Ielts Intelligence
• Cambridge University Press •
Transforming test anxiety into test confidence through adaptive, empathetic design
The Real Story: From Personal Experience to Empowering Design
Having prepared for and taken the IELTS exam myself, I brought a personal perspective to this project. I know first-hand how test prep can be filled with stress, self-doubt, and sleepless nights. My goal was to flip the script—transforming anxiety into genuine confidence and making IELTS preparation an empowering journey for every learner.
The Challenge
IELTS candidates face immense pressure. For many, this single exam determines their university admissions, visa applications, or career opportunities. Yet traditional test preparation materials focus solely on content mastery whilst ignoring the psychological barriers that prevent learners from performing at their best.
Understanding Test Anxiety
Through in-depth user research, we uncovered that test anxiety stemmed from three key sources:
"I didn't know what to expect on test day. Would questions be harder than my practice materials?"
Root cause:
Lack of realistic exam simulation created uncertainty that amplified stress.
"I kept getting the same score but didn't know why or how to improve."
Root cause:
Without personalised, actionable guidance, learners felt stuck and helpless.
"I could answer correctly at home, but during timed tests, I'd panic and my mind would go blank."
Root cause:
No tools or strategies to manage stress meant learners couldn't translate knowledge into performance under pressure.
Adaptive Learning Pathways
Recognising that no two learners are the same, I designed an adaptive system that:
- Assessed individual skill levels across all four IELTS components (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)
- Generated personalised study plans based on time available until exam date and target band score
- Delivered targeted practice focusing on specific weak areas whilst maintaining overall progress
- Provided contextual feedback that explained not just what was wrong, but why, and how to improve
This meant every user received content and feedback tailored to their unique journey, making preparation feel personal, relevant, and achievable.
My Role
As a Lead Designer, I shaped the product's vision, strategy, and user experience from the ground up. Working within a cross-functional scrum team, I:
- Defined and prioritised product features in collaboration with stakeholders
- Led user research and synthesised findings into actionable insights
- Created and iterated on user journeys to promote alignment and clarity
- Designed intuitive, pixel-perfect interfaces ready for developer handoff
Approach
Every design decision was grounded in real user needs, validated through continuous research and feedback. I relied on sketches to ideate solutions, affinity maps to organise insights, and detailed user journeys and flows to visualise the experience from the user's perspective.
I reviewed all existing research and discovery data, building on prior knowledge whilst identifying fresh opportunities.
The Design Process
Planning & Scope Definition
I worked closely with stakeholders to define the product's scope, balancing user needs with business goals. This included prioritising features for the MVP and negotiating what could be delivered in future iterations.
The Challenge: Stakeholders initially wanted to include all four IELTS components (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) in version 1, which would have delayed launch by 6-8 months.
My Decision: I advocated for focusing exclusively on Reading and Listening for MVP, backed by research showing these components caused the most anxiety amongst test-takers.
Speaking and Writing required complex AI scoring that wasn't essential to prove our core value proposition: adaptive learning that builds confidence.
The Impact: This decision reduced development time by 30% whilst delivering maximum user value. We could launch sooner, learn faster, and iterate based on real user behaviour.
Wireframes and User Journeys
For every new screen, I identified the top user goals and mapped ideal flows to reach them. I created comprehensive user journeys that accounted for both primary and secondary paths, proactively addressing potential challenges with thoughtful design choices.
User flow design:
Mapping primary and secondary journeys with contingency plans for every decision point
Prototyping and Validation
I developed high-fidelity prototypes in Sketch and made them interactive using InVision. Usability testing was conducted with non-native English speakers—the actual target audience—both in-person and remotely via UsabilityHub and Maze, ensuring that real user feedback drove every iteration.
Analysis and Implementation
Notes from testing were organised into affinity maps using Miro, making insights accessible to the entire design and scrum team. Findings were prioritised, with the top issues addressed first. I generated detailed reports for stakeholders and created new iterative flows based on these insights, ensuring the product evolved in response to real user needs.
The Insight: During testing, users felt anxious when they couldn't see their overall progress. One participant said: "I don't know if I'm getting better or just doing more questions."
The Design Response: I introduced a progress dashboard that visualised improvement over time, not just completion. Users could see their band score trending upward, which specific question types they'd mastered, and how their speed improved—transforming abstract effort into tangible achievement.
Screen flows mapped both primary and secondary user journeys, highlighting all steps and contingency plans for a seamless user experience.
Users reported feeling overwhelmed when faced with 40 practice questions at once, similar to exam conditions. Many would abandon sessions midway through.
Introduced progressive disclosure with 5-question sets, each followed by immediate feedback and reflection prompts. Users could choose to continue or take a break, maintaining momentum without burnout.
Final Visual Design
After rounds of testing and iteration, I delivered a pixel-perfect UI ready for developer handoff. Every detail was informed by user research and validated through testing, ensuring a polished and effective product.
Reflection
Working on IELTS Intelligence was especially meaningful to me as a former IELTS candidate. My own experience shaped my commitment to designing a platform that genuinely supports and empowers test-takers.
I'm proud to have helped create a product that makes preparation less stressful and more confidence-building for learners worldwide.
What I Learnt
Test preparation isn't just about knowledge acquisition—it's about building psychological resilience. This insight now shapes how I approach any learning product design.
Given More Time
I would have conducted longitudinal studies tracking confidence levels throughout the entire preparation journey, not just at key milestones. This would have revealed emotional patterns we could design for proactively.