Introduction
My role was to redefine what "progress" should mean in a learning product and create a streak system that aligns with students' actual schedules, supported by Kai as a gentle guide rather than a guilt-driven motivator.
Background
Meet Knowt, an AI-powered study platform
Knowt helps students turn class materials like PDFs, notes, and lectures into personalized study tools, flashcards, quizzes, and summaries, powered by AI.
As the product matured, the team noticed a familiar pattern: students used Knowt intensely for short bursts, but struggled to build consistent study habits.
The goal of this project was to explore how streaks could support long-term learning within Knowt, by building on learners' existing mental models of progress. And extending that support through Kai at key moments of motivation and reflection.
Challenges
Motivation dipped when progress became hard to maintain
Multi-Format Progress Gaps
Learners often engaged with Knowt in short, intensive sessions but struggled to understand how different activities (notes, quizzes, flashcards) linked to their overall progress
Rigid Daily Goals
After periods of intensive use, daily streak requirements often feel misaligned with irregular schedules or changing study intensity across days
Reminder Fatigue
Notifications were often overlooked or disregarded, especially after times of inactivity following intense study sessions
Goals
The goal wasn't to make learners do more each day, but to make it easier to return tomorrow
Instead of pushing daily perfection, the goal was to make progress visible, flexible, and worth returning to.
01_ Make Progress Clear Across Formats
Help learners understand how different activities connect to overall progress
02_ Maintain Support Consistency Without Strict Daily Expectations
Allow streaks to continue even when study intensity varies day to day
03_ Encourage to return, not pressure
Design reminders and feedback that invite learners back after breaks
-These goals were shaped by observing how learners actually studied and where motivation quietly dropped off.
Problem Context
The question that framed the exploration
User Research
Why learners leave, and what keeps them coming back
To understand why learners struggled to sustain study habits beyond short bursts, I spoke with 8 users who had consistently used study or productivity apps for at least three months.
Rather than focusing on feature preferences, I looked for patterns in when motivation dropped, what led learners to disengage, and what helped them return after breaks.
User type 1: The Tracker
#progress-driven
Motivated by visible progress and momentum, but disengages when effort fails to produce clear signs of advancement.
"It's hard to feel like I'm moving forward when my progress is all over the place."
User type 2: The Balancer
#routine-flexible
Values consistency but needs flexible goals that adapt to changing daily routines rather than enforcing rigid routines.
"I try to keep learning, but if it doesn't fit my day, I just want to drop off and give up."
User type 3: The Rebounder
#failure-sensitive
Highly sensitive to setbacks; once progress feels disrupted, motivation declines quickly without a clear way to get back on track.
"Once an aggressive reminder hits after I miss a few days, it feels like I've already lost."
These patterns revealed three core needs (1. visible momentum, 2. flexible goals, 3. gentle encouragement), which directly influenced the design of the streak system. Together, they shifted the focus from enforcing daily streaks to supporting learners through breaks.
Observational Research
What users really say on Reddit, App Store Reviews, and beyond
I reviewed over 40 public comments from Reddit and app store reviews to validate patterns from interviews. It revealed emotional responses that learners rarely expressed directly, especially around pressure, guilt, and the moment when the streaks stopped feeling helpful.
"Honestly, checking off one tiny thing a day made me feel like I was winning at life." - Reddit user
Motivators
"This app made missing a day feel like a personal failure." - App store review
Pain points
It reinforced that streaks were most effective when they lowered the emotional cost of returning.
Competitors Analysis
Quick scan of what others do (and don't)
Exploring how leading study apps keep users engaged uncovered both effective motivators and common pitfalls.
Rather than copying a single model, I focused on identifying patterns that consistently helped or hurt long-term engagement across products. This research shifted my focus away from "protecting streaks" and to creating moments that encourage learners want to come back.
Design Direction
Design principles shaped by research
The team initially asked for a streak system modeled after Duolingo to encourage consecutive daily use. Through research, it became clear that long-term motivation relies less on maintaining perfect streaks and more on how progress, recovery, and encouragement were framed.
Personalized Goal Setting
Goals adapt to each learner's weekly or daily pace
Meaningful Milestones
Highlight progress that feels meaningful, not just streak longevity
Friendly Check-Ins
Celebrate effort with encouraging, low-pressure check-ins
Solutions
Flexible streak experience system supporting real learning rhythm
01_ A home screen that anchors daily learning and progress
The home screen was not designed to motivate learners to do more, as I initially intended, but rather to help them understand their current status and feel comfortable returning the next day.
The original home screen displayed many learning tools at once but didn't help users quickly understand what they had accomplished, what was important today, or how their effort related to progress.
Before
After
02_ Goals that adapt to real life schedules
I created goal customization so users can decide when and how studying fits into their day or week, whether by time, activity, or topic, making progress feel attainable rather than forced.
Each decision aimed at minimizing drop-off points, not increasing daily output.
03_ Profile view for deeper insights of multiple formats
I provided a clear breakdown of progress by format, making accuracy, streaks, and activity easier to comprehend and helping users quickly see meaningful momentum.
The original profile only displayed a streak and recent activity, providing little insight into how much users had completed or where they were improving.
Before
Static profile, no real insight
I integrated format-level analytics, accuracy trends, and study patterns so users can instantly understand why they've succeeded and where to focus next.
After
Progress cues that motivates
What the improved profile makes possible
04_ Reinforcing effort with visible milestones
This system redefined streaks as milestones worth achieving, transforming ongoing learning into something users could anticipate.
05_ Progress, rewarded with meaning and connection
I built achievements to unlock more than badges, using rewards moments to reveal insights, invite light social interaction, and give users a reason to return on their own terms.
*Viewpoints
Achievement acts as soft checkpoints, guiding users back into learning without breaking momentum
Reward moments reveal learning patterns, turning progress into insights, not just gamified wins
Outcome
Shaping sustainable learning habits without pressure
