Mané

Mané

studyfetch

studyfetch

an AI edtech platform designed to help students actually learn

Meet Collaboration Mode: One of the features we launched post redesign.

GOAL:

ROLE:

TEAM:

OUTCOME:

StudyFetch had a strong product, but fragmented design, a lack of cohesive brand identity, and a youthful visual tone created a perception gap, preventing the platform from resonating with the college and graduate students it was built for.

Designer (Product and Brand)

CEO, CMO, Creative Producer, Motion Designer (Animation), Me

  • Built design direction and the first design system in Figma

  • Redesigned the product experience that contributed to 30%+ DAU growth in 3 months

  • Launched a new collaborative feature with 22% adoption rate in the first month

  • Designed brand strategy and identity, introducing the new Creator Program

EXPLORATION

CONTEXT

CONTEXT

StudyFetch is an AI powered study platform that turns course materials into personalized learning tools. It's been recognized as a fast-growing edtech startup built to revolutionize learning, pushing toward an AI study companion, Spark.E.

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only a part of the problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

What surfaced was a harder problem: StudyFetch didn't know what it was. We had a new objective:

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

StudyFetch is an AI powered study platform that turns course materials into personalized learning tools. It's been recognized as a fast-growing edtech startup built to revolutionize learning, pushing toward an AI study companion, Spark.E.

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only a part of the problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

What surfaced was a harder problem: StudyFetch didn't know what it was. We had a new objective:

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

WHAT I FOUND

WHAT I FOUND

THE DIAGNOSIS

Through product exploration, internal conversations, and reviewing how students were experiecing the product, three core issues emerged.

001

001

001

VISUAL INCONSISTENCY AND LACK OF STRUCTURE

VISUAL INCONSISTENCY AND LACK OF STRUCTURE

We already knew the interface was visually crowded and inconsistent. Navigation patterns changed across flows, visual hierarchy was inconsistent, and important actions were difficult to scan quickly. Layouts, typography, spacing, and interaction patterns varied from screen to screen. The deeper disconnect was what the product communicated; instead of feeling calm and focused, the user felt overwhelmed and trying to find where their things existed.

For a study platform, this was a serious trust issue. A tool meant to help students succeed academically needs to feel clear, reliable, and credible. This confusion was also impacting revenue, onboarding conversion was struggling because the product didn't communicate trust.

Internally, without a design system or even design files, every screen was being reinvented, launches moved slowly, and miscommunication between teams was inevitable. A clear design system would help the engineering and design teams build more efficiently.

the entrance into each feature pre redesign;

this is where lack of consistency really felt chaotic

the slider was too crowded

some screens lacked a heading "Practice" is referring to Tests and Quizzes

pre redesign visual direction:

Spark.E (our AI mascot) Customization screen felt overwhelming and lacked polish

the current visual direction:

Spark.E (our AI mascot)

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

001

A PERCEPTION GAP WAS BLOCKING OUR TARGET AUDIENCE

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Ironically, students who did try the product loved it. The gamification and personality helped break the monotony of studying.

But many serious students never tried it in the first place.

They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

002

002

002

THERE WAS A PERCEPTION GAP

THERE WAS A PERCEPTION GAP

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to an elementary-middle school user.

Through early research, I was surprised to find that gamification itself did resonate with the college user, the perception gap came from first impressions and the outdated design. The brand was subtly signaling "made for kids", but once they tried it, they loved it. The product excelled where the brand failed, this needed to be a huge focus. They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Through early research, I was surprised to find that gamification itself did resonate with the college user, the perception gap came from first impressions and the aged design. The brand was subtly signaling "made for kids", but once they tried it, they loved it. The product excelled where the brand failed, this needed to be a huge focus. They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

This meant two things: understanding the user and how StudyFetch fits into their world was key to building a product that lasts past the noise. Also, trusted friends (and creators) could drive

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Through early research, I was surprised to find that gamification itself did resonate with the college user, the perception gap came from first impressions and the aged design. The brand was subtly signaling "made for kids", but once they tried it, they loved it. The product excelled where the brand failed, this needed to be a huge focus. They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

This meant two things: understanding the user and how StudyFetch fits into their world was key to building a product that lasts past the noise. Also, trusted friends (and creators) could drive

This meant two things: understanding the user and how StudyFetch fits into their world was key to building a product that lasts past noise.

Building who StudyFetch is, who its user is, and how they align was the solution to closing the perception gap.

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Through early research, I was surprised to find that gamification itself did resonate with the college user, the perception gap came from first impressions and the aged design. The brand was subtly signaling "made for kids", but once they tried it, they loved it. The product excelled where the brand failed, this needed to be a huge focus. They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

This meant two things: understanding the user and how StudyFetch fits into their world was key to building a product that lasts past the noise. Also, trusted friends (and creators) could drive

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Through early research, I was surprised to find that gamification itself did resonate with the college user, the perception gap came from first impressions and the aged design. The brand was subtly signaling "made for kids", but once they tried it, they loved it. The product excelled where the brand failed, this needed to be a huge focus. They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

This meant two things: understanding the user and how StudyFetch fits into their world was key to building a product that lasts past the noise. Also, trusted friends (and creators) could drive

pre redesign visual identity:

A screen grab of our Home Screen

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

003

003

003

BUNDLE OF TOOLS

BUNDLE OF TOOLS

Even though the underlying features were strong. Flashcards, quizzes, note generation, tutoring tools, games, audio recaps, and so on; separately powerful, but easy to get lost.

Students weren’t moving through a clear learning environment. Instead, StudyFetch looked like a collection of separate utilities you could experiment with.

But the founders had built StudyFetch around a much stronger mission: helping students actually learn their material, and have the tools they need to immerse themselves in learning. The product experience just needed to communicate that mission.

DESIGN DIRECTION

RESEARCH INSIGHT & STRATEGY

RESEARCH INSIGHT & STRATEGY

Before redesigning the product, I had to really understand our user and where StudyFetch can actually make a difference in their lives.

The competitive landscape in edtech is shifting rapidly. Every edtech platform is competing to be "the one". New AI tools are launching constantly, and major players like Google's NotebookLM already had massive distribution and free access.

Competing purely on features was unrealistic. StudyFetch needed something stronger than another AI study tool.

I needed to build an identity students could connect with.

Through these conversations with the steakholders, along with reviewing student behavior and how the product was being discovered, I began to notice a clear emotional pattern in how students talked about school.

Students felt alone and trapped in a constant race for efficiency and output. They felt like they just had to produce, and rarely felt like they were truly learning. I proposed reframing StudyFetch as the place where students actually learn so they have the time for real life. A platform that feels supportive, focused, and credible in the middle of a lonely, high pressure experience.

This meant meeting students where they are. I explored two paths we can take:

Before redesigning the product, I had to really understand our user and where StudyFetch can actually make a difference in their lives.

The competitive landscape in edtech is shifting rapidly. Every edtech platform is competing to be "the one". New AI tools are launching constantly, and major players like Google's NotebookLM already had massive distribution and free access.

Competing purely on features was unrealistic. StudyFetch needed something stronger than another AI study tool.

I needed to build an identity students could connect with.

Through these conversations with the steakholders, along with reviewing student behavior and how the product was being discovered, I began to notice a clear emotional pattern in how students talked about school.

Students felt alone and trapped in a constant race for efficiency and output. They felt like they just had to produce, and rarely felt like they were truly learning. I proposed reframing StudyFetch as the place where students actually learn so they have the time for real life. A platform that feels supportive, focused, and credible in the middle of a lonely, high pressure experience.

This meant meeting students where they are. I explored two paths we can take:

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

After presenting to leadership, Believe in Your Brain became the new design direction.

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

001

A PERCEPTION GAP WAS BLOCKING OUR TARGET AUDIENCE

StudyFetch was built for college and graduate students, including law and medical students.

But the product's visual tone and naming conventions signaled something very different.

Features like "QuizFetch" and the heavy mascot voice made the product feel closer to a middle‑school study tool than something a law student might trust before finals.

Ironically, students who did try the product loved it. The gamification and personality helped break the monotony of studying.

But many serious students never tried it in the first place.

They discovered StudyFetch through friends, not through the brand itself.

THE PRODUCT

DESIGN FOUNDATION

DESIGN FOUNDATION

With the direction established, my work focused on building the product's structural foundation with our user in mind; with the personality that felt true to StudyFetch's roots, but leading visual direction with clarity, cohesion, and taste.

I first reconstructed the entire product inside Figma, creating the first centralized design files and design system for StudyFetch. The focus was on intuitive flow and cohesion. This established consistent typography, layout patterns, components, and interaction behaviors across mobile and web. The Design team was now alive.

When I joined StudyFetch, I was brought on as a Creative Designer with a clear assignment: build the design foundation for a product assembled by a rotation of Fiverr designers, and create something that finally felt cohesive. No design files existed. No shared components. Every screen was its own island.

But within my first weeks of working closely with the founders, they felt something was wrong but couldn't pinpoint it. We spent long sessions trying to name it. I realized visual inconsistency was only the first problem, it was actually a symptom of a brand that lacked identity.

We had two new objectives:

define who StudyFetch is and how it fits into its users' life

define how StudyFetch is communicated, experienced, and perceived.

The redesign of Spark.E's Customization screen

The redesign of Spark.E's Customization screen

The redesign of the features screens;

a focus on consistency, clear navigation, and polish

The redesign of the features screens;

a focus on consistency, clear navigation, and polish

Each feature allowed users to select study materials or prompt topics, to tailor personalized study sets. Since showing every new feature design would be overwhelming, here are some of their launch demos:

AI Study Calendar

AI Tests and Quizzes

AI Flashcards

AI Live Lectures

AI Notes

Each feature allowed users to select study materials or prompt topics, to tailor personalized study sets. Since showing every new feature design would be overwhelming, here are some of their launch demos:

COLLABORATION LAUNCH

COLLABORATION LAUNCH

I also designed and launched a new collaboration tool for shared lecture notes and study materials, to turn StudyFetch into a shared learning space. Students could invite friends to work together inside a live note environment, while AI takes live lecture notes, organizing shared materials, and turning those notes directly into study sets. This feature launched as a new capability within the redesigned product.

This both allowed classmates to collectively build resources for a course instead of studying in isolation. It also drove real impact for StudyFetch, a 7% increase in user acquisition (students naturally referring their friends) and a 22% adoption rate in the first 2 months after launch.

I also designed and launched a new collaboration tool for shared lecture notes and study materials, to turn StudyFetch into a shared learning space. Students could invite friends to work together inside a live note environment, while AI takes live lecture notes, organizing shared materials, and turning those notes directly into study sets. This feature launched as a new capability within the redesigned product.

This both allowed classmates to collectively build resources for a course instead of studying in isolation. It also drove real impact for StudyFetch, a 7% increase in user acquisition (students naturally referring their friends) and a 22% adoption rate in the first 2 months after launch.

The introduction of collaboration features

CULTURE & BRAND

BRAND STRATEGY & THE CREATOR PROGRAM

BRAND STRATEGY & THE CREATOR PROGRAM

So, what should StudyFetch feel like to students?

Students genuinely enjoyed the playful elements of the product, so rather than removing them, I chose to work them into the visual design, in a way that resonates. I created user personas, based on which we created the Creator Program with the Head of Marketing.

I knew students were discovering StudyFetch through their friends, and their parasocial friends (creators). This also meant thinking about worldbuilding; creating a recognizable identity, tone, and visual system that students could connect with rather than a generic study tool they might forget.

The mission of the product became the driving force behind the brand direction: immersive and meaningful learning that make the students feel empowered with a sense of togetherness.

The goal of the Creator Program was to position StudyFetch as a place where every student belongs, where students can find StudyFetch through the students they already trust. A place where intentional study time made space for the life they were creating for themselves

THE PERSONAS AS CREATORS

THE PERSONAS AS CREATORS

We already knew the interface was visually crowded and inconsistent. Navigation patterns changed across flows, visual hierarchy was inconsistent, and important actions were difficult to scan quickly. Layouts, typography, spacing, and interaction patterns varied from screen to screen. The deeper disconnect was what the product communicated; instead of feeling calm and focused, the user felt overwhelmed and trying to find where their things existed.

For a study platform, this was a serious trust issue. A tool meant to help students succeed academically needs to feel clear, reliable, and credible. This confusion was also impacting revenue, onboarding conversion was struggling because the product didn't communicate trust.

Internally, without a design system or even design files, every screen was being reinvented, launches moved slowly, and miscommunication between teams was inevitable. A clear design system would help the engineering and design teams build more efficiently.

STUDENT PRESENCE

STUDENT PRESENCE

We also explored how StudyFetch could exist beyond the product itself, and literally meet students where they are: on campus and on social media.

This included:

  • Designing campus study activations: Study and Refuel

  • Creating shareable study achievements inspired by platforms like Strava

These initiatives helped reinforce the broader goal of worldbuilding: creating a brand identity that resonates, supports, and empowers you to believe in your brain. StudyFetch gained a social media and campus presence that aligns with its identity.

the social media progress;

made for Instagram

the social media progress asset;

made for Instagram

WHAT I LEARNED

Design is felt far before it's able to be articulated.

Thoughtfulness and intentionality leads, taste and resonance follows.

Design systems are a dev team's best friend.