Kumo Study
Maintaining focus on Inclusive Design
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Launched in October 2023, Kumo Study is a plugin for Chrome, whose main objective is to help students with ADHD on their research journeys.
Through this all-in-one tool, students will be able to save bookmarks and citations, create to-do lists, control their time and avoid distractions by blocking websites that can negatively influence productivity.
OVERVIEW & GOALS
In this project, we composed a team of 3 UX Designers to improve the tools and interface offered by the Kumo Study plugin.
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Our main objective was to meticulously refine the service offered by the digital product specifically for people with ADHD, focusing extensively on inclusion and accessibility.
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The product had already been launched and the founders had already done some research. In this sense, we joined forces and sought to fill the gaps and develop an assertive solution, which would highlight Kumo's USP and position the plugin as an ideal study tool for students with ADHD.
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Role
UX/UI Designer
Team
3 UX Designers
Scope
3 week design sprint:
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Website
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Plugin
Methods
Domain Research, Competitive Analysis, Surveys, Affinity Mapping, Research Analysis, Journey Mapping, Impact Effort Matrix, Sketching, Prototyping.
Tools
Pen & Paper
FigJam
Figma
Google Docs
Canva
Our brains!
Project Type
Client project
How we found out
After receiving the briefing with the first guidelines, we began evaluating the product website and using the plugin. We gathered the research material sent by the client and created a survey and usability test to expand the base in quantitative and qualitative terms. We carried out research on inclusive design especially focused on ADHD and gathered all this information to analyze what was being offered, user perceptions and market competitiveness.
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Methods: Content and Heuristic Evaluation, Competitive Analysis, Domain Research, Surveys, Usability testing, Affinity Mapping.
Discover
How we made it
Through analysis of the research and meetings with stakeholders, we identified that the main opportunity and desire of users was a functional design truly aimed at people with ADHD. As a complete product, we identified many individual products as potential competitors, but none combined the features and catered to or were specifically designed for people with ADHD. Focusing on this difference, we prioritize improvements according to the impact generated and the effort required within the three-week period.
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Methods: Journey Mapping, Impact Effort Matrix, Sketching, Prototyping.
Define
Solution
What we delivered
Design and prototype documentation including:
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New plugin UI, covering the design and functionality for people with ADHD in their study journeys;
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New website UI, aimed at the target audience and with information on how to use the plugin;
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Guidance for tool implementation and maintenance through guide and references for design for ADHD;
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Design Solution Documentation.
Tools: Figma, Canva
Discover
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Client Liaison
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Content and Heuristic Evaluation
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Domain Research
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Competitive Analysis
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Surveys and Usability Testing
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Affinity Mapping
How we found out
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Kumo Study was founded by Alex Kerr, who identified a gap in the market for an all-in-one tool that would help students, especially those with ADHD, stay focused on their research routines and achieve their academic goals.
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In our first meeting, we talked, empathized and understood Kumo's goals, ethics, USPs and opportunities.
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The founder, Alex and the co-founder, Aidan demonstrated receptivity and enthusiasm for the entire process and ideas that were to come. We received complete freedom and support in our process, as well as access to their contacts and feedback material that the company had already collected since launching the plugin (about a week ago at that time).
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From there, we started planning our approach and holding twice-weekly meetings for updates and feedback.
Heuristic Evaluation
We carried out a heuristic evaluation to identify and propose solutions to usability problems, ensuring adherence to design principles and improving the user experience. Here are some pain points:
Plugin
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General
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Needs a homepage with quick actions and highlights such as “last saved”;
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There is no "back" button after entering the plugin (because it opens in a new tab / depending on how many tabs you have open, it can be difficult to find the one you were reading);
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Font sizes constantly shifting throughout the plugin;
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Needed to remember that the tutorial video was on the download screen;
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FAQ or tutorial is available on the Google download page but not within the home screen of the plugin.
Overlay:
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the message “visit” after the citation is ambiguous, something like "go to kumo" would be better;
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You need to click on a white block without any clue to change the name of the folder where you want to include the citation.
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Pomodoro:
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The task list in the time page does not indicate with vertical blinking line that you can type a task (text cursor/caret);
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No back button to return to the previous page;
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The sidebar disappears on this page;
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Font sizes are much larger on this page
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My folder:
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Clicking on a folder name expands to show a citation, and clicking on the expanded citation sends you to a new page (unnecessary step here or button needed to explain this ambiguous process);
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Notes heading is present before any notes have been added which feels confusing;
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No back button once in a citation, need to press My Folder again to return;
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The delete button has no border and is a different font size;
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The ‘copy to’ function is confusingProvide an “Open Recent” or “Reopen Project” listing the files that a user recently worked on.
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Task List:
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Hidden in the timer section.
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Sidebar:
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No onboarding process once the plug-in is installed for new users.
Website
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Sign-up leads to the download page so feels somewhat confusing;
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Terminology of ‘study assistant’ as opposed to tool;
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Different buttons / text /colors / sizes for the same message: "sign me up!", "count me in!", "subscribe me" (consistency);
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Font sizes for headings/subheadings and body text change between sections without consistency;
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The blue colours used in the background and icon section are not the same as the Kumo logo (consistency);
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In "Our Features" the icons increase in size under the mouse, giving the impression that they can be clicked for more information, but this does not happen (there is no function);
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Visual pollution: texts on backgrounds with images, lots of colors, which can be overwhelming for the target audience (ADHD);
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Link icons at the bottom are difficult to look at due to colour vibrating and contrast
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Varying colour palettes that aren’t all complementary;
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Green buttons are not contrasting enough with the blue and are too similar (especially at the bottom of the page);
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More information is needed about the resources available and how to use them rather than the many "sign me up" options.
Competitive Analysis
We conducted an analysis of competing productivity tools available in the market. Our focus was on comparing their essential features, ease of use, pricing approaches, and unique selling points (USPs). By evaluating these strengths and weaknesses in relation to the Kumo Study, we gained insights. This analysis enabled us to identify potential areas for growth based on user feedback and provided a clearer understanding of Kumo Study's current strengths and areas that could benefit from improvement.
User Research
We received from Kumo Study a collection of feedback previously received on their social networks, surveys with students and interviews with potential users.
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To complement the findings and understand users' needs and possible flaws in the tool, we developed a survey with specific questions aimed at the audience with ADHD.
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Our survey used open-ended questions and questions with scales from 1 to 5. These included the topics:
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Understanding about what the Kumo Study tool does and how it can help the user;
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First impressions of the tool’s features and interface;
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Favourite features in the tools and why;
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Experience using the resources;
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Improvements that the user believes could be made.
The research also included a usability test, which could be carried out remotely encompassing:
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Access to the website;
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Plugin download;
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Use of the Bookmarks feature (save and consult citations);
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Use of the Pomodoro Timer;
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Use of the Task List;
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Use of Site Blocker;
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General perception of the experience using the tool.
These methods provided us with qualitative data about the current product.
Affinity Mapping
We merge feedback and interviews received from Kumo Stuty with our research and survey to collect data on student experiences and aspects of Kumo Study performance.
We then analyzed this data through affinity mapping to determine if there were commonalities that impacted multiple users.
Kumo's USPs
Through our careful analysis of the data obtained through our contextual and user research and competitive and comparative evaluation, we identified Kumo's main Unique Selling Points that guided us in our design.
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All-in-One Functionality: Kumo combines a study assistant, site blocker, bookmarking tool, and task manager in a single platform (Most other productivity tools only have one function)
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Affordability: It offers a free version that maintains most functionalities of the paid version.
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Simplicity and minimising distractions: to avoid overwhelming users with ADHD.
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Academic Focus: Kumo is academically focused, providing a distraction-reduced environment for enhanced concentration.
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Bookmarking & Citation: Ability to easily bookmark website articles and also convert them to references.
Define
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Customer Journey Mapping
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Problem Framing
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Persona
- Impact Effort Matrix
- Sketching
- Feedback rounds
- Prototyping
How we made it
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We began brainstorming solutions using our key findings and insights as a guide. The ideation process produced a long list of potential improvements to the website and plug-in tools. Factoring in the scope of our three week timeframe, we focused on achievable goals that would provide the largest impact for the lowest effort.
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Key Considerations for Kumo Study tool
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The extension's UX/UI needs to be more user-friendly and inclusive;
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Enhancing design and messaging for the plugin and website could better engage and support students with ADHD;
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A UI tailored for ADHD, with clear messaging, could improve comprehension and user experience;
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Streamlining names, onboarding, and tools like citation and tasklist will boost usability and retention;
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Our ultimate aim is to make it easier for students with ADHD to maximise the plug-in's benefits, stay engaged in their studies, and enhance their focus and academic performance.
Lillie, the Distracted Learner
Background:
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University student
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Struggles with maintaining focus and attention during online study sessions.
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Has been diagnosed with ADHD.
Frustrations:​​
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Focus Challenges: Struggles with maintaining attention on tasks, frequently getting distracted. Also has periods of hyperfocus and feels irritable when interrupted.
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Time Management: Has difficulty managing time effectively during study or work sessions.
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Procrastination: Prone to procrastination, leading to last-minute rushes and increased stress.
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Self-Doubt: Experiences self-doubt and discouragement due to focus-related challenges.
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Overwhelmed: Academic or professional pressures can become overwhelming, leading to anxiety and stress.
Problem
Kumo Study is a Google Chrome plug-in extension designed to help students with ADHD remain focused when independently studying online.
However the extension’s current UX and UI does not provide an intuitive user journey, nor does it feature including design considerations, which could limit engagement with the product.
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Hypothesis
By enhancing Kumo Study’s user interface and incorporating clear and ADHD-tailored messaging, we will increase users understanding of the tool’s benefits and provide a more seamless user experience.
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The addition of concise and clear naming conventions, an initiative onboarding experience and refining of the citation and tasklist tools will also improve the plug-ins usability and user retention rates.
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These improvements will make it easier for students with ADHD to leverage the full benefits of the plug-in, stay engaged in their studies, and ultimately improve their focus and academic performance.
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Customer Journey Mapping
Current pain points:
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Users feel overwhelmed and find difficulty in navigating the Kumo Study website. Can't focus on what to do;
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Users find it hard to understand how to use the plugin;
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The tool does not have an inclusive design aimed at people with ADHD;
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Needing more inclusive and aimed resources.
Impact-effort matrix
We created an Impact-Effort matrix to help us prioritise efficient and impactful changes.
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Necessary near-term design solutions are marked in red;
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Feedback highlighted need for some significant updates to the UI;
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Some resource-intensive updates necessary for market viability (complete UI Redesign & Bookmarking Folder Management System).
Solution​​
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Complete set of wireframes in Figma with working prototype for demonstration
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Annotated wireframes to explain functionality and design choices
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User research summary
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Designing for ADHD research
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Brand guidelines
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Recommendations for next steps
What we delivered
We developed a thorough design package for the Kumo Study website and its plug-in tool. This included remapping the user experience, incorporating smart features based on research, streamlining the interface, refreshing the brand, enhancing the messaging, and ensuring inclusivity in design. Our primary goal was to spotlight Kumo Study's distinctive strengths and customise them to match research-based user needs. The design solution involved addressing existing user challenges while also ensuring the tools were tailored effectively to students with ADHD.
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Designing for ADHD
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When designing for neurodiverse students, it is important to first understand their specific needs and give them a smooth, friendly and inclusive experience.
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Kumo Study aims to create a seamless all-in-one study tool for students with ADHD. As UX Consultants, we joined in on Kumo’s mission towards a more inclusive world and digital products, that value differences and foster individual potential.
Through our design solution, we aimed not only to attract future users but to retain them through features that have real impact and benefits to achieve their study goals.
To ensure an optimised product, we carried out in-depth research to make Kumo Study the ideal tool for students with ADHD, utilising recommendations from scientific studies, our own internal research and ADHD design guidelines.
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The following design guidelines are some examples of the design approaches we used to create a custom design solution for Kumo Study that is tailored for individuals with ADHD but universally benefits people who want to stay focused on their research.
Plugin
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Homepage
We created a welcome dashboard for users, which provides information on their latest activities using the tool, quick access suggestions and information on the progress of their study tasks.
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Bookmarks
For the plugin's internal pages, we chose to remove the background and illustrations to reduce unnecessary cognitive effort. We considered the fact that a study routine can require many hours a day and an excess of information can be overwhelming and trigger distractions.
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Task Timer
We created the possibility of customizing the resource, considering that individuals have different characteristics and needs. We also included a progress/statistics tracking feature, which could be included in the future as part of gamification.
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Task List
We have improved the resource by including the possibility of including tasks not only on a daily basis but also on a weekly basis. We have also included some advanced options that may be available in the paid version of the plugin.
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Site Blocker
We have included advanced settings and options that may be available in the paid version of the plugin.
Settings
We created a settings page, where the user can manage their account and obtain important information about using the tool and updates.
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Dark Mode
This was a version requested in the feedback received and is very important for the scope of the project, when we think about eye comfort. The use of contrasting colors, but within the Kumo theme, is one of the highlights of this page.
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Website
We developed two versions for the website, one in light colors, like those used in the plugin, and a version inspired by dark mode. After receiving positive feedback on the dark version, we developed the style of the pages in this theme.
Reflection & Outcomes
I connected deeply with this project, reflecting on my academic journey from my early days as an inexperienced undergraduate student searching for tools to navigate the vast world that captivated me. Throughout my specialization, my constant curiosity led me through a maze of knowledge, often losing track of time and space.
As a researcher during my master's degree, my fascination with the brain led me to read countless articles daily. Fatigue blurred the lines between them, making it difficult to remember details or locate specific content. Attempts at an organisation using Excel and traditional reference managers proved imperfect. Even as a professor, finding class materials was a time-consuming task. I spent hours looking for the right quotes and articles when formatting classes.
In essence, I saw myself in this tool as a student, researcher, professor, neuroscientist, and neurodivergent person. Reflecting on my own journey, I am excited about the continuous improvement of tools like this. It's incredible to know that many lives and academic careers can be impacted... because despite bringing personal examples, I know that my story is not unique. I know that there is a universe of people studying and seeking knowledge, who face the same difficulties and need to come across solutions like this.
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Outcomes:​
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Validation of core product concept
User feedback confirmed that Kumo addresses a real and unmet need among students, especially those with ADHD. Early testers reported feeling “less overwhelmed” and “more in control” of their study routines after only a few days of use.
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​Co-founder invitation and leadership
Due to my active role in shaping the product vision and UX strategy, I was invited to join the team as Co-Founder. Today, I lead the design direction of Kumo Study, ensuring every feature reflects a deep understanding of our users’ cognitive and emotional needs.
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Product used across major Australian universities
Kumo Study is currently being used through the disability and accessibility support units of some leading Australian universities. These partnerships not only validate the product’s relevance but also offer direct access to our core user base: neurodivergent students seeking structure and support in their academic journey.
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Increased engagement with planning and focus tools
A significant portion of users adopted the daily planner and task timer features as part of their study routines, showing early signs of behaviour change and improved executive functioning.
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Clear product–user fit for neurodivergent audiences
The clean, modular interface and flexible routine setup were especially appreciated by neurodivergent users, validating our inclusive design decisions and guiding future accessibility enhancements.
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Insights driving product evolution
Continuous research and usage analytics revealed high-value features and usability gaps. These insights directly informed prioritisation on the product roadmap, helping us iterate with purpose and clarity.
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Since the initial launch, Kumo Study has gone through multiple iterations and continues to evolve, always keeping students at the centre. We've expanded our focus to also empower universities and student support teams with tools that enable them to monitor progress and provide timely adjustments and accommodations when needed. As a Co-Founder, this project represents more than a milestone in my design career; it’s a deeply personal and meaningful journey. It has allowed me to contribute to a cause I truly care about, using design as a way to give back and create lasting value for the community.​
