SetSkill
SetSkill
SetSkill
SetSkill
Online learning that adapts to you
Reimagining the activation journey to better support parent companies and their client management needs.
UWaterloo Course
UWaterloo Course
UWaterloo Course
DAC 309: UX Design
Role
Role
Role
Designer + Researcher
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
1 week (Dec 2023)
Context
Context
A different way to learn
A different way to learn
The final project for this course involved designing a mobile app that met specific criteria set by the professor. Our team had to make online learning easier and more engaging for students.
The final project for this course involved designing a mobile app that met specific criteria set by the professor. Our team had to make online learning easier and more engaging for students.
SetSkill is an AI-powered mobile learning app that adapts online curricula to match the users' preferred learning styles through the VAK model.
SetSkill is an AI-powered mobile learning app that adapts online curricula to match the users' preferred learning styles through the VAK model.
My contributions
My contributions
For this final project, we were put into teams of 5 to ideate, design, and pitch our app to a live panel. My impacts include (but are not limited to):
For this final project, we were put into teams of 5 to ideate, design, and pitch our app to a live panel. My impacts include (but are not limited to):
Defining the user flow
Defining the user flow
Ideating and designing frames on the prototype
Ideating and designing frames on the prototype
Conducting every usability test to reiterate on designs
Conducting every usability test to reiterate on designs
the problem space
the problem space
"One size fits all"
"One size fits all"
We began by researching the challenges surrounding online learning to identify areas of improvement. This research laid the foundation for the direction we would take this project.
We began by researching the challenges surrounding online learning to identify areas of improvement. This research laid the foundation for the direction we would take this project.
Traditional online learning is not flexible
Traditional online learning is not flexible
Online courses often only utilizes one or two senses and are not flexible, which make students struggle to locate their strengths and weaknesses.
Online courses often only utilizes one or two senses and are not flexible, which make students struggle to locate their strengths and weaknesses.
Our goal was to design a mobile content-delivery app that allows users to learn with different styles through the power of adaptive AI.
Our goal was to design a mobile content-delivery app that allows users to learn with different styles through the power of adaptive AI.
Defining the users
Defining the users
Interviewing learners
Interviewing learners
We conducted user interviews to better understand their experience, pain points, and needs when using online learning platform. These were some of the questions we asked:
We conducted user interviews to better understand their experience, pain points, and needs when using online learning platform. These were some of the questions we asked:
"What were some stressors you experienced from course-based apps?"
"What were some stressors you experienced from course-based apps?"
"Have you ever had any bad experience with the online course that you did?"
"Have you ever had any bad experience with the online course that you did?"
"What would you like to see these apps or services do that has not been mentioned?"
"What would you like to see these apps or services do that has not been mentioned?"
Where online learning falls short
Where online learning falls short
Hard to retain
Hard to retain
Unengaging materials make it harder for students to retain information.
Unengaging materials make it harder for students to retain information.
Little chances to apply
Little chances to apply
The online courses do not often offer opportunities to apply the material.
The online courses do not often offer opportunities to apply the material.
Forced to outsource lessons
Forced to outsource lessons
Many students found more success learning when sourcing outside material and teaching themselves the course contents.
Many students found more success learning when sourcing outside material and teaching themselves the course contents.
Creating personas
Creating personas
A teammate created a few personas. These two were chosen because we felt that it encapsulated our target audience the most.
A teammate created a few personas. These two were chosen because we felt that it encapsulated our target audience the most.
Starting the design
Starting the design
Aligning our visions
Aligning our visions
As we were envisioning our app, I soon realized that we had different mental models of the product. I requested that we make a user flow to have a visual understanding of what each screen or interaction should do in our app.
As we were envisioning our app, I soon realized that we had different mental models of the product. I requested that we make a user flow to have a visual understanding of what each screen or interaction should do in our app.
From flow to frames
From flow to frames
Once the user flow was established and agreed upon, the design team started making the mid-fi wireframes.
Once the user flow was established and agreed upon, the design team started making the mid-fi wireframes.
Usability testing
Usability testing
Putting it to the test
Putting it to the test
I remotely conducted usability tests with five participants to test the mid-fi prototype. Participants were instructed to perform a list of prompts and to think aloud, while I documented their click paths, key observations, and quotes in Google Sheets.
I remotely conducted usability tests with five participants to test the mid-fi prototype. Participants were instructed to perform a list of prompts and to think aloud, while I documented their click paths, key observations, and quotes in Google Sheets.
Where users got stuck
Where users got stuck
01. Private courses were hard to enroll into
01. Private courses were hard to enroll into
4 of 5 participants couldn’t enroll in private courses. The one participant who succeeded had to click around to discover the path.
4 of 5 participants couldn’t enroll in private courses. The one participant who succeeded had to click around to discover the path.
“I don't think I know how to do this, what you're asking of me.” (Participant A)
“I don't think I know how to do this, what you're asking of me.” (Participant A)
Old: Private enrollment button has low visibility
Old: Private enrollment button has low visibility
Old: Private enrollment button has low visibility
New: More prominent and has context
New: More prominent and has context
New: More prominent and has context
02. Discussion forums were easy to miss
02. Discussion forums were easy to miss
3 of 5 participants couldn’t find the discussion forum, while the others needed to search around to locate it.
3 of 5 participants couldn’t find the discussion forum, while the others needed to search around to locate it.
“I assume it would be one of the top headers within the course, or within the dashboard/content page." (Participant E)
“I assume it would be one of the top headers within the course, or within the dashboard/content page." (Participant E)
Old: Forums were hidden within modules
Old: Forums were hidden within modules
Old: Forums were hidden within modules
New: Easily accessible within courses
02. Users wanted a clearer roadmap
3 of 5 participants suggested an easily accessible calendar or syllabus to preview upcoming content and deadlines.
3 of 5 participants suggested an easily accessible calendar or syllabus to preview upcoming content and deadlines.
“I would appreciate, like if there was a calendar [in the app], because finding the deadlines within modules are like 'where is all the info?'” (Participant C)
“I would appreciate, like if there was a calendar [in the app], because finding the deadlines within modules are like 'where is all the info?'” (Participant C)
Old: No calendar
Old: No calendar
Old: No calendar
New: Calendar tab with deadlines
solution
solution
Learn it your way
Learn it your way
After completing the intake survey, AI adapts course content and practice questions to each user’s learning profile. A simple dropdown lets users switch formats whenever they want.
After completing the intake survey, AI adapts course content and practice questions to each user’s learning profile. A simple dropdown lets users switch formats whenever they want.
Personalized, engaging content through AI-adaption
Personalized, engaging content through AI-adaption
Practice through play
Practice through play
Users will be able to apply what they've learned through gamified quizzes. After completing the quiz, any topics the user had difficulty with will be added to their review for them to revisit.
Users will be able to apply what they've learned through gamified quizzes. After completing the quiz, any topics the user had difficulty with will be added to their review for them to revisit.
Gamified learning application to test and review
Gamified learning application to test and review
More lessons to learn
More lessons to learn
Users can join private courses from professors or tutors, while also exploring a library of public courses.
Users can join private courses from professors or tutors, while also exploring a library of public courses.
Variety of online courses, public and private
Variety of online courses, public and private
Know what's next
Know what's next
Course pages show when each content should be read, while a central calendar brings schedules from all courses into one place.
Course pages show when each content should be read, while a central calendar brings schedules from all courses into one place.
Stay on track with content
Stay on track with content
Takeaways
Takeaways
Teachable moments
Teachable moments
No projects will ever go smoothly. There will always be lessons from the journey that shape me into a better designer.
No projects will ever go smoothly. There will always be lessons from the journey that shape me into a better designer.
Everyone has different mental models
Everyone has different mental models
Everyone has a different image of how the user journey may go. The user flow really helped our group stay on the same page, and have a greater understanding of the needs for each screen.
Everyone has a different image of how the user journey may go. The user flow really helped our group stay on the same page, and have a greater understanding of the needs for each screen.
Embrace feedback
Embrace feedback
After our mock pitch, the feedback made us realize that we had to pivot and change our entire app. This project was an unexpectedly great way to challenge our group to be as flexible as we could be with the little time we had left.
After our mock pitch, the feedback made us realize that we had to pivot and change our entire app. This project was an unexpectedly great way to challenge our group to be as flexible as we could be with the little time we had left.
Next steps
Next steps
As this was a course project, our pitch was the final stop for us. However, if I were to continue or revisit this project, some of my next steps would be:
As this was a course project, our pitch was the final stop for us. However, if I were to continue or revisit this project, some of my next steps would be:
Research more ways to improve online learning
Research more ways to improve online learning
Gather more user data through another round of usability testing with the new iterations
Gather more user data through another round of usability testing with the new iterations
Explore partnerships with educational institutions, organizations, or companies
Explore partnerships with educational institutions, organizations, or companies