Client
Descomplica
Role
Head of Product Design
Year
2021
Team
Ivan Neto, Gabriela, Lucas
Timeframe
6 weeks
Challenge
Every year, around 4 million Brazilian students use SISU — the government platform that matches ENEM scores to federal university seats. The window to make a decision lasts just one week. The stakes couldn't be higher.
Descomplica's existing SISU Simulator was supposed to help students navigate this moment, but it was working against them. The old flow required users to input their scores repeatedly every time they wanted to check a new university. The mobile experience was broken. And crucially, the tool was built around system logic — not around how students actually think.
The result: confusion, drop-offs, and a deep sense of mistrust at the worst possible time. Behavioral data showed students were checking the tool up to 10 times a day, but leaving without confidence or direction.
The brief had two layers. The UX goal was to create a calm, reliable experience that supported emotional clarity during an intense and high-pressure moment. The business goal was to turn the simulator into a strategic lead-generation engine for Descomplica's growing portfolio of undergraduate programs.
Approach
We started from a key insight surfaced in user interviews: “I just want to know where I have a chance.” Students weren’t looking for a system to query — they were looking for a guide to trust.
That reframing changed everything. Our benchmark research confirmed that most SISU tools were designed around system logic — pick a university, check a score. We redesigned from the opposite direction: input your scores once, and instantly see a map of all the real options available to you.
The process was intentionally collaborative and fast. We worked as a tight co-creation squad — PM, Tech Lead, and Design — with weekly stakeholder alignment to keep everyone moving together. Prototypes went in front of real students early and often. The principle was: rethink the model, reduce the burden, empower the user.
Mobile-first was non-negotiable from day one. We built course and location filters, saved options, and dynamic score updates so students could return throughout the day — and many times they did. The visual language was designed to feel energetic, supportive, and human: the opposite of a bureaucratic government tool.
Squad-led QA before launch ensured we shipped with zero major issues even under the pressure of SISU week traffic.
Results
The redesigned simulator launched in time for the SISU window and handled the surge without a single crash.
Usage increased +300% compared to the previous year, with students returning an average of 5 to 10 times per day — exactly the behavior we designed for. Post-launch surveys showed that 85% of users felt more confident in their decisions after using the new tool, and 72% discovered university options they hadn’t previously considered.
The entire project — from kickoff to live MVP — took 6 weeks. The simulator became one of Descomplica’s top acquisition touchpoints for its undergraduate program portfolio, validating the original business hypothesis.
“
Clarity is not a bonus. It’s the product.
Ivan Neto