CONTEXT
Nodus is the product of Design Consulting at Cornell's New Member Education program, a fast-paced, rigorous training program where new consultants learn the fundamentals of end-to-end product design using Figma within an academic semester. My team wanted to address a problem faced by many students like us: the friction between taking notes in class and studying them afterwards. We conducted user interviews, mapped student workflows, ideated low-fidelity concepts, and iteratively designed high-fidelity Figma prototypes over weekly sprints. This led to Nodus, a digital workspace that optimizes note-taking and revision using flashcards integrated into mind maps and active recall modules.
USER RESEARCH
We interviewed 6 high school and college students, concluding with 4 common pain points they've encountered in their note-taking and study workflows.
1
Converting lecture notes into flashcards is time-consuming.
Many students use flashcards to study for exams, especially in content-heavy courses where memorization is key. However, they note that manually creating flashcards can be tedious and eat into productive study time.
2
Flashcards strip handwritten notes of their visual structure.
Handwritten notes capture visual hierarchy, diagrams, and annotations in ways flashcards do not. Students struggle to understand important relationships between concepts when restricted to memorizing disconnected facts.
3
Generative AI can't be trusted and may do more harm than good.
Students are skeptical of AI's ability to develop relevant and accurate study materials. They note that automated flashcard creation detracts from the active learning benefits of creating them manually.
4
Studying with cluttered note-taking systems is a challenge.
Fast-paced lectures leave students with fragmented notes, forcing them to spend extra time after class reorganizing and filtering content. They waste valuable study time struggling to separate core concepts from irrelevant details.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
We analyzed Quizlet and Xmind to assess both ends of the study spectrum: Quizlet for active recall flashcards, and Xmind for visual, structured mind-mapping.
Interactive study modes and existing set library
No conceptual hierarchy and limited to term-definition
Existing mind map templates and shortcuts
No branch editing flexibility or cross-platform sync
KEY INSIGHTS
We synthesized our findings from the user interviews and competitor analyses into key insights that drove our design decisions.
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Conceptual understanding is driven by structure.
Standard flashcard tools like Quizlet reduce rich lecture notes to disconnected term-definition pairs. To preserve deeper comprehension, Nodus must maintain relationships, diagrams, and visual hierarchies directly within study workflows.
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Automation should assist active recall, not replace it.
While manual flashcard creation is time-consuming, fully automated AI generation compromises accuracy and removes the cognitive benefits of active learning. Nodus should focus on a semi-automated system that still allows students to retain control over their study materials.
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Clutter compromises productive study time.
Fragmented notes, especially for fast-paced lectures, force students into tedious and time-consuming post-class reorganization. Nodus should eliminate manual filtering by connecting real-time note-taking directly to structured study workflows.
PROBLEM
How might we design a platform that helps students transfer recorded information into formats that better support learning and retention?
IDEATION
With the problem and key insights in mind, we ideated 4 main features to address the students' pain points. We began with low-fidelity wireframes highlighting the core functionalities of these features.
Integrating flashcards and mind maps
Scan notes into flashcards and mind maps
Test knowledge through active recall
Organize content into courses and topics
FINAL DESIGNS
After many iterations and lots of feedback, we developed high-fidelity prototypes and implemented a coherent design system.
Home page and folder library
Organizing by course and uploading syllabus
Creating flashcard nodes manually
Uploading notes and mind map tutorial
Creating and editing nodes with scanned notes
Practicing with three study modes
OUTCOME
By combining active recall with structured notes, Nodus reduces the friction between taking notes and post-class study. During usability testing, students highlighted how preserving context, relationships, and hierarchy eliminated the tedious nature of converting handwritten notes into study materials. With Nodus, students can transition straight into productive review immediately after class.
As my first product design project, Nodus challenged me to look beyond the screen and focus on the end-to-end human workflow. From raw research to high-fidelity prototypes, this project taught me how to develop features that maximize efficiency without introducing unintended trade-offs. I learned that designing tools involving AI requires a balance between user efficiency and cognitive agency. In other words, studying with automation should eliminate friction, but never replace active learning.
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