Case Study

Improving Quiz Engagement & RPS Using an Opportunity Solution Tree

Overview

Describing The Product

In 2020, I led the redesign of a high-traffic trivia quiz platform that monetized through mobile display ads.

Our goal: reimagine the UI to improve quiz completion rates, increase ad viewability, and lift revenue per session—without sacrificing user experience. This initiative became known as Q&A 2.0.

My Role

As the sole PM on this initiative, I:

  • Aligned product vision with monetization and UX goals

  • Collaborated daily with engineers, designers, and analysts

  • Defined the Opportunity Solution Tree structure and experimentation roadmap

  • Presented learnings to execs and influenced future monetization strategy

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Defining The Problem

Problem Statement

Our original quiz flow was overly long, ad-heavy, and caused high user drop-off. Ads often triggered layout shifts and policy violations. Performance was slow on lower-end mobile devices.

Why This Problem

We relied heavily on users completing long sessions and viewing multiple ads to break even. Poor UX reduced completion and ad quality. Policy penalties further suppressed revenue.

Impact

  • User Experience: Long, frustrating sessions with poor mobile performance

  • Ad Viewability %: Low due to scroll-based layout and page reflow

  • Quiz Completion Rate & Break Even Point: Users needed to answer 30 questions to reach profitability. Few did.

Identifying & Prioritizing Pain Points

Prioritization of Pain Points

  1. CLS and accidental clicks (policy violations)

  2. High quiz drop-off before monetizable milestones

  3. Low eCPM from oversaturated ad layout

  4. Poor engagement due to lack of pacing and feedback

Framework: Opportunity Solution Tree

We used the Opportunity Solution Tree to map our goals, opportunities, and targeted solutions.

🎯 Desired Outcome: Deliver a more immersive and efficient quiz experience that maximizes user engagement while measurably increasing revenue per session (RPS)

Solutions

Explanation of Prioritized Solutions

1. Rebuilt the Quiz UX for an App-Like Feel

  • Used React to implement vertical snap transitions

  • Fixed-height cards with tap-to-advance progression

2. Introduced Interstitial Feedback Screens

  • Introduced a new ad unit per quiz question

  • Delivered real-time performance feedback + social proof

  • Prefetched 300x250 ad units to improve ad viewability

3. Reduced CLS and Improved Performance

  • Inserted ad placeholders to prevent layout shift

  • Reduced ad calls per page, improving load times and policy compliance

Pitfalls & Mitigations

1. Risk: Reduced Ad Impressions Could Hurt Revenue

  • Mitigation: A/B tested reduced ad density and confirmed eCPM increase

2. Risk: User Confusion from New Flow

  • Mitigation: Applied familiar navigation patterns, tested copy for clarity

3. Risk: New Layouts Could Introduce CLS or Violations

  • Mitigation: Used placeholders, followed IAB best practices, audited performance

4. Risk: Technical Debt or Performance Regression

  • Mitigation: Modular React components, async loading, strict performance budget

Results

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.

Key Insights

  • Fewer, better-placed ads led to higher eCPM and improved user experience

  • The original layout had crossed the diminishing returns threshold for ads

  • Small, intentional UI changes can unlock massive gains across monetization and engagement

Want to collaborate? Let’s Talk!

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