WeMountain
A UX Case Study | Group Project | Desktop Viewport
Project Overview
Project length: 3 week sprint
​
Goal:
To empower snow sports enthusiasts—especially those going off-piste—with better avalanche safety education by improving how WeMountain presents its online learning offerings.
​
Challenge:
The existing platform lacked transparency around course content and credibility. Users didn’t feel confident paying for a course without knowing exactly what they were getting or whether it was trustworthy.
Roles:
-
User Research
-
Information Architecture
-
UX/UI Collaborations
Tools:
-
Figma
-
Optimal workshop
-
Google Forms
DISCOVER
Before making design decisions, we needed to understand both the market landscape and user expectations. We wanted to ensure we weren’t solving what we thought the problem was—but what was actually blocking trust and conversion.
​
Competitor Research: Why We Did It​
We reviewed competitor platforms to learn how they communicated course value, structure, and credibility.
Key findings:
-
Most had visually polished interfaces, likely increasing user trust.
-
They provided detailed course breakdowns: what you'd learn, how long it would take, and who it was for.
-
Clear and intuitive user journeys, reducing friction to purchase.
These observations validated our hypothesis that WeMountain’s lack of course clarity was undermining trust and leading to drop-off.
​
User Research: Why It Mattered​
We extended existing interview data from WeMountain’s team by conducting our own sessions with current users, prospective learners, and instructors.
Our goal: Uncover perception gaps—what users expected vs. what the platform delivered.
Themes that emerged:
-
“I want to know what I’m getting before I pay.”
-
“I don’t trust courses that don’t show outcomes or credentials.”
-
“Engaging courses are more motivating. Static info doesn’t cut it.”
DEFINE
Persona: Sophie
We created “Sophie” not just to generalise our audience, but to humanise the core pain point we were trying to solve: trust and clarity.
Sophie is a confident skier but cautious by nature. She’s aware of avalanche risks and wants to invest in knowledge—but only if she feels assured that what she’s signing up for is worthwhile.
​
Problem Statement
“Sophie wants a clear overview of the online course and industry approval because she needs to feel reassured that she will get value from paying for an online course.”
This problem statement was grounded in direct user quotes and validated by recurring interview insights.
​
“How Might We”
We asked:
“How might we offer transparency and credibility in a lightweight, trustworthy way—so users like Sophie feel confident enough to enroll?”
This question set the stage for co-creation and ideation with our client.
DEVELOP
Why We Co-Created with the Client
We led a design studio workshop with WeMountain’s internal team to ideate solutions together. This wasn’t just for stakeholder buy-in—it was a way to ensure our solutions were aligned with business goals, technical feasibility, and user needs.
We wanted something:
-
Lightweight (low barrier to engagement)
-
Educational (signals credibility)
-
Interactive (increases trust and value perception)
​
Chosen Solution: “Test Your Knowledge” Feature
We introduced a feature where users can take a short, free knowledge challenge before enrolling in a course.
Why this solution?
-
It demonstrates value upfront, rather than relying on abstract descriptions.
-
It introduces credibility through “try before you buy” logic, similar to how product trials build trust.
-
It aligns with user preferences for interactivity and reassurance.
​
Integration & Flow Design – Why Flow Mattered
We didn’t want this new feature to feel bolted-on or disruptive. So we mapped the existing user journey and found a natural insertion point just after course discovery, but before commitment.
Why this point in the journey?
-
Users are already evaluating course options—so offering a free challenge at that moment enhances, rather than interrupts, their decision-making process.
We also ensured visual and structural consistency with WeMountain’s brand to reduce cognitive load and maintain trust.
New feature integrated into initial user flow
New feature integrated into website user flow
DELIVER
Wireframes & Prototype
We created low- and mid-fidelity wireframes to validate layout and content hierarchy before moving to high-fidelity mockups.
We intentionally designed the challenge to be:
-
Short (to respect user time)
-
Visually clear (minimal distractions)
-
Goal-oriented (leading users toward relevant course recommendations)
​
Usability Testing: Why and What We Learned
We conducted moderated usability testing via Zoom with 5 participants.
Why we tested this way:
-
Zoom allowed us to observe confusion or hesitation in real time.
-
Remote testing matched the real-world conditions of how users would engage with the site.
Results:
-
All users immediately understood the purpose of the challenge.
-
Average completion time was just under 2 minutes.
-
SUS score: 95/99, indicating excellent usability.
Based on feedback, we tweaked CTA copy for clarity and reduced question count to improve flow speed.
Iteration were made based on the feedback provided.
Prototype
Client Feedback
The client was particularly impressed with how seamlessly the new feature fit into their existing user experience. They valued the way we brought clarity to a fuzzy problem (trust in course value) through a concrete, testable solution.
“The final presentation and prototype left us thoroughly impressed. I highly recommend their services.”
— Dominique, WeMountain Team
Next Steps
If the project were to continue, we would:
-
Design and test an onboarding experience to give first-time users clarity about what WeMountain offers.
-
Conduct stress testing across viewports to ensure consistent performance and usability across devices.
-
Expand the quiz feature to tie into a long-term user progression system, increasing retention.
​
​
Key Takeaways – What This Taught Me
-
Trust isn’t built through visual polish alone—it’s built through clarity, control, and low-friction experiences.
-
Client collaboration is a UX strategy—not a side task. Co-creation helped us stay focused, iterate quickly, and align user goals with business needs.
-
Every feature needs a reason to exist. By rooting our solution in user psychology and behaviour, we ensured it delivered real value—not just functionality.
​
​
Thank You
Thank you for reading my case study!
Feedback is always welcome—and if you'd like to see the live prototype or dig into specific decisions, I’d be happy to share more.