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Case 02EBSCOLEARNING · SHIPPED 08/2026

From 4,000 resources to any topic in 3 steps

A redesign of the LearningExpress platform: guest access, a simpler content hierarchy, and persona-first onboarding across 4,000+ learning resources.

RoleCo-led redesign
OwnedGuest access + onboarding
Timeline8 months
Read5 min
Redesigned LearningExpress Library home page with search, audience tabs and resource cards
Onboarding step 1 with eight audience cards such as Career and Job Seeker
Onboarding step 2 with six goal cards such as Find a Job and Build Workplace Skills
Onboarding step 3 with optional goal chips grouped by need
Guest mode dialog comparing guest and registered user access
1 / 5 · Redesigned home page: search first, then browse by audience
Step 01 / 05
Use case

The user moment

A learner comes through their library with one goal: pass the GED, prep for a nursing exam, find work. First they hit a sign-in wall. Then 12 "Centers" of internal jargon and dropdowns four levels deep. Many leave before finding the lesson that was there all along.

Step 02 / 05
Problem

The problem

The content was good; getting to it wasn't. Navigation mirrored how we file things internally, so you had to already know where to look. Learners without a personal account couldn't see anything at all.

Sign-in wall for guestsOutdated UI12 "Centers" of jargon4 nested dropdown levelsUp to 600 topicsTHE REDESIGNOpen the door, show the way01Guest access, sign up later02Categories + 1 Topic layer033-question onboardingTHE RESULTA plan built for them2 clicks from any content,no account needed to startBEFORE · WHAT LEARNERS HIT
Step 03 / 05
Validated

How I validated it

15+ discovery callsCustomer interviews I ran on specific user flows and on how users behave at their institutions.
Proxy usersLibrarians and teachers, who hear learner complaints every day. We sell B2B2C, and data privacy rules in libraries make direct end-user feedback hard to collect.
7+ sales team callsDetailed, in-depth feedback the sales team hears from customers every day, including why they stalled or churned.
Usage analyticsDetailed usage data: repeat users, time spent, engagement metrics and more.
6 familiar productsKhan Academy, Coursera, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon. Major tech companies that distill huge amounts of information into an intuitive browsing experience. I borrowed carousels, pill buttons and a 2-click rule.
What changed my mindMy first design was topic-first. The calls showed people describe themselves by who they are and what they want.
Step 04 / 05
Decided

Decisions I made

Every cut was backed by what customers told us.

ConsideredKeep the sign-in wall
ChoseGuest access, sign-up prompts later
Learners can't judge value they can't see.
ConsideredKeep the dated, menu-heavy UI
ChoseStreaming-style UI, personalized picks, no barriers
Learners already know this pattern from Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max.
ConsideredTopic-first onboarding
ChosePersona → Goal → Clarifier
Matches how users describe themselves. One model now runs 5 collections.
ConsideredA 5-step flow
Chose3 steps, optional
Customers said 3 was their limit. I brought that evidence to the debate.
ConsideredMerge 4 progress-tracking dashboards into one at launch
ChoseMoved to post-MVP
It didn't help a first-time learner and put the launch at risk.
Step 05 / 05
Measured

How I measured it

Do learners get through?84%finish onboarding once they start
Did we keep at-risk learners?35kat-risk-of-churn sessions kept, now reaching content as guests in 3 months
What are customers saying?5+customer calls since launch: all positive, and end-user success stories already coming in
What I'd change

Phase the rollout. Change is hard for users. A full redesign with extensive changes across the platform, in 3 key areas (guest access, navigation, onboarding), was a lot of new features at once. It meant heavy QA and customers unsure what had changed. Next time I'd release gradually, starting with the highest-priority feature and moving down to the least.