Lil' Changemakers

Overview

Lil' Changemakers is a premium dual-curriculum learning hub and Madrasah Entrance Test (MET) preparatory center based in Woodlands, Singapore. Since its establishment in 2019, the center has empowered over 1,700 students. As the Lead UX/UI Designer, I directed the complete overhaul of their digital presence to simplify enrollment and structure their curriculum communications.

EXHIBIT 01 Live screenshot of the redesigned digital portal showcasing the child-centric visual theme and clean parent registration layouts.

Our Target & Baseline Metrics

We set these target numbers collaboratively with the administrative team and stakeholders. In previous years, we noticed that parent drop-off during registration was high due to complex form uploads and poor information hierarchy on mobile viewports.

Understanding the Parent's Journey

Before exploring visual solutions, it was crucial to identify the root causes of registration abandonment. We observed that parents trying to register their children often encountered excessive friction when navigating the center's site. Important program timelines, fee tiers, and test requirements were completely scattered across WhatsApp chats, social media feeds, and PDF handouts.

To gain deeper insights, I conducted a remote discovery workshop with the founders, teachers, and parent coordinators using FigJam. During this alignment session, we mapped out the parent journey from initial curiosity to enrolment. We discovered that the main drop-off point occurred during document submission (uploading birth certificates and academic transcripts), as parents felt overwhelmed by long, complex forms on mobile screens.

A key usability issue we identified was that parents struggled to differentiate between the three core tracks (Fundamentals, Foundation, and Mastery), leading to misplaced enquiries and administrative bottlenecks. It was clear that we needed to structure a cohesive Information Architecture (IA) and design a clean, guided wizard form to reduce cognitive load.

Mapping the Dual-Curriculum Pipeline

I mapped out a clean, story-driven Information Architecture that translates the center's complex offerings into three clear learning paths, resolving parent confusion:

• Fundamentals Stage (Preschool - MET Prep): Designed specifically to prepare preschool children for the Madrasah Entrance Test, focusing on early Arabic reading (Tilawati) and core skills.
• Foundation Stage (Primary 1-3 Transition): A preparatory stage building essential skills to ensure a smooth transition from early learning into primary academic levels.
• Mastery Stage (Primary 4-6 Academic & Arabic): Preparing students for PSLE exams while building advanced language proficiency (Nahu & Tarbiyah Arabic).

Designing for Playfulness and Trust

To establish immediate trust while keeping the brand's identity warm and child-centric, I designed the "Crayon Curves" visual system. The interface features a clean, high-contrast dark theme paired with custom-crafted doodles (clouds, suns, crowns) that reflect a modern learning environment.

Key UI decisions included:

• Inter Typography: Transitioned the entire layout to the **Inter** sans-serif font family, improving reading speed and layout structure across mobile devices.
• Guided Enrolment Wizard: Replaced long registration lists with an interactive multi-step wizard. Parents input child details, choose their target program stage, and upload documents through a streamlined, mobile-friendly interface with instant validation cues.
• Achievement Report Cards: Designed visual, high-impact data panels showcasing their 80% admissions success rates and AL jump indicators to reinforce credibility.

Validating with Parents

We conducted remote usability testing sessions with 8 parents to validate the new design. Key findings during testing guided our iterations:

• ✅ Form completion time was reduced from 15 minutes to under 4 minutes.
• ✅ Clear progress indicators in the enrollment wizard kept parents motivated to finish the registration steps.
• ✅ Offloaded image compression logic to the client side, allowing parents to upload large photos of birth certificates without upload errors.

Parent Feedback & Trust Indicators

Integrating verified customer reviews directly into the reading flow was crucial to reinforce community trust before registration:

Reflections & Takeaways

Designing for an educational community requires balancing warmth with operational efficiency. By restructuring their information architecture and simplifying the enrolment forms, we significantly reduced administrative overhead while building trust with families in Woodlands.