High Dosage Tutoring
Key Metrics
Conversion, New Buyers, Sign-up Rate
Company
Outschool
When
Sept - Oct 2024
Why I chose this project: Design challenges that appear simple at first often become surprisingly complex when integrated into an established product experience. I initially thought a schedule-based booking flow would be easy, given how commonly it’s solved. However, creating a flow tailored to our specific tutoring needs proved to be more challenging. When existing systems, multiple stakeholders, and tight timelines come into play, even simple tasks can become tricky to navigate. Sometimes, it's best to take the plunge and release a solution that's nearly there, allowing you to learn and improve over time.
Team
Tutoring team
Collaborators
5 engineers, 1 PM, legal, UXR, & marketing
Context: While Outschool initially focused on live group video classes, there was a growing demand for 1-on-1 tutoring, as more kids needed personalized support to thrive. In late 2023, we made a push to enter this market, however we recognized early on there was more we could do to address our families' tutoring needs more fully and effectively.
High Dosage Tutoring: An unfulfilled need leaves money on the table
Outschool was missing a major opportunity by making it challenging for families to book multiple recurring weekly 1-on-1 tutoring sessions. Our booking flow was optimized for single-session appointments, but user interviews revealed that families with higher LTV were pursuing high dosage tutoring, finding workarounds to book and manage multiple sessions. These more intensive tutoring experiences, where sessions build on each other, tended to produce stronger outcomes.
This unmet need prevented users from fully benefiting from our platform and led to missed revenue opportunities for the company."
Why is recurring scheduling so hard?
Figuring out scheduling was particularly tricky because the booking schedule had to be predictable for families - but our teachers often had schedules that were irregular, and change week after week based on their other appointments. We needed a pattern that would allow users to subscribe to time slots with confidence, while navigating the unpredictability of a teacher’s schedule.
To combat the issue, we set a rule that teachers had to have at least 80% confirmed availability for a day of the week and time for the next 4 weeks. We also required teachers to have set calendars for at least 4 weeks in advance to be eligible for high dosage tutoring. We also had to notify the user very clearly whenever a session wouldn’t happen on the expected date. While it didn’t completely solve our issue, it was a good enough solution to run the experiment and learn.
Concepts & iterations
A new way to “meet” our tutors
On Outschool’s marketplace, our class listings initially presented dense information to help parents evaluate key attributes. While effective for some classes, this approach didn’t resonate with parents seeking tutoring, where the focus on 1-on-1 interaction meant the teacher’s rapport with their child was crucial—especially for neurodiverse kids, a significant user group for us. For parents, assessing the “vibe” of the tutor quickly and easily was the best way to browse options.
Because of this distinction, I decided to look towards social and dating apps for inspiration, rather than other marketplaces. I unlocked my thinking and was able to take a completely different approach to our tutor merchandising.
Experiment results
Total bookings increased by ~25%
24 hour enroll rate increased by ~11%
Conversion rate increased by ~26%
New buyer rate increased by ~22%