2021
Homepage Redesign for italki
italki's homepage, the first thing users see after logging in, required a refresh to align with an ongoing rebrand and updated visual language. While the redesign effort included both paid and free users, this case study focuses on the free, unpaid experience.
Analytics data highlighted which sections were most engaging, which were underutilized, and which caused friction. The goal was to declutter the interface, emphasize high-value modules like the Recommended Teachers section, and make interactions more intuitive — all while maintaining consistency with the updated brand identity.
The result is a cleaner, more intuitive home screen that balances clarity, engagement, and business priorities without overcomplicating the experience.
Deliverables:
Homepage audit with insights on user behavior and engagement
High-fidelity mockups for web and mobile web, integrating the updated brand language
New icons and illustrations to extend and complement the existing design system
Documentation outlining interaction patterns and behavioral specifications for developer handoff
Roles:
Analyzed analytics and user behavior insights to inform design strategy and feature prioritization
Designed and iterated on homepage layouts to improve usability and engagement
Collaborated closely with product managers and developers to validate feasibility and refine interaction details
Analytics revealed clear patterns that guided the redesign:
Redundancy & clutter: Repeated user info and stacked entries created noise, reducing usability.
Low-value modules: Stacked shortcuts were underutilized and could be de-emphasized.
Behavior-driven priorities: Recommended Teachers and Trial Lessons drove engagement and was leading to first purchases.
Discoverability issues: Key actions like searching for teachers were not presented well.
These insights informed which modules to highlight, downplay, or restructure, ensuring the redesign was data-driven rather than purely aesthetic.
The homepage was restructured section by section, focusing on the most impactful modules for free users.
Key updates include a clearer search for teachers with multiple filters, enriched teacher cards with actionable information, streamlined shortcuts with less-used items hidden to reduce clutter, and an added banner guiding and encouraging users to book their first lesson.
The updated homepage worked across web and mobile web. By prioritizing key sections like the search function and recommended teachers, the redesign made it easier to discover teachers and book trial lessons, resulting in measurable improvements in first-time purchases.
