ConnecTune
MOBILE APP DESIGN FOR A PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING STARTUP

Introduction
ConnecTune is a Canadian Professional Networking startup specializing in connecting seasoned music tutors and aspiring students. Music tutors can showcase their portfolios and plan for events and workshops through this platform to attract potential students. Students can explore a diverse group of music tutors and connect with the best match.
My Role
Product Designer.
Research, design, workshopping, prototyping.
Team
4 Designers, 1 Product Manager
Time Line
7 months
Tools
Figma, UserZoom, FullStory, Survey Monkey, Jira, Google Meet
Problem
No app currently showcases music tutors' expertise while connecting them with students and supporting their freelance growth.
Project Scope
Working with founders defined the project goal of repositioning ConnecTune for better customer alignment.
Business Objectives
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Enhance tutor-student connections
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Provide specialized tools for showcasing expertise and managing lessons
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Improve tutor visibility and career growth
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Increase student engagement
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Establish a scalable revenue model
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Generate new leads / reach-outs
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Increase service conversion rate
Customer Goals (Tutors)
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Showcase expertise and teaching style
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Connect with students easily
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Manage bookings, payments, and communication
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Gain visibility in the music education community
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Grow a sustainable freelance career
How Might We
Create a platform that strengthens tutor-student connections, enhances tutor visibility, drives engagement, and boosts lead generation?
Research Plan
To inform the design of ConnecTune, I conducted a competitive analysis and user interviews with music tutors. The research aimed to identify gaps in existing platforms and gather insights into the needs and challenges faced by tutors in growing their freelance businesses.
Competitive Analysis
Analyzing the market competitors showed a Significant Gap in the Market for Supporting Music Freelancers
During the competitive analysis of popular music community apps, I examined their features and functionality for hiring music tutors. I also assessed their user flows to evaluate usability and overall experience, identifying opportunities to differentiate by enhancing current flows, improving features, and expanding the user experience with more intuitive functionalities.





Bandlab
Lessonface
Takelessons
Superprof
Musikalesson
User Interviews
Interviews with music tutors revealed their expectations and challenges for our opportunity.
In the user interviews, I asked music tutors about the challenges they face in getting hired, the freelancing apps they currently use, and their needs and expectations from a hiring platform. I also explored how they engage with their professional network, collaborate with others, and showcase their experience and skills.
Research Findings

Key Insights
Comprehensive Portfolio
Showcasing experience through diverse media.
Easy Communication
Communicating with students and colleagues, and sending/receiving files.
Community Building & Collaboration
Connecting with colleagues and students globally and receiving referrals and reviews.
Business Management
Payment processing and tracking student history.
Gain Visibility and Exposure
Finding students at the desired skill level.
Competition
Stand out in the community and attract students, especially for junior tutors with limited reviews.
Diverse Teaching Opportunities
Hosting remote and in-person classes, setting locations, and organizing group workshops and events.
Managing Requests & Availability
Managing contracts, scheduling availability, handling requests.
Defining Target Audiences
The needs of 2 personas informed the direction of ConnecTune’s focus on music tutors network building.

Alex
Junior Music Tutor
About
Age 22 - Alex is a recent graduate, passionate about teaching guitar to beginners. He's new to the freelancing scene and is working to build a reputation.
Goals
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Attract new students, particularly beginners.
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Gain positive reviews and referrals to build credibility.
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Find an easy-to-use platform to manage his schedule and communicate with students.
Painpoints
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Difficulty standing out among more experienced tutors with limited reviews.
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Overwhelmed by administrative tasks like invoicing and scheduling.
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Needs support in building trust with students.
Tech Usage
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Regularly uses social media and freelancing platforms but has not yet found a specific app for music tutoring.

Sarah
Experienced Music Tutor
About
Age 35 - Has been teaching music for over 10 years, specializing in piano and music theory. She has an established student base.
Goals
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Find new students, especially adults looking to learn advanced music theory.
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Showcase her extensive experience and qualifications effectively.
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Schedule lessons efficiently and manage payments easily.
Painpoints
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Struggles with visibility on general freelancing platforms where she competes with tutors in various subjects.
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Needs a more tailored platform for music education that allows for a detailed portfolio display.
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Wants a reliable referral system for increasing credibility.
Tech Usage
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Frequently uses apps for scheduling and communication but struggles with complicated platforms for booking and payments.
Defining Touch Points
Planning out the journey experience directed the app’s purpose in providing context and encouraging engagement

Design Workshops
Workshopping with other teams to communicate the research insights and decide on core services to form higher engagement.
Product Main Features
Planning the product offerings using main features.
01
Community Networking
03
Music School Management System
02
Robust profile and portfolio showcase
04
Exposure and Visibility Management
User Flows for Major Tasks




Information Architecture
Content layout and hierarchy to timely deliver each key information along a user's journey while on the app.

Low-Fidelity Prototypes
We wireframed the visual representation of the app layout as a blueprint for the structure and functionality of a product.




Usability Test
We conducted a usability study with 6 participants to get feedback on the wireframes.
Goal
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Can the music tutors receive teaching requests and manage them? Do they find the student-finding feature useful?
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Do the music tutors find the community engagement and networking feature effective to get hired?
Prompt to Test:
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User onboarding
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Creating Profile
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Managing the diverse teaching oportunities
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Community engagement through the app
Insights
01
Profile Customization
03
Community Engagement Through Smart Search and Filters
02
Informative and Distance-Based Student Suggestion
04
Improving Calendar Usability
Design Iteration




High Fidelity Prototype
We are designing high-fidelity prototypes as suggestions for UI.