Lina Cheng

鄭玉苓

Lina Cheng

鄭玉苓

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Lina Cheng

鄭玉苓

Web・UI Design・User Research・Product Management

Tutoref｜From Scattered Files to Smart Searchs

A centralized lesson-plan search system that turned fragmented knowledge into an accessible resource, improving usability and reducing onboarding barriers for members.

Role

Product Designer

Product Designer

Team

Lina Cheng
Maedhros Sung
Shine Chang
Butter Lin

Lina Cheng
Maedhros Sung
Shine Chang
Butter Lin

Client

Side Project

Side Project

Overview

I led the design and development of Tutoref for my volunteering club to address the inefficiency of searching and referencing lesson plans.

By consolidating 800+ plans into one platform, we not only improved members’ creative process but also created lasting organizational value through knowledge reuse.

Background

Each year our club produces nearly 200 lesson plans for summer and winter camps at rural elementary schools. Yet these valuable resources were scattered, inconsistently archived, and hard to reference.

New members struggled to start writing, while experienced members lacked inspiration when improving their lessons. The absence of a structured system slowed productivity and wasted effort.

Each year our club produces nearly 200 lesson plans for summer and winter camps at rural elementary schools. Yet these valuable resources were scattered, inconsistently archived, and hard to reference.

New members struggled to start writing, while experienced members lacked inspiration when improving their lessons. The absence of a structured system slowed productivity and wasted effort.

Research

I conducted an online survey to map members’ lesson-plan writing experiences and pain points. Using “goal clarity” and “searching frequency” as axes, I synthesized three personas.


Members with high goal clarity needed precise filters, while those with low clarity required quick entry points for inspiration.

→ Dual design approach: targeted search flows & serendipitous exploration features

I conducted an online survey to map members’ lesson-plan writing experiences and pain points. Using “goal clarity” and “searching frequency” as axes, I synthesized three personas.


Members with high goal clarity needed precise filters, while those with low clarity required quick entry points for inspiration.

→ Dual design approach: targeted search flows & serendipitous exploration features

Goals

01

Consolidate all past lesson plans into one searchable platform before the next camp season.

Consolidate all past lesson plans into one searchable platform before the next camp season.

02

Enable members to evaluate and enrich the reference value of each lesson plan.

Enable members to evaluate and enrich the reference value of each lesson plan.

Outcomes

Based on the research, I prioritized features for the two highest-frequency personas (Persona 1 & Persona 2).

Based on the research, I prioritized features for the two highest-frequency personas (Persona 1 & Persona 2).

Knowledge Centralization & Search

Consolidated 800+ lesson plans into a unified database. Designed keyword search, author-based queries, and filters aligned with members’ actual habits. Added quick entry points (categories, highlighted examples) to inspire creativity.

Lesson-Plan Management

Built features for uploading, editing, and adding post-activity notes, transforming static documents into living resources. This raised the quality and reusability of knowledge over time.

Design System with Identity

Created a clean, modern interface with orange as the primary color to reflect our club’s identity. The visual system reinforced trust and engagement, making the platform feel lively and approachable.

Feature Prioritization for MVP

Given a small team and limited time, I prioritized backlog items, balancing user needs with technical feasibility. This ensured a successful initial launch while keeping room for future iterations.

Knowledge Centralization & Search

Consolidated 800+ lesson plans into a unified database. Designed keyword search, author-based queries, and filters aligned with members’ actual habits. Added quick entry points (categories, highlighted examples) to inspire creativity.

Lesson-Plan Management

Built features for uploading, editing, and adding post-activity notes, transforming static documents into living resources. This raised the quality and reusability of knowledge over time.

Design System with Identity

Created a clean, modern interface with orange as the primary color to reflect our club’s identity. The visual system reinforced trust and engagement, making the platform feel lively and approachable.

Feature Prioritization for MVP

Given a small team and limited time, I prioritized backlog items, balancing user needs with technical feasibility. This ensured a successful initial launch while keeping room for future iterations.

Knowledge Centralization & Search

Consolidated 800+ lesson plans into a unified database. Designed keyword search, author-based queries, and filters aligned with members’ actual habits. Added quick entry points (categories, highlighted examples) to inspire creativity.

Lesson-Plan Management

Built features for uploading, editing, and adding post-activity notes, transforming static documents into living resources. This raised the quality and reusability of knowledge over time.

Design System with Identity

Created a clean, modern interface with orange as the primary color to reflect our club’s identity. The visual system reinforced trust and engagement, making the platform feel lively and approachable.

Feature Prioritization for MVP

Given a small team and limited time, I prioritized backlog items, balancing user needs with technical feasibility. This ensured a successful initial launch while keeping room for future iterations.

Impact

01

100+ members adopted Tutoref and reduced average search time from 20+ minutes to under 5 minutes.

100+ members adopted Tutoref and reduced average search time from 20+ minutes to under 5 minutes.

02

Lowered the onboarding cost for new members and boosted confidence in lesson-plan writing.

Lowered the onboarding cost for new members and boosted confidence in lesson-plan writing.

03

Tacit, word-of-mouth experience was transformed into a structured, reusable knowledge asset.

Tacit, word-of-mouth experience was transformed into a structured, reusable knowledge asset.

Key Learnings

This project sharpened both my design and product management skills. I learned how to translate research insights into concrete design decisions, and at the same time, how to prioritize features and adapt strategy under tight technical and timeline constraints.

I realized the importance of balancing vision with pragmatism: shipping a functional MVP on time created immediate value, while feedback opened paths for long-term optimization. Tutoref taught me how thoughtful design and strategic product thinking together can reshape how teams work and grow.

Go Back

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Let's work together,

I am open to any interesting opportunity!

More About Me

Contact
chengyl0112@gmail.com
+886 966 703 805
LinkedIn
Medium

© 2025

All rights reserved. Made by Lina Cheng.

Let's work together,

I am open to any interesting opportunity!

More About Me

Contact
chengyl0112@gmail.com
+886 966 703 805
LinkedIn
Medium

© 2025

All rights reserved. Made by Lina Cheng.

Let's work together,

I am open to any interesting opportunity!

More About Me

Contact
chengyl0112@gmail.com
+886 966 703 805
LinkedIn
Medium

© 2025

All rights reserved. Made by Lina Cheng.