Turning a Video Library into an Adaptive AI Coach
An AI coach that turns questions into learning journeys, combining instant answers with micro-courses to make learners 2.1x more likely to complete and earn certificates.
Services
Product Design
Year
2023
Client
Avant Collective
JoVE is trusted by universities and researchers worldwide for its peer-reviewed science videos. Entering the B2C space meant starting fresh: a library alone isn’t enough. Learners need something personal, adaptive, and motivating.
I designed JoVE’s first B2C product as an AI coach — one that answers questions instantly and also guides learners through structured micro-courses with quizzes, progress tracking, and certificates.
The result is a seamless flow where a learner can start with a doubt and finish with a certificate, without ever feeling lost in a catalog.
Turning Content into Guidance
A library gives you content, but it doesn’t guide you. Learners need something that feels like a coach - answering instantly, guiding step by step, and keeping motivation alive.
The tricky part: learners arrive with two very different needs.
Some just want a quick answer to move past a doubt.
Others want to go step by step through a course and earn a certificate.
Understanding Learners and Competitors
Learners
User interviews revealed three key frustrations: endless browsing, lack of clarity on what to watch next, and no sense of achievement after finishing a video.
Competitors
Studying platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, Skillshare, and Udacity revealed three elements that drive engagement:
Progression keeps learners engaged.
Quizzes reinforce learning.
Certificates motivate milestones.
Designing Invisible Transitions
When I began mapping the experience, I kept asking myself: how can one platform serve two completely different learning needs without feeling fragmented?
I sketched the learner’s paths. On one side was the “doubt-first” learner who just wanted a quick answer. On the other was the “structured” learner who wanted to go step by step. Instead of creating two separate flows, I realized the solution was to weave them into one adaptable journey.
A learner could ask a question, get a short video, take a quick quiz, and then be nudged into a micro-course. Progress tracking and a final quiz led naturally to a certificate.
The principle became clear: don’t force a choice. Let the experience guide learners naturally from a single doubt to structured mastery.
In beta, this seamless flow helped 42% of doubt-first learners continue into a micro-course.
We explored two separate modes at first, then scrapped them completely when we realized one adaptive flow was cleaner.
Designing the Building Blocks of a Coach
I focused on key elements that made Coach feel supportive and motivating - guiding learners step by step, reinforcing progress, and celebrating milestones along the way.
Chat as the Coach
The chat is the learner’s guide — conversational, supportive, and action-oriented. It answers questions, suggests next steps, and keeps context alive. This design drives 35% longer sessions than JoVE’s video-only experience.
Structured Content
Bite-sized videos, embedded quizzes, and a final certificate create a clear path. This structure drives 3x more certificates earned than JoVE’s previous baseline.
Quizzes to Boost Learning
Short quizzes after concepts turned passive watching into active learning, preparing learners for the final certificate quiz.
Progress Made Visible
Rings, sticky bars, and microcopy like “3 concepts done, certificate in sight” give learners momentum. Visible progress boosts certificate completions by 22%.
Nudges at the Right Time
Prompts appear only after related videos or quizzes. This keeps the experience natural and reduces drop-offs by 18%, while still guiding learners deeper.
Moments of Delight
Confetti and celebratory overlays make milestones memorable. Learners who see these are 1.5x more likely to continue after a quiz.
Making Learning Feel Engaging
To make Coach approachable and modern, I created a design system focused on clarity and delight:
Bringing the Experience to Life
Key screens that bring the coach to life, guiding learners from first question to final certificate.
Home — A personalized launchpad for chat, in-progress courses, and earned certificates.
Coach — A chat-first space to ask questions, get instant answers, and explore related concepts.
Explore Micro-Course — Discover new topics, start journeys, and track progress.
Micro-Course Video — A focused player with embedded quizzes and progress indicators.
Profile — A hub for milestones, achievements, and certificates.
Learning Anytime, Anywhere
I wanted the mobile experience to feel just as seamless as desktop so learners could easily navigate, watch videos, and track progress on any device.
To achieve this, I simplified the sidebar into a clean navbar for quick access to chat, courses, and progress. I kept the video player central, integrating quizzes and progress indicators directly into it.
To avoid overwhelming learners on smaller screens, I used progressive disclosure so features only appeared when relevant, keeping the focus on learning.
Guiding Learners to Success
JoVE Coach transforms a static library into an AI-powered coach that answers instantly, guides step by step, and celebrates progress.
42% of learners who ask a question continue into a micro-course.
27% increase in course completions.
3x more certificates earned.
35% longer session times, showing stronger engagement and satisfaction.
Learners stay longer, complete journeys, and proudly earn certificates.