Empty State: Course App
Hi everyone. I've decided for this minimalist concept with splashes of colours inspired by fellow UXCEL-er, Javier Oliver's fun empty state project for an education app.
Header: "Your dashboard is feeling a bit lonely"
EDITED:
Subheader: "Browse courses now to grow your knowledge."
Visual Elements:
I've chosen to illustrate a cute cat on top of the laptop as this are cats' favourite spot especially when their humans are working. I've chosen a cat laid down looking at the user to signify that it is feeling lonely and as if it is begging to play or just be active.
Round blobby shapes: this choice is supported by the idea that round shaped objects are friendlier. As starting a course can be scary, the rounded shapes hope to deflect that scary feeling.
The splashes of colours, mostly with shades of blue, green, and yellow signifies calmness with a dash of playfulness. The monochromatic colours of the cat and the laptop balances the vibrance of the main colours, but just enough to catch the user's attention.
Main Call-to-action (CTA) Button:
"Browse courses"
I used a streamlined color of blue to maintain consistency with the initial splash of blue in the illustration.
The overall tone that I'm aiming for an empty state before starting a course is hopefully comforting, soothing, and reassuring for the users.
I used Procreate for the illustration and Figma for the overall layout.
I hope you like it and please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!
Reviews
4 reviews
The message is clear and there is a call-to-action which leads the user to helpful content, which is key for an empty state screen. The cat on the keyboard is fun and playful, which makes it more engaging. The clean and open look of it also gives the main action focus.
Although the text is simple and to the point, it can use some work to encourage the user to browse courses. Maybe let them know the benefit such as, "Browse courses now to grow your knowledge" so they are more inspired to click through.
Great job with the text. Everything is clear and calls to action.
The illustration is cute. You could remove the shadows to make the illustration more flat. And maybe try to make the background of the illustration in the same color as the button but lighter or darker for a consistent design.
You could also add an app navigation so that the user has several options to get out of this empty state.
Way to go!
Stefanie, your concept feels warm and approachable — the cat illustration adds a playful touch that makes the empty state less intimidating, and the rounded shapes plus calming color palette support that friendly vibe well. The CTA is clear and consistent with the design, though it could be even stronger if the copy emphasized a user benefit (e.g., growth or progress) to inspire action. Adding small navigation hints or secondary options might also give users more ways to move forward. Overall, a charming and user-friendly design 👏.
You did an amazing job.
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