01Scope decision
Focused MVP
Two study methods carried the initial product instead of six.
Selected product work
Mermory
A student product combined focused study modes, daily momentum, social discovery, and a distinctive nautical identity without copying established flashcard tools.
The MVP narrowed six possible study modes to two while preserving motivation, discovery, and a memorable identity.
Situation and responsibility
What was at stake
Students needed study tools that could sustain consistency, while the product had to enter a category already defined by Quizlet, Knowt, and Anki.
Budget and scope made feature judgment essential. The team could not build every competitor method and still validate the core idea quickly.
- Client
- Mermory founding team
- Audience
- Students
- Scope
- Brand, UX, product definition, and MVP
- Boundary
- Close collaboration with founders; not a founder-owned product
Diana’s responsibility
- Led naming and visual identity exploration
- Wireframed and prioritized the MVP
- Designed learning, progress, and discovery views
- Created the nautical progression system and merkoala mascot
Important decisions
Judgment made visible
Each response follows from an observed condition. The last column marks the tempting shortcut the work needed to avoid.
| What you notice | What it may mean | A useful response | What to resist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitors offered six study methods. | Feature parity would delay validation. | Prioritize spaced repetition and learn mode. | Do not confuse a longer feature list with a stronger MVP. |
| A competitor occupied the preferred colors. | Differentiation needed more than palette substitution. | Use restraint, whitespace, and a nautical identity. | Do not imitate category conventions so closely the product disappears. |
| Study consistency was fragile. | The next action and momentum needed to remain visible. | Surface the next question, daily goals, streaks, and relevant packs. | Do not turn motivation into noisy gamification. |
Decisions and delivery
How the work moved
- 01
Cut to the learning core
Use rough wireframes and value-versus-feasibility judgment to reduce six study modes to two.
- 02
Create a recallable identity
Develop the Mermory name, nautical system, and merkoala through rapid option testing.
- 03
Make momentum visible
Connect daily goals, study prompts, progress, and social discovery in the main experience.
Working through a similar constraint?
Describe the problem →Visual evidence
The product in view
A sequence of available project views shows how the system behaves across moments, not only as a single polished frame.
Supported outcomes
What the evidence supports
Quantitative claims appear only where the repository provides them. The remaining outcomes are explicitly qualitative, operational, or statements of responsibility.
02Product design
Visible motivation
Daily goals, streaks, progress, and the next question supported repeat practice.
03Brand outcome
Distinct identity
The name, mascot, and nautical progression made the product recognizable in a crowded category.
Bring me the version that is hard to explain.
If your MVP is carrying too many possible features, tell me what users must be able to accomplish first.
Describe a similar problem →