Social Impact Catagory
TIME's Best Inventions of 2025
Designing a Reels-Style Resource Discovery Feature for SolarSPELL
Making educational resources accessible through short-form, mobile-first learning
OVERVIEW
As SolarSPELL expanded its learning platform to mobile, the core app experience was already in place.
CONTEXT
SolarSPELL is a portable solar-powered digital library that works as an offline Wi-Fi hotspot, giving users access to curated educational content without an internet connection.
While the platform already supported rich courses and learning resources, mobile usage revealed a shift in behavior:
THE PROBLEM
Existing learning formats assumed long attention spans, desktop-style navigation and continuous connectivity
In reality:
Borrowing a “Reels” interaction pattern without adapting it would risk:
THE FEATURE OPPURTUNITY
The ask was clear:
This feature needed to:
KEY CONSTRAINTS
RESEARCH & INSIGHT
Through reviewing SolarSPELL’s existing courses and learning materials, one insight became clear:
SolarSPELL already had a significant amount of short, self-contained educational content, but it was buried inside long courses and large libraries.
The opportunity wasn’t to create new content, it was to reframe existing resources into accessible snapshots optimized for mobile discovery.
CONETNT STRATEGY: CURATOR PUBLISHED, COURSE DERIVED
Unlike social media platforms, content in this feed is not user-generated.
This approach minimized risk, preserved educational quality, and accelerated feasibility.
From INSIGHT TO DIRECTION
Each reel clearly communicates:
FEATURE DESIGN
Reels-Style Resource Feed
A vertically scrollable feed presents short educational snapshots, each focused on a single concept or resource highlight.
Each reel clearly communicates:
Learning-First Interaction Model
Instead of social engagement features, the design prioritizes learning signals:
This ensures reels support learning progression rather than endless consumption.
Collaboration Without Social Noise
Rather than open comments, the feature supports contextual notes:
Notes are attached to specific resource reels and are used by facilitators or learners for clarifications or teaching prompts
This enables collaboration without introducing moderation risk or distraction.
KEY TRADE OFFS
These exclusions were intentional and reinforced trust and clarity.
IMPACT
Early feedback and internal reviews indicated that the Reels-style resource feed improved how learners and facilitators discovered and used SolarSPELL content on mobile.
REFLECTION
Designing this feature required adapting a familiar interaction pattern without importing its downsides. The project reinforced that effective learning design often depends on what you choose not to build and that short-form experiences can still be structured, intentional, and meaningful.