Research Phase

At the start of the project, the client identified two main user groups:

1. Coders with no teaching background: This group currently forms the majority of users.

2. Certified teachers with no coding background: This is the primary target audience for Rex Academy's planned expansion into public schools.

   
   

Challenges:

Initially, 4 out of the 5 users provided by the client were from the first user group. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of both user groups, we extended our research efforts to independently find and engage with certified teachers.

Research Objectives:

We aimed to back our design decisions with robust data from multiple sources, including:

• Industry standards

• Competitor analysis

• Teachers' pain points and goals

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Research Methods:

1. User Surveys:

   • Conducted to gather broad insights and quantitative data on user needs and behaviors.

2. User Interviews:

   • Followed up with in-depth interviews to delve deeper into user experiences and pain points.

   • Included both user groups to get a balanced perspective.

3. Competitive Analysis:

   • Analyzed competitors’ platforms to identify best practices and areas for differentiation.

4. Heuristic Analysis:

   • Conducted an expert review of current interfaces to identify usability issues and areas for improvement.

5. Assumptive Empathy Map:

   • Created an empathy map based on initial assumptions to guide early design thinking and to be refined with actual research data.

Outcome: These comprehensive research methods ensured that our design decisions were well-informed, user-centric, and aligned with both user needs and business objectives.

Research Discoveries

Key Insights from Certified Teachers:

We discovered significant insights by talking to certified teachers (not only coders), which helped us understand their approach to teaching and how they organize their processes around their students. This was crucial in ensuring our redesign would support teachers in keeping their students’ needs at the forefront.

Main Findings:

1. User-Centric Platform Design:

   • Teachers’ Focus on Students: Certified teachers emphasized the importance of structuring their workflow around their students’ needs. This insight guided our redesign to be more student-centric, ensuring that teachers can easily manage student-related tasks.

2. Platform Structure and Navigation Issues:

   • Non-Intuitive Navigation: The platform’s current structure and navigation system were found to be confusing and not user-friendly.

     • Mismatched Icon Use: Icons used throughout the platform did not clearly represent their functions, leading to user confusion.

     • Hidden Features: Many of the most frequently used features were buried deep within the interface, making them difficult to locate and access.

     • Unclear Grading Flow: The process for grading assignments was not straightforward, causing frustration and inefficiency for teachers.

Implications for Design:

These discoveries highlighted critical areas for improvement in the platform. By addressing these pain points, we aimed to create a more intuitive and efficient user experience that aligns with teachers' needs and enhances their ability to support their students.

Design Directions

Following our comprehensive research phase, we identified numerous opportunities for improvement. While it was tempting to address all these areas, our limited timeline of 5 weeks post-research necessitated prioritization. We focused on the changes that would most significantly ease teachers' workflows and enhance their ability to deliver engaging classes. We selected three primary design directions:

1. Recognizable and Accessible Navigation:

   • Ensuring that navigation items are easily identifiable and accessible, reducing cognitive load and improving usability.

2. Intuitive Course Navigation:

   • Simplifying the navigation through courses to make it more intuitive, enabling teachers to find and manage their content more efficiently.

3. Easy Access to Frequently Used Functions:

   • Designing the interface to allow users to quickly access their most frequently used functions, streamlining their daily tasks.

     
     

Prioritization Challenge:

Narrowing down our focus was one of the toughest parts of the project. We aspired to achieve perfection in every aspect, but with a team of three working part-time, we had to be realistic about what we could accomplish within the given timeframe. We decided to concentrate on the following three key areas:

1. Dashboard:

   • Redesigned to make the most-used functions easily accessible, allowing teachers to quickly perform essential tasks without unnecessary navigation.

2. Courses Page:

   • Enhanced to display more useful information at a glance and to be more easily organized, helping teachers to manage their courses more effectively.

3. Course Page:

   • Simplified to be easily adjustable according to teachers' needs, providing flexibility and ease of use in customizing course content.

These focused design directions aimed to deliver the most impactful improvements within our constraints, ensuring that our efforts would make a meaningful difference for the teachers using the platform.

Designing and Testing Ideas

Dashboard Design:

I volunteered to take charge of redesigning the dashboard because organizational skills are a core strength of mine, and I was eager to make a meaningful difference in the lives of teachers.

Initial Insights:

From our first round of user interviews, we gained numerous insights. However, when I began sketching ideas for the dashboard, I encountered a challenge: there was an overwhelming amount of content to include, and everything seemed important.

Card Sorting Exercise:

To address this challenge, I conducted a round of card sorting. This method provided valuable insights into how teachers mentally group various functions and what areas they prioritize. The exercise revealed the most critical features that needed to be easily accessible from the home screen.

Key Feedback:

• Positive Feedback: Teachers appreciated the grading features and the relevant information provided on the dashboard.

  • "I think I'm a fan of what this grading looks like over here, as well as the information that you're providing with." (REX Academy User)

• Constructive Criticism: The first three iterations of the dashboard were considered too crowded by many users and the client. This feedback prompted me to rethink and prioritize the content, focusing on clarity and usability.

Iterative Design Process:

Based on the feedback, I iterated on the dashboard design, continuously refining it to balance functionality with simplicity. This iterative process was crucial in ensuring the final design met both user needs and client expectations.