Astra AI - Web app design
My role
Product Designer - Research, Graphic design, UX & UI Design
Team
Klemen Selakovič, Product lead
Me, Product Design
Timeline & Status
4 Months, Live
Overview
Astra AI is an AI-powered math tutoring platform designed to provide personalized, step-by-step solutions for students in elementary and high school, as well as anyone looking to improve their math skills. As the company moved beyond its MVP stage, they needed a more refined product that could scale while maintaining a seamless user experience.
I was contracted as a product designer to improve discoverability, enhance usability, and implement new features that would support Astra AI’s evolving needs.
PROBLEM OVERVIEW
Astra AI was growing beyond it's MVP and needed a more refined experience
Problem statements
Scaling beyond the MVP – As Astra AI moved past its initial launch, it needed a more polished and structured product without losing agility.
Expanding the feature set – The core product was simple, but adding new functionality became a challenge, requiring thoughtful integration.
Enhancing usability for learning – The existing tools, like the math keyboard, onboarding flow, and tutoring options, needed updates.
Introducing customization – New settings and chat history features were needed to give users more control over their learning experience.
RESEARCH AND STRATEGY
Understanding the product’s evolution
Fast-paced startup
My work was largely independent, with tasks assigned directly by the Product lead. While I wasn’t able to have a direct contact with users, I based my decisions on available data and market trends to ensure practical and effective solutions.
Coming up with solutions
Since Astra AI was moving beyond its MVP phase, I had access to a few previous user testing reports but primarily relied on competitor research and industry best practices. However, given the emerging nature of AI-powered tutoring platforms, there were times when I had to improvise and develop my own solutions.
Working with the current product
To maintain consistency, I adhered to Astra AI’s existing design language. The objective wasn’t to rebrand the product but to refine and expand upon what was already in place, ensuring a seamless experience for existing users while integrating new features smoothly.
DESIGN APPROACH
Finding the right approach in a fast-moving environment
Prioritizing the right tasks
Each week, the Product lead and I reviewed tasks to determine priorities based on implementation difficulty and impact on the product. High-impact tasks often required more in-depth exploration, while simpler ones needed quick, efficient solutions.
Coming up with solutions
Given the rapid pace of development, instructions were often flexible, requiring me to generate multiple design solutions. I prepared several variations for each feature, presenting them to the Product lead for evaluation. The selected approach was then refined and implemented into the final product.
1.0 Solution 1.
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1.1 Solution 2.
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1.2 Solution 3.
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UI DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Creating a seamless and scalable experience
Existing design patterns
Since Astra AI lacked formal documentation on design guidelines, I spent some time exploring the existing product to understand its structure and design patterns.
By studying how previous elements were implemented, I ensured consistency in new designs. When introducing new patterns, I carefully evaluated their fit within the existing system and how they would scale over time.
A new tutoring subject
One of the major additions to the platform was support for a new tutoring subject: English. This required structuring different language levels and tailoring the user experience accordingly. For beginners (A1 level), instructions were provided in their native language, while more advanced learners received instructions in English.
Additionally, I designed a solution that eased the users into using the new model by showcasing multiple prompt examples, helping users understand what the AI could assist them with.
2.0 English tutor on desktop.
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2.1 English tutor on mobile.
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Re-designing the existing features
Although the direct impact of these changes wasn’t formally measured, reworking some of the core flows significantly improved the product’s usability. The redesigned features made the experience feel more structured and intuitive, allowing users to navigate the platform with greater ease.
3.0 New onboarding.
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3.1 Re-designed settings.
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3.2 New scientific keyboards.
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FINAL DESIGNS
A seamless experience
4.0 Conversation history.
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4.1 Archived conversations.
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4.2 Updated graphics.
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4.3 New pitchdeck.
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IMPACT AND LEARNINGS
Evaluating long-term value and key takeaways
Results
Features that stood the test of time – The solutions I designed were successfully integrated into Astra AI and continue to support its growth and evolving needs.
Long-term impact – While no formal analytics were conducted, the adoption of these features highlights their effectiveness in improving the user experience and platform functionality.
Learnings
The power of clear communication – Working in a fast-paced environment showed the importance of alignment between teams, ensuring efficiency and a healthy work dynamic.
Balancing speed with quality – Delivering thoughtful solutions under time constraints was a crucial skill in an industry that is constantly evolving, such as AI-powered education.
Available to work with you
Let’s design the
next one together
© 2025 Nik Pavič
Ljubljana, Slovenia