Restructuring Networkme’s Experience for Scalable Growth
Context
When I stepped into Networkme, it was like walking into a whirlwind: A fast-growing EdTech company racing against time, plagued with legacy issues, design messes, and a daunting array of fragmented features.
The platform was a patchwork quilt of random functionalities, with each new feature added without a clear plan, often driven solely by immediate business requests. It was a classic case of “growth before structure,” and it was crying out for a serious revamp.
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But instead of being overwhelmed, I saw this as a golden opportunity to reimagine how the platform could evolve. Not just patch it up, but build a stronger, smarter, and more delightful experience for users across Brazil, Europe, and beyond.
Challenges
Legacy Chaos, Inconsistent Design, and No Clear Product Vision. We had a lot to do in a short time! So I focused on the top three issues presented both internally by the tech team and externally, as requested both by users and stakeholders.
Fragmented Features
Every new feature was unique unto itself—different UI, different flow, different logic. It was like each feature spoke its own language, confusing users and developers alike.
Design Incoherence
The lack of a unified look and feel made the platform feel disjointed, undermining user confidence and engagement.
No Product Strategy
New functionalities came from the business side, often implemented without evaluating their fit or how they aligned with user needs. It was a reactive process—“Let's just add this feature and see what happens.”
I saw that the key to turning things around lay in bringing discipline, standardization, and a user-centered mindset.
Here’s how I tackled it:
1. Creating a Robust Design System
Think of this as establishing a linguistic grammar for the platform. I developed a comprehensive design system that provided reusable components and interaction patterns. This gave the entire team a shared language, making development faster and the user experience more cohesive.
Whether a user was landing on a course page in Brazil or a career pathway in Europe, the experience felt familiar and trustworthy.
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2. Defining Usage Paradigms
Next, I set clear standards for key platform functions. Content publishing workflows, user views, navigation flows, and new feature pathways like career tracks, these standards weren't just rules, they were the backbone that ensured clarity, consistency, and scalability.
Over 50,000 users, from students in Brazil to learners in Europe, started to enjoy smoother, more intuitive journeys.
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3. Shifting to a Product-First Mindset
Previously, new features popped up from the business side without much thought to user impact. I introduced product management principles:
Regular user interviews, feedback loops, prioritization based on user value, and defining clear roadmaps. This helped us avoid the chaos of "feature overload" and focus on building what truly mattered.
![[WEB] Pathway _ Home](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/dbd421_7378f062fd1a4bde9b2ae145c6147efb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_179,al_c,q_90,enc_auto/dbd421_7378f062fd1a4bde9b2ae145c6147efb~mv2.jpg) | ![[WEB] Main _ Assessments _ Overview](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/dbd421_8b9d1ceb0f3d4e2c9c45a4ed32fbf425~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_177,al_c,q_90,enc_auto/dbd421_8b9d1ceb0f3d4e2c9c45a4ed32fbf425~mv2.jpg) |  | ![[WEB] Home _ Job recommendation](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/dbd421_f482472095b94a899766481419019b1b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_177,al_c,q_90,enc_auto/dbd421_f482472095b94a899766481419019b1b~mv2.jpg) |
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The results spoke louder than words
Why This Matters
This journey proves that growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality. With strategic design, disciplined product thinking, and a focus on user experience, you can turn even the most chaotic platform into a polished, scalable system. It’s about building foundations that support both immediate needs and long-term vision.
Whether you're dealing with a legacy system or rapid expansion, remember: clarity, consistency, and user-centric design are your best allies in crafting something truly impactful.