Democratising Academic Research Through AI & Intuitive UX
About the Platform
This academic research platform was established with a radical mission: to facilitate and democratise access to academic literature, breaking down the financial barriers faced by researchers, students, and institutions worldwide. By providing a comprehensive online library spanning diverse disciplines, the platform serves as a vital resource for the global academic community.
68.4% Faster Research Workflows
By shifting from cluttered conventional navigation to AI-driven summarisation and advanced search filtering, user task completion times dropped significantly.
Global Accessibility & Scale
Enhanced the platform's infrastructure and introduced key accessibility controls (text scaling, multi-language support) to serve researchers, students, and institutions worldwide.
3.8× Increase in Conversions
Resolving core usability friction and introducing personalized AI tools directly boosted retention rates and drove subscription sign-ups.
The Challenge
Despite its noble mission, the legacy platform suffered from critical usability issues. Heatmaps revealed scattered user attention and severe navigation bottlenecks, leading to high bounce rates, low user engagement, and poor subscription conversions.
Finding relevant peer-reviewed content felt like searching for a needle in a haystack, and managing research notes or citations required cumbersome extra steps. The client needed a strategic partner to redesign the web and mobile interfaces, integrate modern AI capabilities to streamline research workflows, and create an intuitive, inclusive experience that turned casual visitors into loyal subscribers.
How we built it
We delivered a comprehensive digital overhaul, combining Product Design, AI Integration, and Accessibility Infrastructure to build a high-performing EdTech platform.
How this work was delivered
- UX Architecture & Strategic DiscoveryTo address the platform's high bounce rate, we began by overhauling the underlying information architecture.
- AI Integration & Workflow EfficiencyWe embedded intelligent AI tools directly into the reading and discovery experience to elevate research workflows.
- Inclusive Design & AccessibilityTo ensure the platform remained universally accessible across global demographics, we prioritized flexible UI elements.
The Value Delivered
The redesign transformed the platform into an indispensable, modern research companion.
- Operational Efficiency through AI: Automated paper summaries and citation tools dramatically cut down research friction, reducing average task completion times by 68.4%.
- Inclusive & Global Reach: Enhanced accessibility controls and multilingual settings empowered a broader demographic of students and academics across international markets.
- Proven Retention & Growth: Resolving core usability pain points yielded immediate dividends, driving a 142% increase in retention and a 3.8× surge in subscription conversions.
"The team transformed our platform from a functional library into a modern, engaging research companion. They deeply understood our mission to democratise academic knowledge and built an interface that our global user base absolutely loves." — Head of Product