up exclusive applications and manage applicants all on the same platform.