PADI
UX / UI / Research
PADI is the leader in scuba diving education - owning about 75% of the market. The digital products that they offer did not convey the prestige and trust that the company had worked hard to build. I worked on several projects during my time at PADI - a few of which are listed below.
Problem
Previously there was an application called Scuba Earth that functioned as a social media platform for PADI divers. It was outdated, difficult to use, and slow. We used this previous site as a starting point to ensure that the divers kept access to the features that they loved.
Role & stakeholders
When building an application for scuba enthusiasts, it is imperative to listen to divers. Our team conducted various forms of research to determine the pain points involved in the sport and what types of features that we needed to make sure to include.
Process
User Interviews and Surveys
Requirements Gathering
Persona Building
Journey Mapping
Service design of data repositories
High fidelity prototyping
Delivery and implementation with tech partners
AB Testing
Tracking analytics
PADI eLearning
PADI is the leader in scuba education around the world. Digital courses were created in order to reach as many students as possible while decreasing the carbon footprint that is associated with printed books.
Online Scuba Education Course
PADI was on the forefront of the digital scuba course market but it wasn't until 2017 that they took the time to understand user's goals. While the previous norm for online education was slide-based (like a Powerpoint) it has become clear from user research that users prefer to scroll instead of click. Instead of having flashy animations, PADI opted for text, images and videos to keep distractions to a minimum. By using plain text, courses are easily made with a JSON file, making edits and language translations simple.
Clear Progress and Navigation
Previously PADI's eLearning was confusing for the user to determine how much was left in their course.
Customization
Most e-readers give the user options to adjust font size, font and background color, so why wouldn't an eLearning course offer the same?
Large, Captivating Images
Images are now used to compliment the content without being distracting.
Easy Annotation and Highlighting
As in most educational courses, the student may want to take notes or highlight important pieces to review later on.
Educational Video Playlist
In addition to the traditional scuba diving courses, PADI offers video courses that users can customize based on their interests. By creating a skin and pulling from the Vimeo API, students are able to pick and choose what they want to see on their playlist. Another great feature is that the user is now able to watch on the go with the addition of the download feature.
Progress Bar
Users will know exactly where they are in the course at all times.
Theater-Like Viewing
Students experience gorgeous footage with a large video screen surrounded by black to evoke the feeling of being in a theater.
Downloadable Playlist
Every student should have the freedom to finish their scuba education on their own time. All videos can be downloaded and viewed offline.
Elective Videos
The user now has more freedom to customize their course. Instead of being stuck with a book or a DVD, the student can pick and choose which elective videos they want.
China Resort Diver
The China Resort Diver Course bridges the gap between playful Chinese UI and PADI's renowned scuba education.
Process and considerations
The Asia Pacific region, and specifically China, is the fastest growing market for scuba diving. Based on market research, the younger population of the country is spending less money on material purchases, and more on trips and experiences. The PADI Resort Diver course was specifically designed for this market and focuses on easy navigation, fun animation and bright colors, all of which tested well within the target audience.
As a global company, PADI has to consider the necessity for translations into various languages and accessibility by all age ranges. On top of that, the resorts that will be offering this course have little to no cellular service which made the use of offline viewing paramount.
Certification Cards
Once the diver has successfully completed their educational course and learned the necessarily skills in the water, their account automatically presents a certification card. This card is standard for PADI and enables the user to present it at any dive shop or resort around the world.
Dynamic Vector Illustrations
The user interface trends vary somewhat by region of the world. After extensive research into how the Chinese population interacts with their applications, PADI decided to create quirky animations to compliment its scuba education course.
Responsive
Each student is able to use any mobile or tablet device to work on this course. Once they have downloaded the app, they do not need reception until they submit their test scores.
Measuring success
Feature enhancements released in A/B, leading to all features to have 75% adoption
Reduction of paper certification cards by 1,000/yr