Role: Product Designer
Industry: EdTech
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Involvement: 2021–2024
Corporate Book Library is a modern tool for training and development of company employees for iOS, Android and Web platforms with over 10,000 e-books, audiobooks, videos, courses, webinars and other content. The library is used by more than 1,000 of companies, including Macdonald's, Jonson & Jonson, Coca-cola, Kaspersky Lab, Alfa Bank, Beeline and others. That's over 1,000,000 readers in the B2B segment alone. The library is also available for B2C segment, where after purchase users can get access to thousands of electronic and audiobooks.
Corporate Book Library is a SaaS product available in both B2B and B2C segments, consisting of an ecosystem of applications for users, client company managers, and product technical staff.
Client applications for B2B users on Web, iOS, and Android allow users to access the library's content, primarily presented in the form of e-books, audiobooks, and videos. The app features a built-in e-book reader, audiobook player, and a webinar service with video chat. Users can read books from the cloud or download them to their devices. The homepage (storefront) contains recommended offerings, popular books, new releases, promotional banners, stories, and more. There is a catalog of books and a search function. Users can add books to their favorites and view items they have already read or are currently reading. B2B clients can optionally connect additional modules to expand the library's capabilities. For example, CBL.Lectorium provides access to webinars, online meetings, and supplementary materials on various topics. CBL.Lab allows the creation of courses, tests, and training programs to streamline the training and assessment of employees. CBL.Academy includes ready-made courses and lectures from well-known instructors and authors.
Client applications for B2C users have the same core functionality as the B2B versions but differ in several details. For instance, item cards display prices, there is a shopping cart, information about subscription plans, and pages for purchasing content and subscribing to services. Due to the similarity in functions and the company’s focus on the B2B segment, the B2C versions of the applications are not covered in depth in this case study.
The Learning Management System (LMS) is designed for employee training and knowledge assessment. It was introduced as an additional service as part of the development of the educational focus of the B2B product, which became especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the LMS offered materials in the form of courses consisting of articles, videos, links to books, and knowledge tests. Later, the LMS was integrated into the client applications, enabling the creation of courses and training programs from the library’s content and providing an efficient way to monitor the training progress of company employees.
The HR dashboard (Web) is intended for company representatives responsible for employee training. It allows them to manage the list of employees who have access to the library, track content consumption statistics, create training programs and assign them to groups of employees, monitor training progress and knowledge assessment results, as well as add their own content to their company’s library and make certain configurations.
The admin system (Web) is designed for the technical staff of Corporate Book Library and is used for uploading new content, managing client company offers, viewing content consumption statistics, and configuring the product. The admin system also includes features for customizing the appearance of the library application for each client company, allowing the addition of the company logo and setting the brand color.
User and market research:
Studying the product niche and user needs, conducting competitor analysis to understand the experience offered by other online book libraries and educational platforms.
Concepts ideation:
Creating design strategies for specific parts of the product, such as the catalog and product card, search, training programs, webinar service, registration, and login, etc.
Design Strategy Buy-In:
Communicating design decisions, their impact on the business, and providing evidence-based reasoning for design choices.
Information architecture design:
Developing the navigation system and taxonomy.
Wireframing:
Creating low-fidelity wireframes and sharing them with stakeholders and team members to solicit valuable feedback.
Prototyping:
Creating mid-fidelity prototypes for particular user flows.
Visual Design:
Designing high-fidelity mockups, interface elements, and their states.
Design system:
Creating and maintaining the library of tokens and interface elements.
Design handoff:
Communicating designs to the engineering team, writing specifications, and redlining individual screens.
Usability testing:
Conducting user interviews, surveys, and remote usability testing sessions to study how participants interact with the product and what issues they encounter, analyzing feedback and sharing the results with the team.
Throughout the project, I worked closely with various teams to ensure a smooth and cohesive product development process. I collaborated extensively with the product manager, participating in the creation of the product strategy and roadmap. The product manager maintained constant communication with clients, gathering feedback and understanding their needs for new features, which helped us prioritize improvements and align the product with user expectations.
In addition, I regularly worked with the development team, ensuring smooth design handoffs and discussing technical feasibility. I also collaborated with the QA team to ensure all features were thoroughly tested and met our quality standards.
Although the marketing team operated mostly autonomously, I occasionally coordinated with them to ensure visual consistency. The consulting team, responsible for onboarding clients and assisting with product setup, provided valuable insights that helped refine the user guidance and onboarding experience. Additionally, I worked closely with methodologists to develop and implement effective testing and assessment methodologies, ensuring that the product facilitated efficient learning and knowledge evaluation.
I predominantly rely on Lean UX, which emphasizes rapid iteration and continuous adaptation based on real-time feedback. Lean UX provides flexibility and speed, allowing me to adapt quickly to changes and focus on rapid hypothesis testing. This approach helps me create minimum viable products (MVPs) that can be quickly tested with real users and iterated on based on feedback. Continuous iterations and close collaboration with the development team help accelerate the process and reduce time spent on rework.
When deeper user research is required, I incorporate elements of Design Thinking to broaden the scope beyond rapid testing. Design Thinking is a non-linear process that allows for fluid transitions between stages depending on the situation. During these phases, I conduct interviews, organize focus groups, and use other research methods to dive deeper into user problems and uncover insights that can shape the product direction. This approach is particularly valuable in the empathy and ideation phases, where understanding hidden user needs and contexts is critical, not just validating hypotheses.
To ensure an efficient and iterative design process, we adopted a Lean UX approach organized around two-week sprints. This allowed us to maintain flexibility and responsiveness to user feedback while systematically progressing towards our project goals.
At the beginning of each sprint, we collaborated closely with the Product Owner to plan the upcoming tasks. We established clear objectives and prioritized features based on user needs and business goals. Tasks were created in Jira, allowing us to track progress and maintain transparency within the team.
Throughout the sprint, we encouraged an agile mindset by remaining open to new insights and adjusting our plans accordingly. As we received user feedback, we would create additional tasks in Jira to address any identified issues or opportunities for improvement. This iterative approach helped us continuously refine our designs and solutions.
At the end of each sprint, we conducted reviews (demos) to showcase our progress to stakeholders. This was an invaluable opportunity to gather feedback and ensure alignment with the overall product vision. We also held retrospective meetings, where the team could reflect on what worked well and what could be improved for future sprints. These retrospectives fostered a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, allowing us to enhance our workflow and deliver a better user experience.
By structuring our work in this way, we ensured that our design process remained user-focused and agile, ultimately leading to a product that better met the needs of our users and stakeholders.
To ensure the continuous and effective development of the product, I regularly conducted in-depth market research and competitive analysis, focusing on platforms such as online book libraries and educational systems. This process allowed me to evaluate industry trends, identify best practices, and understand both the strengths and weaknesses of competing platforms. By staying informed about the competitive landscape, we could position our product more effectively and ensure it remained relevant in a rapidly evolving market.
Feature requests and feedback from our B2B clients were gathered through our product manager, who handled most of the communication with them. I used this feedback to prioritize potential new features and assess how well they aligned with our product vision and end-user needs. Often, I worked closely with our team of methodologists to determine the best ways to implement these features, always keeping in mind the technical limitations and the user experience.
In addition to analyzing feedback, I used personas and user journey maps to better understand the specific challenges faced by our end users. These tools helped me identify potential friction points in the user experience and improve key scenarios, ensuring that our solutions addressed real problems. By doing so, we were able to refine user flows, optimize processes, and create a smoother, more intuitive experience for everyone interacting with the product.
Throughout the project, I frequently turned to wireframes to visualize ideas and facilitate discussions with colleagues. However, I avoided overcomplicating the process—if a solution was straightforward and clear, I often skipped the wireframing phase altogether.
When I did use wireframes, I enjoyed starting with pencil and paper or my iPad, which allowed me to quickly sketch concepts and iterate based on immediate feedback. For more complex scenarios, where numerous adjustments were anticipated or where flows needed to be mapped out, I relied on specialized software to combine wireframes with user flow diagrams. This approach helped create a structured view of the user journey, ensuring that we addressed both functionality and usability in the design.
Wireframing also served as a tool for aligning the team. It allowed us to clarify ideas early on and identify potential issues or improvements before diving into detailed visual design or development. This iterative process saved time and made it easier to focus on refining the user experience, especially during collaborative discussions or design reviews.
Later in the process, transitioning from low-fidelity sketches to interactive prototypes provided a tangible way to communicate the product’s functionality, allowing stakeholders and team members to experience the design more fully before moving into high-fidelity stages.
Throughout my work on the product, I used Figma to create high-fidelity UI mockups that aligned with the project’s goals and user needs. My design process focused on delivering intuitive, aesthetically pleasing interfaces, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices—whether mobile or desktop. I paid particular attention to visual consistency, accessibility, and adherence to branding guidelines. Regular feedback loops with stakeholders and developers helped refine the designs before moving into the development phase, ensuring that all elements were aligned with the overall product vision.
I established a comprehensive design system that incorporated design tokens and reusable UI components, streamlining the design and development process. This system served as a single source of truth for both the design and engineering teams, making it easier to maintain consistency across the product. By organizing UI elements—such as buttons, input fields, and typography styles—into reusable components, I was able to rapidly create new screens and iterate on existing ones.
Throughout the development process, gathering user feedback was my primary method for ensuring the product met both user expectations and business goals. Regular feedback loops allowed us to refine features and improve user experiences early in the design phase. On occasion, we conducted user interviews and organized small focus groups, where I tested design hypotheses to validate ideas and gather deeper insights into user needs and pain points, helping us make informed adjustments to the product.
I also created prototypes to test different user scenarios within these focus groups, allowing me to compare various design solutions and identify the most effective ones. This hands-on testing approach not only helped refine the user flow but also provided valuable insights into how users interacted with the product in real-world settings.
In addition to user feedback, I collaborated with the QA team, who frequently identified interaction issues or implementation defects early in the process. This iterative collaboration between design and QA allowed us to continuously address usability issues, refine features, and improve the overall user experience throughout the product lifecycle.
By maintaining this ongoing validation cycle and using prototypes and focus groups to test different scenarios, we ensured that each iteration of the product was carefully tested and aligned with user needs before moving to the next stage, resulting in a smoother development process and fewer post-launch issues.
Problem: One of the important issues was user complaints about the book reader im mobile apps. Besides technical problems, users complained about low functionality, inability to adjust font size and type, change colour theme and other problems.
Approach: We decided to write a new reader from scratch, bringing its features to the best on the market. I researched our competitors' apps that contain inbuilt readers, as well as standalone readers, and also, to explore the features they provide to users. We also pulled up the history of all user complaints about the reader and processed them. In this way I highlighted quite a few features that we could implement in the reader. Next, we estimated with the development team the estimated time to implement each feature, and selected the most important ones for the first iteration.
Solution: I selected a few popular typefaces that have a reputation for being easy to read, and added a couple of special fonts for people with dyslexia. I also designed four colour themes for the reader: two light and two dark. These themes vary in contrast and are designed to meet the preferences of users with different preferences and abilities, for reading in different ambient lighting conditions. In addition, I have developed a logic whereby the reader's colour theme is kept separate for the light and dark modes of the user interface.
We added functions such as font selection, font size, and line height adjustments, as well as text alignment options. Based on user requests, we introduced an optional feature allowing users to turn pages using the device's volume buttons. Additionally, we added the ability to adjust screen brightness specifically for reading, independent of the system's overall brightness settings.
We added the ability to save highlighted text in the book as a quote. Saved quotes are highlighted in the book with one of five colors, and the user can also add a note to each quote. All quotes can be found in a dedicated list in the reader. There is also a table of contents and a list of bookmarks, which serve as useful tools for working with the book, and users actively make use of these features.
Over the course of several sprints, we updated the book reader, added all the necessary features we had planned, and fixed some bugs. Users were absolutely satisfied with the update, noting that it was one of the most important and long-awaited improvements to the product.
Problem: The audiobook player in the application also needed to be rethought and enhanced with new features.
Approach: I processed user requests regarding missing functionalities, studied the existing player, analyzed competitors.
Solution: I created an audio player that now included all the necessary features and had an appealing visual design. We added the ability to fast forward and rewind by 15 seconds, as well as the options to change the playback speed and set a sleep timer for those who enjoy listening to audiobooks before bed. I also improved the design and functionality of the mini-player, which users can see on every screen while the audiobook is playing.
Within the library, there had already been the capability to conduct webinars for some time. This feature was utilized by client companies, for instance, to conduct training sessions for their employees, and it was also used globally by our company for all client companies, such as when an author was invited to present their book. Additionally, our company organized training sessions in the form of webinars featuring coaches.
Problem: Third-party services were initially used for hosting webinars, which proved to be inconvenient and unprofitable due to the inability to track user participation in webinars. This was especially necessary for the educational programs being implemented in parallel, where progress monitoring and statistics were essential for assessing users' knowledge.
Approach: We decided to create our own webinar service that could be deeply integrated into the library. The main features were to include the ability to broadcast the speaker's video and audio, display up to four speakers simultaneously, screen sharing, a chat function, and the ability to moderate participants: assign and remove speakers, and ban participants with undesirable behavior.
I quickly prepared wireframes of the webinar screens, and we discussed them with the team, consulted with the developers regarding technical feasibility, and excluded the features we decided not to include in the first iteration.
Solution: For conducting webinars, we introduced different user roles: regular participant, speaker, and moderator. The roles of speaker and moderator are assigned to users in advance through the HR panel. Technically, the speaker and moderator roles are the same. In the context of a webinar, the speaker is usually the one presenting the webinar content, while the moderator oversees the process. The moderator (and speaker) can view the list of webinar participants, assign users as speakers or revoke the assignment, as well as ban and unban them. In the chat, the moderator can delete users' messages.
We added the ability to record webinars. After the event concluded, the recording was made available in the library as a video, allowing users who were unable to attend the live event to watch the recording.
In the mobile app, users have the ability to watch a webinar, participate in the chat, and view a list of related materials. However, they cannot turn on the camera, microphone, share their screen, or manage other users.
When we launched our webinar service, we received a lot of positive feedback from our clients, despite some technical nuances regarding video quality and the number of simultaneous video streams that still needed to be addressed.
As often happens, clients found ways to use the service beyond its original purpose. For example, some companies saw the potential to use it for daily internal video meetings on work-related matters. We accommodated them by enabling up to 100 users to be displayed on screen with cameras and microphones. I prepared prototypes for displaying participants in various configurations based on their numbers. We also conducted a technical investigation into the feasibility of streaming dozens of users simultaneously. Afterward, I designed layouts for these cases, and the developers implemented adjustable video quality based on the number of broadcasting participants.
Additionally, we added a feature allowing the moderator to manage participants’ cameras and microphones, an alternative to banning, which had been requested by our clients. As we continued to receive feedback, we consistently improved our webinar service and added new features.
Problem: Another drawback of the library was the rather complex registration process, which had historically developed due to the different preferences of client companies and their internal security rules. For instance, some companies assign access to the library to their employees via work email, for which special masks are specified in the admin panel. Others generate unique codes and distribute them among employees. Additionally, users from some companies are required to select their group during the registration process (groups offer different content, for example, books on finance for the finance department, books on leadership and psychology for executives, etc.). Each user can also have access to several libraries (for example, when working in different companies or departments) and should be able to select the one they want during registration and easily switch between them while using the application. All this created quite confusing and complex sign-up and sign-in scenarios, resulting in many requests to technical support.
Approach: Due to existing agreements, we could not change the specified registration and login methods. However, it was necessary to simplify the user journey and make it clearer. Additionally, we wanted to implement single sign-on to unify the login process across web and mobile applications, as well as the online bookstore and educational platform, which were separate products at the time.
First, I thoroughly examined our old registration and login forms and identified all the bottlenecks and potential problem areas. I checked the validation of form fields, notifications of successes and errors, and the states of interactive elements. Next, I created a user flow chart, which visually represented the intended process. This comprehensive view made it easier to identify previously unaddressed issues in the various scenarios. Iteratively, we tested the prototypes and refined them to their final version.
Solution: The new scenarios significantly simplified and shortened the user’s path compared to the previous process, where users first had to navigate a complex registration system. Additionally, we added protection against password guessing during login. If no library was found for the user during registration, we implemented redirection to a landing page with an offer to subscribe to the library as a private client or purchase a library for a company. We reviewed all the texts in the sign-up and sign-in forms and tested them for user understandability. Of course, I also redesigned the visual layout according to the new design system.
Problem: When I joined the product team, one of the main priorities was to redesign the interface across all platforms, as over the preceding years, the product interface had accumulated a significant number of issues. These included an inconvenient structure on many pages and screens, a lack of structured typography styles (different font sizes on different pages, extremely small font sizes on some pages, no clear system for headings, and inconsistent fonts across platforms), a lack of UI style consistency both across platforms and within the same application, the absence of interactive states for components like buttons and input fields, a lack of clear micro-interactions and empty states, as well as other minor visual shortcomings. These problems negatively impacted the user experience and were reputationally unacceptable for a product of our level.
Approach: To begin with, I compiled a list of all necessary adjustments to the web and mobile application interfaces and categorized them. I conducted research and analyzed numerous resources in search of a balance between a stylish yet user-friendly and accessible interface that met the needs of our users and complied with WCAG standards. It was necessary to start almost from scratch and develop new typography, a color palette, illustration styles, and UI components. The icons also required redesigning, as some of them inaccurately conveyed their meanings, and they all came from different sets. When working on the structure of individual pages, such as the library homepage and product card, we conducted user research and competitive analysis. In some cases, such as the book reader, search, login, and navigation, significant changes to user flows were needed, and these were separated into individual tasks and decomposed. We started with the most pressing issues and worked iteratively to align with the Lean UX process.
Solution: I developed a new typography system for both web and mobile applications. I also created a complete set of necessary UI components, including their various states. The overall visual style of the interfaces was aligned with the company’s corporate identity.
We also improved our video player, not only updating its visuals but also equipping it with new convenient features.
I created a new icon set that matched the visual style of the app and continued to expand it with new icons as new features were introduced.
As a result of the redesign, we received a large number of positive reviews from customers. Users quickly adapted to the new interfaces and were able to achieve their goals faster and more easily, which was the main objective of the redesign.
Problem: As mobile apps became more advanced, many users started expecting a dark mode option for comfort during nighttime use or in low-light environments. Several B2B clients requested this feature to enhance accessibility and user experience across various settings. Additionally, offering a dark mode became a competitive necessity as more apps began integrating this option. Without it, our product risked falling behind in terms of user satisfaction and market standards.
Approach: To meet this need, I conducted research into user preferences and industry standards for dark mode, focusing on maintaining readability and comfort across different lighting conditions. I developed a dark mode color palette, carefully balancing saturation and contrast, and thoroughly tested it, including checks on real device screens to ensure both readability and visual consistency with the light mode.
Solution: I updated the design system by adding dark mode variants to all existing UI components and formalized the technical documentation before handing it over to developers, who successfully implemented dark mode across both iOS and Android platforms. The dark mode preserved the app’s visual identity, allowing users to switch between light and dark themes effortlessly. User feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the added comfort and customization options.
This work was a continuous effort to evolve the product over time, addressing both immediate user needs and longer-term strategic goals. Rather than a simple redesign, it was an iterative process of enhancing the overall user experience while keeping the product aligned with modern design standards and business requirements. By introducing improvements such as dark mode, updating the book reader, and revamping the UI components, we significantly elevated the product’s usability and visual appeal.
Each phase of this work built upon the previous one, informed by real-world user feedback and careful analysis. Through close collaboration with developers and other stakeholders, we ensured that each new feature was well-integrated into the system and met user expectations. This iterative approach allowed us to adapt quickly to changing requirements and prioritize features that had the most impact on user satisfaction and business performance.
Looking ahead, the product is in a much stronger position to continue growing and adapting to user needs. The design system is now flexible enough to accommodate future changes, and we have a clearer process for implementing improvements. The lessons learned from this ongoing work will guide future product developments, ensuring that we maintain a strong focus on both user experience and business goals.