italki is a popular online language learning platform that offers both scheduled and instant lessons.

This case study dives into the research conducted to understand user and teacher experiences with the Instant Lesson feature, and how it was ultimately improved based on the findings.

Low teacher attendance: Instant Lessons had an abnormally high failure rate due to teachers failing to attend classes on time.
Limited student engagement: While initial feedback showed users enjoyed the convenience of Instant Lessons, many didn't transition to regular Scheduled Lessons after completing their three Instant Lessons concluded.

To understand the competitive landscape for italki's Instant Lessons, I conducted a deep-dive analysis of similar offerings from direct competitors. This focused comparison allowed me to identify any strengths and weaknesses in italki's Instant Lessons relative to the market, and glean potential areas for improvement.

Flexiclass — https://flexiclasses.com/
✅ Join group classes whenever you want.
❌ 1-on-1 lessons must be booked 48 hours in advance. Not the same as Instant Lessons. Only group classes are flexible.
❌ Subscription model doesn’t allow for true flexibility and may make users feel pressured to join classes to “make the most” out of their monthly subscription.

Hallo — https://www.hallo.tv/
✅ Offers both Instant Lessons and Instant Calls (Good for users without video feed).
✅ Free Instant Group Classes as a viewer (Speaking behind paywall).
❌ Doesn’t allow you to choose your teacher.
❌ Complicated subscription system, may be off-putting to some users.
❌ Only focused on English.

italki differentiates itself from competitor platforms offering instant lessons by empowering students to choose their preferred teacher.

This level of personalization caters to individual learning styles and preferences, potentially increasing student engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, italki's pay-as-you-go pricing structure presents a lower barrier to entry for new users who might be hesitant to commit to a subscription without experiencing the platform firsthand.

While some competitors offer instant group classes, allowing teachers to conduct lessons at scheduled times and students to join flexibly, italki currently focuses on one-on-one lessons. This approach fosters focused learning and tailored interaction between students and teachers, but it may limit the platform's appeal to learners seeking a more social learning environment.

While a high percentage of users convert from trial lessons to scheduled 1-on-1 lessons (90%), a lower conversion rate is observed for students engaging with Instant Lessons. This disparity suggests potential opportunities within the Instant Lesson experience to encourage users to transition to a more structured learning format.

45% of Instant Lesson students book another trial or Instant Lesson, this still indicates a significant segment finds value in the format. This could be due to the convenience of the service aligning with their busy schedules, or it could cater to specific learning needs like targeted practice or exploring different teachers with a lower upfront commitment.

Instant Lessons experience a problem rate of 11%, 3 percentage points higher than the rate observed in Trial Lessons (8%). This is important as the only difference between an Instant Lesson and a Trial Lesson is the start time.

An analysis of reported problems reveals a significant disparity between Instant Lessons and other lesson types. While "Agreement Reached" is the most frequent issue for Trial and Scheduled Lessons, "Teacher failed to attend" emerges as the primary concern for Instant Lessons, accounting for 53% of reported problems.

Only 6% of Instant Lesson notifications are opened within the 5 minute time frame before an Instant Lesson begins. This is important because Instant Lessons begin 5 minutes after a student has purchased one. If the teacher is doesn't see, the notification they will most likely fail to attend the lesson on time.

Key Takeaway:
A large number of Teachers are not receiving or viewing their notifications within the 5 minute window before an Instant Lesson starts, increasing the chance that they fail to attend.

To understand student experiences with Instant Lessons, I analyzed feedback from user reviews and customer service interactions.

Online reviews across platforms like TrustPilot and the Android store indicate that users find the Instant Lesson concept appealing and innovative. However, there's also a desire for additional support for this style of learning that matches their learning goals and lifestyle preferences.

Drawing insights from user reviews and support tickets, I collaborated with the Customer Service team to develop an empathy map. This map captured students' perspectives on Instant Lessons by analyzing their feelings and needs expressed through common tickets and complaints.

Key Takeaway:
Instant Lessons cater to students with demanding or unpredictable schedules who value flexible learning opportunities.

However, a significant portion of these users discontinue using the platform after completing their initial three Instant Lessons, limiting their potential long-term engagement.

To gain a deeper understanding of teacher perspectives on the Instant Lesson format, I conducted semi-structured interviews with five teachers from diverse backgrounds across Europe, Asia, and North America.

This ensured a variety of experiences and viewpoints on the platform. The interview questions explored the teachers' motivations for using Instant Lessons, their pre-lesson routines, their typical student interactions, and their overall evaluation of the feature.

Common themes and key takeaways:
(1) Teachers rated their experience on average 3.5/5.

(2) All 5 of the teachers thought that the 5 minute timer was too short and would like to extend it to either 10 or 15 minutes.

(3)Some teachers stated that they had missed a lesson due to not hearing/receiving a notification or because they had previously turned off Instant Lesson, but still received a request.

(4) The majority of teachers did not notice a behavior difference between trial lessons and Instant Lesson students. However, some teachers felt that Instant Lesson students were less likely to become scheduled lesson students.

(5) Every teacher did something else while waiting for an Instant Lesson, but used different methods to check for notifications.

(6) Teachers would be in favor of adding the ability to decline requests. But believe that they should state a reason when declining.

(7) Teachers also think that they should have to confirm that they have seen an Instant Lesson request.

Suggestions for Instant Lesson included: Increased timer, ability to pick communication platforms, and showcasing Instant Lesson tutors.

Extend the notification window for Instant Lessons from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. This aims to enhance teacher awareness of upcoming lessons by providing additional preparation time and allowing for the potential use of multiple notification methods.

Action 2: 

To provide greater flexibility and manage potential mishaps, consider implementing a confirmation step for Instant Lesson bookings. This would allow teachers to accept or decline incoming requests, mitigating situations where teachers unintentionally leave Instant Lessons open or encounter technical issues leading to unintended bookings. This confirmation step could help ensure a smoother and more positive experience for both teachers and students.

Following a comprehensive analysis of all gathered data, I presented key findings and potential solutions to the relevant project managers. This collaborative discussion resulted in the incorporation of improvements to the Instant Lesson feature within the project roadmap, targeted for completion in Q2 2023.