SpiderAsk

Empowering ESL learners with tailored writing feedback and progress tracking

AI Learning

Data-Driven Decision-Making

Agile Collaboration

[Aug 2024 - Present]

Overview

SpiderAsks empowers intermediate to advanced ESL learners to not only see where they fall short, but to confidently act on feedback. We designed a growth-driven writing experience that connects writing, feedback, and reflection—turning frustration into focus, and passive feedback into active progress.

Keywords

AI, EdTech, ESL

My Role

End-to-end research, Low to High Fi Prototype, Cross team collaborationIteration

Team

1 PM | 2 Learning Designer | 1 Product Designer | 1 Tech Developer

Tools

Main Feature 1: Start Practice with Intelligent Support

Engage in timed IELTS writing tasks with integrated planning tools, real-time tips, and distraction-free drafting space.

Main Feature 2: Get Feedback Across Key Writing Dimensions

Receive targeted, structured feedback on your content, cohesion, vocabulary, and grammar—mapped to IELTS scoring criteria.

Main Feature 3: Track Progress and Plan Next Steps

Visualize your writing growth over time, review detailed performance data, and follow tailored improvement suggestions.

Reflection 1: On Owning the Product Vision

When our team was uncertain, I stepped up to define direction—through research synthesis, decision tradeoffs, and concrete proposals.

Reflection 2: On Designing for Behavior Change

When users hesitated to revise, I recognized it wasn’t about laziness—it was about emotional resistance. I proactively redesigned our tone and sequencing to lower the barrier to re-entry, helping them feel seen, supported, and in control.

Context

How I Identified the Real Problem Learners Face

Most writing tools stop at surface-level correction. But for learners preparing for high-stakes exams like IELTS, correction without direction keeps them stuck. User interviews revealed:

“I know my writing isn't good. But I don’t know how to make it better.”

I reframed the product vision—from “a smart checker” to “a growth loop designer.”

How I Mapped a Growth-Centered Solution

Instead of simply fixing grammar, we built SpiderAsks as a feedback-to-growth system. I designed a 5-stage learning loop, each tied to actionable UI:

Orientation: Get familiar with IELTS format & scoring
Practice: Simulated writing test with keyword prompts & notes
Feedback: Color-coded scores + scaffolded improvement tips
Rewrite: Sentence-level revision supported by prompts & examples
Reflect: Dashboard tracking effort, not just results

Features I led:

✍️ Draft Zone – Idea sketching before writing
🔁 Rewrite Assistant – Scaffolded suggestions at sentence level
📈 Progress Dashboard – Visualizes growth over time
🧠 Word Notebook – Vocabulary usage & paraphrasing tips
✅ "Next Step" Feedback – Clear calls to action after each essay

My Role - Lead Product Designer

I led design across the full Double Diamond process:
Discover → Define → Design → Deliver

My scope included:

User interviews and insight synthesis
Learning experience modeling
Wireframing and prototyping
Iterating based on engineering feedback
Coordinating handoff with developer (We worked with an experienced IELTS instructor–turned-founder and a full-stack engineer.)

How I Turned Abstract Feedback Into Actionable UX