My Role
01 End to End Design Process
02 High Fidelity Prototype
03 Synthesizing all UX Research Insights
Tools
Figma, User Research, Collaboration
The Team
Duration
The Client
Ankitha Vasudev, Andrea Chisholm, Christy Zo
City of Bridges High School
Fall 2023, 8 weeks of research → 1 week of solo design
The ultimate personalized
student dashboard.
The ultimate personalized
student dashboard.
Partnering with City of Bridges High School, our team is dedicated to crafting a solution that embraces contemporary learning ideals, striving to design a student dashboard that embodies the casualty of journaling, all within an intuitive and stress-free user interface.
Partnering with City of Bridges High School, our team is dedicated to crafting a solution that embraces contemporary learning ideals, striving to design a student dashboard that embodies the casualty of journaling, all within an intuitive and stress-free user interface.
My Role
01 End to End Design Process
02 High Fidelity Prototype
03 Synthesizing all UX Research Insights
Tools
Figma, User Research, Collaboration
The Team
Ankitha Vasudev, Andrea Chisholm, Christy Zo
The Client
City of Bridges High School
Duration
Fall 2023, 8 weeks of research → 1 week of solo design
Mission of Momentum
Mission of Momentum
Momentum is an app that helps students self-regulate PLP progress, and facilitating one-on-one advising with teachers. It addresses PLP challenges for instructors by simplifying documentation and management, enhancing awareness, and streamlining personalized support for a more effective learning experience.
Momentum is an app that helps students self-regulate PLP progress, and facilitating one-on-one advising with teachers. It addresses PLP challenges for instructors by simplifying documentation and management, enhancing awareness, and streamlining personalized support for a more effective learning experience.
What is a PLP?
At City of Bridges High School, "PLP"s (Personalized Learning Plans) serve as specialized classes where students are allotted dedicated time to delve into their chosen majors, shaping their career paths. These courses demand self-regulation and responsibility from students as they navigate their learning journey and manage their deliverables.
What is a PLP?
At City of Bridges High School, "PLP"s (Personalized Learning Plans) serve as specialized classes where students are allotted dedicated time to delve into their chosen majors, shaping their career paths. These courses demand self-regulation and responsibility from students as they navigate their learning journey and manage their deliverables.
Concept Enactment | Before Class
Concept Enactment | Before Class
How does Momentum work?
How does Momentum work?
Concept Enactment | After Class
How can students track their progress without it feeling like another task?
Widget tools.
At the start of each PLP block, students use a widget to notify teachers of their plans, and those choosing a meeting receive an estimated check-in time on their widget.
Simplifying the UI to mimic a digital stationary or journaling space helps students feel less overwhelmed by the concept of submitting assignments for grading.
It's customizable.
By enabling color adjustments tailored to individuals with ADHD, we adopt a more flexible approach to educational tools. This encourages increased student engagement and alleviates the stress associated with traditional "turning in".
Widget Tools
At the start of each PLP block, students use a widget to notify teachers of their plans, and those choosing a meeting receive an estimated check-in time on their widget.
Never lose track of time.
Clear visual representation of time tracking aids students in comprehending the amount of personal time they have before their scheduled check-in with a teacher.
It's customizable.
By enabling color adjustments tailored to individuals with ADHD, we adopt a more flexible approach to educational tools. This encourages increased student engagement and alleviates the stress associated with traditional "turning in".
Never lose track of time.
Clear visual representation of time tracking aids students in comprehending the amount of personal time they have before their scheduled check-in with a teacher.
Concept Enactment | After Class
How can students track their progress without it feeling like another task?
Taking log of daily progress through different media types.
Taking log of daily progress through different media types.
By shifting the app's focus towards journaling, students can track their PLP progress in a more personalized manner.
By shifting the app's focus towards journaling, students can track their PLP progress in a more personalized manner.
After the PLP block, students receive a daily prompt to check in on progress, responding with visual/audio media and a brief text entry.
After the PLP block, students receive a daily prompt to check in on progress, responding with visual/audio media and a brief text entry.
After submitting a photo, audio, or visual progress submission, take a moment to review with written reflection.
After uploading their chosen media, students receive a brief journal entry to jot down specific progress completed.
After uploading their chosen media, students receive a brief journal entry to jot down specific progress completed.
Students save and submit their work.
Students save and submit their work.
After completing the journal entry, students are returned to the home screen where they can view their daily entry.
After completing the journal entry, students are returned to the home screen where they can view their daily entry.
After submitting a photo, audio, or visual progress submission, take a moment to review with written reflection.
Feel proud of your work!
Once all tasks are finished, students can automatically view their day's PLP on their widget tools until the next scheduled check-in.
Feel proud of your work!
Once all tasks are finished, students can automatically view their day's PLP on their widget tools until the next scheduled check-in.
Color-adjusted to accommodate with focus or feeling overwhelmed.
Easily recognizable click-ables.
Why is this important for growth in students?
01
Students had a high preference for low-commitment technology and generally had an anti-technology stance as “having another app might be tedious”.
02
5 out of 7 interviewed students cited leaving traditional schooling due to its stressful nature, compounded by challenges in keeping pace with the systems and tools in place, particularly concerning their ADHD.
Why is this important for growth in students?
01
Students had a high preference for low-commitment technology and generally had an anti-technology stance as “having another app might be tedious”.
02
5 out of 7 interviewed students cited leaving traditional schooling due to its stressful nature, compounded by challenges in keeping pace with the systems and tools in place, particularly concerning their ADHD.
Simplifying the UI to mimic a digital stationary or journaling space helps students feel less overwhelmed by the concept of submitting assignments for grading.
Color-adjusted to accommodate with focus or feeling overwhelmed.
Easily recognizable click-ables.
We spent most of this project focusing on the designing the ‘right thing’ rather than designing the ‘thing right’. This was important to ensure that we were tackling a real need at CoBHS. A strength of our design concept was our focus on doing one thing really well rather than tackling the entirety of personalized learning, which would have been overwhelming and too broad.
Hey.
Concept Generation.
How did we land on Momentum?
Initial Ideation
Opportunity Statements.
Concept Generation.
How did we land on Momentum?
Initial Ideation
Opportunity Statements.
01 How might we encourage students to set and assess their progress towards meeting their goals and completing work in a way that motivates them, avoiding excessive prescription?
01 How might we encourage students to set and assess their progress towards meeting their goals and completing work in a way that motivates them, avoiding excessive prescription?
Challenge
Challenge
Students are expected to be accountable for their progress and completion of projects but it can be challenging for them to stay on track.“Students should be able to measure their progress in relation to the goals they set.”
Students are expected to be accountable for their progress and completion of projects but it can be challenging for them to stay on track.“Students should be able to measure their progress in relation to the goals they set.”
Need
Need
We see an opportunity to explore methods that target the right balance to provide enough guidance and motivate students, while not overwhelming them with workload.
We see an opportunity to explore methods that target the right balance to provide enough guidance and motivate students, while not overwhelming them with workload.
02 How might we help instructors keep informed about their students’ updates and progress so they can better guide student learning?
Challenge
Instructors find documenting and managing personalized learning challenging. While using a physical notebook fosters direct interaction, it's inefficient. They express the need to track student progress more easily than asking about it.
Need
We aim to enhance progress tracking in a way that's consistent and transparent for both students and teachers at CoB, while still prioritizing the effective 1-1 interaction that's currently in place.
03 How might we inspire students to discover their interests and empower them to explore them further through a PLP?
Challenge
There's a gap between the curriculum's aim of fostering student interests through PLPs and the reality where students often do homework or abandon personal projects during PLP time. Some students lack the internal drive for PLPs, so finding ways to support them is crucial.
Need
We see an opportunity to further encourage students to discover and explore their interests, especially during PLP time.
02 How might we help instructors keep informed about their students’ updates and progress so they can better guide student learning?
Challenge
Instructors find documenting and managing personalized learning challenging. While using a physical notebook fosters direct interaction, it's inefficient. They express the need to track student progress more easily than asking about it.
Need
We aim to enhance progress tracking in a way that's consistent and transparent for both students and teachers at CoB, while still prioritizing the effective 1-1 interaction that's currently in place.
03 How might we inspire students to discover their interests and empower them to explore them further through a PLP?
Challenge
There's a gap between the curriculum's aim of fostering student interests through PLPs and the reality where students often do homework or abandon personal projects during PLP time. Some students lack the internal drive for PLPs, so finding ways to support them is crucial.
Need
We see an opportunity to further encourage students to discover and explore their interests, especially during PLP time.
Initial Research
Focus Group Data Collection.
Focus Group Data Collection
Initial Research
We held a focus group with 7 students (4 seniors, 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore) to delve into workload management, goal setting, and PLP experiences, aiming to uncover pain points and sentiments regarding the learning environment at CoBHS.
We held a focus group with 7 students (4 seniors, 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore) to delve into workload management, goal setting, and PLP experiences, aiming to uncover pain points and sentiments regarding the learning environment at CoBHS.
Additionally, to understand the instructors' perspectives, we decided to conduct an artifact analysis so that we could see examples of student work and a contextual inquiry with Randy, the head of school.
Additionally, to understand the instructors' perspectives, we decided to conduct an artifact analysis so that we could see examples of student work and a contextual inquiry with Randy, the head of school.
Instructors’ Book for tracking progress
Evaluation form co-created with Randy and students for his elective
PLP Time Student Feedback
Diagrams and Models
Synthesizing Findings
Synthesizing Findings
Diagrams and Models.
Rapid Ideation
Ideating Solution
How can student's interact with Mometum?
Finalizing the Solution
Affinity Diagram - Contextual Inquiry
Our contextual interview with Randy and visit to CoB revealed close collaboration between teachers and students in crafting personalized learning plans.
Affinity Diagram - Contextual Inquiry
Our contextual interview with Randy and visit to CoB revealed close collaboration between teachers and students in crafting personalized learning plans.
+ Synthesis Model
Randy mentions that his administrative schedule differs from most instructors at CoB, possibly limiting our understanding of teacher-student interactions.
+ Synthesis Model
Randy mentions that his administrative schedule differs from most instructors at CoB, possibly limiting our understanding of teacher-student interactions.
Affinity Diagram - Focus Group
The focus group discussion provided valuable insights from all students, which we organized into interpretation notes and then affinity mapped to identify common themes.
Affinity Diagram - Focus Group
The focus group discussion provided valuable insights from all students, which we organized into interpretation notes and then affinity mapped to identify common themes.
Ideating Solution
Rapid Ideation.
Guided by the insights from our research, we engaged in rapid ideation to brainstorm possible solutions for each of our 4 Opportunity Statements.
Guided by the insights from our research, we engaged in rapid ideation to brainstorm possible solutions for each of our 4 Opportunity Statements.
To rapidly test our ideas and determine if they’re beneficial additions to the CoBHS learning environment, we conducted storyboard speed dating with 4 small groups of students and teachers.
To rapidly test our ideas and determine if they’re beneficial additions to the CoBHS learning environment, we conducted storyboard speed dating with 4 small groups of students and teachers.
We chose 7 storyboards that covered various aspects of personalized learning.
We conducted storyboard
speed dating at CoBHS.
Based on the feedback, we chose one storyboard to revise and move forward with
Following the Speed Dating Session feedback, we opted for a blend of a personalized goal-setting platform and a check-in widget.
…and thats what led us to the final decision of momentum.
Following the Speed Dating Session feedback, we opted for a blend of a personalized goal-setting platform and a check-in widget.
Finalizing the Solution
How can student's interact with Mometum?
The Journey Map illustrates three PLP stages: beginning, during, and after. Some students complete their PLPs, while others lose motivation, leading to diverging paths in the journey's conclusion.
The Journey Map illustrates three PLP stages: beginning, during, and after. Some students complete their PLPs, while others lose motivation, leading to diverging paths in the journey's conclusion.
In the Service Blueprint, we concentrated on daily student-teacher interactions during the PLP block. Emphasizing interpersonal relationships, our tool enhances these interactions instead of substituting them with digital alternatives.
In the Service Blueprint, we concentrated on daily student-teacher interactions during the PLP block. Emphasizing interpersonal relationships, our tool enhances these interactions instead of substituting them with digital alternatives.
Before diving into the user interface, my team and I simplified the journey map and service blueprint into a single user flow model.
Before diving into the user interface, my team and I simplified the journey map and service blueprint into a single user flow model.
