EDUCADEMY

A unified educational platform to foster online learning for students, while empowering parents with healthy accountability.

A unified educational platform to foster online learning for students, while empowering parents with healthy accountability.

PRODUCT DESIGN / USER RESEARCH

OVERVIEW

TEAM

TEAM

Saumya Verma

Saumya Verma

TOOLS

TOOLS

Figma, Google Docs

Figma, Google Docs

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

Aug 2023

Aug 2023

PROBLEM

PROBLEM

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted traditional education, leaving many students across India struggling with the sudden need to turn towards digital learning tools. The shift to home education introduced a complex and overwhelming process for parents, teachers, and students, with no structured tools to support this new reality.

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted traditional education, leaving many students across India struggling with the sudden need to turn towards digital learning tools. The shift to home education introduced a complex and overwhelming process for parents, teachers, and students, with no structured tools to support this new reality.

~ 320 M

learners in India adversely affected by the pandemic, necessitating a transition to e-learning platforms

> 80%

teachers reported facing challenges in teaching online, including issues related to data and connectivity

195%

increase in the national dropout rate for students in India during the pandemic (2020)

SOLUTION

SOLUTION

I designed an e-learning application that streamlines the learning experience for students, teachers, and parents through personalized dashboards tailored to their needs. The platform enhances student engagement, while providing teachers with technical support and tools to improve student participation.

I designed an e-learning application that streamlines the learning experience for students, teachers, and parents through personalized dashboards tailored to their needs. The platform enhances student engagement, while providing teachers with technical support and tools to improve student participation.

APPROACH

APPROACH

Research

Research

Secondary Research
Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
Personas
Journey Maps

Secondary Research
Competitive Analysis
User Interviews
Personas
Journey Maps

Defining the MVP

Defining the MVP

User Stories
MoSCow Method



User Stories
MoSCow Method



Design

Design

Ideation and Sketching
Low-fi Prototype
High-fi Mockups


Ideation and Sketching
Low-fi Prototype
High-fi Mockups


DESIGN OUTCOME

DESIGN OUTCOME

Personalised Dashboards

Personalised Dashboards

Educademy features separate dashboards tailored for parents, students, and instructors to address the unique needs of each stakeholder.

Educademy features separate dashboards tailored for parents, students, and instructors to address the unique needs of each stakeholder.

Real-Time Assignment Tracking

Real-Time Assignment Tracking

This allows guardians to monitor student progress and provide support, reducing drop-off rates and maintaining accountability in remote learning environments.

This allows guardians to monitor student progress and provide support, reducing drop-off rates and maintaining accountability in remote learning environments.

Live Doubt-Clearing Feature for Students

Live Doubt-Clearing Feature for Students

This feature addresses a critical need identified in user interviews, helping students stay engaged and overcome learning barriers.

This feature addresses a critical need identified in user interviews, helping students stay engaged and overcome learning barriers.

JUMP TO FINAL MOCKUPS

JUMP TO FINAL MOCKUPS

RESEARCH

Through a combination of primary and secondary research detailed below, including competitive analysis and interviews, I decided to focus on the key stakeholders' experience with the E-learning process during the pandemic.

Through a combination of primary and secondary research detailed below, including competitive analysis and interviews, I decided to focus on the key stakeholders' experience with the E-learning process during the pandemic.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

SECONDARY RESEARCH

To kick-off the research, I sought answers to initial key questions. What is E-learning? Why is it needed? How is it carried out? Who are the stakeholders involved? What are the key benefits and challenges of E-learning?

To kick-off the research, I sought answers to initial key questions. What is E-learning? Why is it needed? How is it carried out? Who are the stakeholders involved? What are the key benefits and challenges of E-learning?

This initial exploration gave me insights into the pain points faced by parents, teachers, and students. However, I wanted to dig deeper to uncover their day-to-day struggles and find opportunities to improve their experience.

This initial exploration gave me insights into the pain points faced by parents, teachers, and students. However, I wanted to dig deeper to uncover their day-to-day struggles and find opportunities to improve their experience.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Before diving into user research, I began with a competitive analysis to understand existing solutions in the online education space. I also wanted to analyse a homeschooling app to find potential learnings and insights. I analyzed popular apps such as Khan Academy, SeeSaw, KidCoach, and Homeschool Panda to identify their key features, strengths, and gaps. This helped me gain valuable insights into current industry practices and potential opportunities for innovation.

Before diving into user research, I began with a competitive analysis to understand existing solutions in the online education space. I also wanted to analyse a homeschooling app to find potential learnings and insights. I analyzed popular apps such as Khan Academy, SeeSaw, KidCoach, and Homeschool Panda to identify their key features, strengths, and gaps. This helped me gain valuable insights into current industry practices and potential opportunities for innovation.

SEE DETAILED COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

SEE DETAILED COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

From the analysis, I learned that:

From the analysis, I learned that:

Gap in the market for an easy-to-use app that accommodates the complexities of distance education

Seesaw and Homeschool Panda have complex interfaces, making them difficult to navigate. Conversely, simpler apps lack the tools needed to manage the full E-learning process.

Existing solutions were not engaging for primary audience - students.

Most apps focus primarily on parents and teachers, but fail to make the experience engaging for students. There is a need for features that promote active participation and social interaction for children.

Live notifications were an important feature in most of the analysed applications.

Live notifications are an important feature to ensure tasks and lessons stay on track, helping users at home avoid procrastination.

This motivated me to:

  1. Focus on a balance between complexity and ease of use in my design. Moreover, conduct user interviews with teachers and parents to identify the technical challenges they face with existing E-learning apps.

  2. Conduct user interviews with students to understand their experience with existing apps and determine whether they find them engaging and interactive.

This motivated me to:

  1. Focus on a balance between complexity and ease of use in my design. Moreover, conduct user interviews with teachers and parents to identify the technical challenges they face with existing E-learning apps.

  2. Conduct user interviews with students to understand their experience with existing apps and determine whether they find them engaging and interactive.

USER INTERVIEWS

USER INTERVIEWS

I conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers, students, and parents at Adarsh Vidhya Bhawan (AVB) Public School, New Delhi.
Goal: Garner a high-level understanding of my users’ pain points and needs through the e-learning process during COVID-19.

I conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers, students, and parents at Adarsh Vidhya Bhawan (AVB) Public School, New Delhi.
Goal: Garner a high-level understanding of my users’ pain points and needs through the e-learning process during COVID-19.

Have you used any E-learning tools before? What motivated you to do so?

What challenges did you face while using E-learning? How did they impact your experience?

How do you feel about E-learning compared to conventional classroom learning?

What improvements or changes would make E-learning more effective for you?

The study included:

  • Two teachers

  • Four students, two from junior grades and two from senior grades

  • Parents of the students

The study included:

  • Two teachers

  • Four students, two from junior grades and two from senior grades

  • Parents of the students

Some of my main findings include:

Some of my main findings include:

Parents' challenges with
E-learning

Parents' challenges with
E-learning

Parents' challenges with
E-learning

They worry about their children receiving an education that is on par with in-person learning. They also feel underqualified to assist their children with lessons at home.

Students' challenges with
E-learning

Students' challenges with
E-learning

Students' challenges with
E-learning

Students find e-learning less effective due to limited live doubt resolution and rigid course durations.

Teachers' challenges with
E-learning

Teachers' challenges with
E-learning

Teachers' challenges with
E-learning

Teachers struggled with low student engagement, attendance issues, and enforcing camera use. Network disruptions further hindered learning.

High satisfaction with Microsoft Teams

High satisfaction with Microsoft Teams

High satisfaction with Microsoft Teams

All the students interviewed were largegly satisfied with Micosoft Teams used in various school institutions during COVID.

Parents updated through a parent's alarm app

Parents were updated through a parents alarm app (now called School Canvas) - a class-wise notice board that gave updates about monthly worksheets, holidays, etc.

REVISITING COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

REVISITING COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

User interviews revealed Microsoft Teams and School Canvas platforms as significant competitors and warranted further analysis.

User interviews revealed Microsoft Teams and School Canvas platforms as significant competitors and warranted further analysis.

SEE DETAILED COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

SEE DETAILED COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

From the analysis, I learned that:

From the analysis, I learned that:

Class Channels for Seamless Integration

This simplifies class creation for teachers and joining for students. Integration with PowerPoint and Microsoft tools enhances usability.

Boosting Classroom Interactivity

Breakout rooms & virtual whiteboards improve engagement. Gamification features (e.g., reward systems) can enhance motivation for younger students.

Enhancing the Canvas Parents App

Currently, only generic schedules & assignments are available. Adding an assignment-tracking feature would help parents see when their child submits work. Further, engagement analytics can provide deeper learning insights.

PERSONAS

PERSONAS

After analyzing the interview results, I created the following personas. These personas represent the key stakeholders - parents, teachers, and students - each with their own unique goals and frustrations.

After analyzing the interview results, I created the following personas. These personas represent the key stakeholders - parents, teachers, and students - each with their own unique goals and frustrations.

USER JOURNEY MAPS

USER JOURNEY MAPS

To further understand the user experience across different touchpoints, I created user journey maps for each persona. These maps helped me visualize the steps, pain points, and emotions that parents, teachers, and students go through during the E-learning process, allowing me to identify opportunities for improvement and key intervention areas in the workflow.

To further understand the user experience across different touchpoints, I created user journey maps for each persona. These maps helped me visualize the steps, pain points, and emotions that parents, teachers, and students go through during the E-learning process, allowing me to identify opportunities for improvement and key intervention areas in the workflow.

DEFINING THE MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT (MVP)

After analyzing the needs of the three key stakeholders, I translated their goals into user stories to refine the design requirements. I then prioritized key features for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), focusing on high-impact solutions that deliver immediate value to users.

After analyzing the needs of the three key stakeholders, I translated their goals into user stories to refine the design requirements. I then prioritized key features for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), focusing on high-impact solutions that deliver immediate value to users.

USER STORIES

USER STORIES

MoSCoW METHOD

MoSCoW METHOD

Key Features by Stakeholder for the MVP:

Key Features by Stakeholder for the MVP:

DESIGN

ON THE SKETCHBOARD

ON THE SKETCHBOARD

After defining these core features, I began ideating on paper, starting with the parent dashboard and home-screen. I ensured that live notifications and call scheduling were prominent features to improve communication and keep users accountable.

After defining these core features, I began ideating on paper, starting with the parent dashboard and home-screen. I ensured that live notifications and call scheduling were prominent features to improve communication and keep users accountable.

LOW-FI PROTOTYPES

LOW-FI PROTOTYPES


The design process progressed from initial sketches and paper wireframes to digital wireframes, with multiple iterations leading to a polished final prototype.

I began by creating the full user flow for the parent dashboard, focusing on key features like live notifications and performance updates. Once the parent dashboard was finalized, I moved on to designing the student and instructor dashboards to ensure a consistent experience across all stakeholders.

The core feature I refined was the call scheduling feature for parents, making it easy for them to connect with instructors.


The design process progressed from initial sketches and paper wireframes to digital wireframes, with multiple iterations leading to a polished final prototype.

I began by creating the full user flow for the parent dashboard, focusing on key features like live notifications and performance updates. Once the parent dashboard was finalized, I moved on to designing the student and instructor dashboards to ensure a consistent experience across all stakeholders.

The core feature I refined was the call scheduling feature for parents, making it easy for them to connect with instructors.

FINAL MOCKUPS

FINAL MOCKUPS

REFLECTION

The "Educademy" project was an enriching experience that enhanced my ability to balance user needs with functional goals, ensuring the solution aligns with real-world challenges in E-learning. Conducting extensive research, creating personas, and mapping user journeys emphasized the importance of understanding diverse stakeholders.

The project taught me the value of leveraging user stories to identify and prioritize features effectively. By stepping into the users’ perspectives, I was able to clearly define their needs and objectives, which helped guide the design process. Using the MoSCoW method, I classified features into "Must-Have," "Should-Have," "Could-Have," and "Won’t-Have" categories, ensuring a strategic approach to resource allocation and feature implementation. This process honed my ability to focus on high-impact features first, balancing user needs with project constraints and delivering a meaningful, efficient solution.

The "Educademy" project was an enriching experience that enhanced my ability to balance user needs with functional goals, ensuring the solution aligns with real-world challenges in E-learning. Conducting extensive research, creating personas, and mapping user journeys emphasized the importance of understanding diverse stakeholders.

The project taught me the value of leveraging user stories to identify and prioritize features effectively. By stepping into the users’ perspectives, I was able to clearly define their needs and objectives, which helped guide the design process. Using the MoSCoW method, I classified features into "Must-Have," "Should-Have," "Could-Have," and "Won’t-Have" categories, ensuring a strategic approach to resource allocation and feature implementation. This process honed my ability to focus on high-impact features first, balancing user needs with project constraints and delivering a meaningful, efficient solution.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Enhance participation with an attendance feature that requires the camera to be on for at least half the class

Provide performance insights through real-time stats for parents and students to track progress

Foster peer connections with dedicated socializing features for students

Enhance retention for learners with interactive flashcards for better learning and recall

Overview

Research

UX Strategy

Design

Reflection

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