kumparanPlus Case Study

Challenge

• How to address literacy problems through guidance, references, and entertainment content while creating a profitable product for the company?
• How to leverage external creators in product development to enhance brand exposure and credibility?

Objective

• Limited timeline, with a targeted MVP launch by the end of Q1 2021 (3 months total).
• As a product team, we want to validate insights from survey research through the MVP.
• As a product designer, I want to apply these insights using the Lean UX framework strategy to guide the development stages.

Given our tight timeline, I leveraged the Lean UX framework to provide structured guidance throughout the entire product development lifecycle. This methodology enabled me to systematically define requirements, execute design iterations, and document every critical step from initial concept through final production.

I chose the Lean UX Framework specifically because it perfectly aligned with our aggressive three-month timeline and agile development approach. This framework facilitated rapid iteration cycles, continuous validation with real users, and quick decision-making—essential elements for delivering a successful MVP within our constraints.

The framework's emphasis on collaborative design, minimal documentation, and early user feedback allowed the team to stay focused on delivering value while maintaining design quality and user-centered principles throughout the development process.

To understand the competitive landscape and identify opportunities for differentiation, I conducted a comprehensive analysis of key players in the premium content space. This research helped me define kumparanPlus's unique value proposition and feature set.

Based on my research insights, I formulated key questions to guide my design decisions and ensure I address the most critical user needs.

I defined the platform scope and objectives to ensure comprehensive coverage across all user touchpoints and establish clear technical requirements.

Scope of Platform:

• Mobile site
• App
• Desktop site

Objective:

• I made sure the product could be built with the developer team, and identified the technical factors that would let everything come together in one digital product.
• kumparan uses a single component codebase (React Native) to speed up development across all platforms.
• I prepared the UI components so they could be reused and adapted.

User Job:

• Users are willing to pay for premium content that matches their preferences
• Users want to stay up to date every day
• Users want to spend their free time gaining insight from in-depth content
• Users want entertaining content
• Users want constructive content for self-development

I mapped out the complete user journey from initial discovery to content consumption, identifying key touchpoints and decision moments throughout the subscription flow.

The user flow chart details the subscription and payment process, including decision points, alternative paths, and system responses to ensure a seamless user experience across all scenarios.

To ensure focused execution within my tight timeline, I established clear design priorities and mandates for the MVP, defining the essential screens and flows that would deliver maximum value to users.

• Design the catalogue page of content collections
• Design the detail page for content categories
• Design the detail content page with premium article layout
• Design the paywall for premium content access
• Design the collection detail page showcasing related content
• Design the subscription landing page with pricing options
• Design the complete payment flow process with multiple payment methods:
  • GoPay digital wallet integration
  • Credit Card payment gateway
• In-App Purchase for mobile platforms:
  • iOS App Store
  • Android Play Store
  • Alternative payment methods

With clear mandates established, I developed a comprehensive design strategy that would guide my execution from information architecture through component design, ensuring consistency and efficiency throughout the development process.

Following my strategic foundation, I moved into the design execution phase, creating key screens that would bring the kumparanPlus vision to life. Each design decision was informed by my research insights and prioritized for maximum impact on the MVP launch.

After completing the initial design execution, I conducted usability testing with real users to validate my design decisions and identify potential friction points. This critical validation phase revealed key insights that would inform my iterative improvements before the final MVP launch.

The kumparanPlus platform is now live and accessible across multiple platforms, providing users with premium content and exclusive features. Experience the full implementation across all devices:

• Mobile Site
• iOS
• Android
• Desktop

Project timeline:

With limited time, I had to be more strategic at every step, from gathering data and connecting insights across divisions to testing the prototype, so I could deliver the product properly.

Utilizing the User Interface:

I reused the existing UI design and grouped it into new components. They weren't entirely new, just refreshed. This approach was necessary because creating completely new components would significantly affect the development timeline.

Keeping the product under control:

I keep monitoring the product closely and gathering insights to make sure it stays relevant and high quality through ongoing iteration.

We successfully launched in Q2 2021, and we continue to make improvements to this product by studying direct data, fixing bugs, implementing minor and major enhancements until the product reached its current state.

I learned a great deal from this process, particularly the importance of collaboration in building something impactful. Strategic thinking proved essential in achieving our definitive goals and delivering meaningful results.