This document discusses how user experience (UX) design was used to develop a tool to help K-12 students better prepare for their futures. It outlines how the project team conducted user research, tested assumptions, and iteratively designed and tested prototypes with students and educators. The goal was to create a solution that students find engaging and schools find useful. Through lean UX practices like assumption testing and continuous feedback cycles, the team formed a vision for a product that empowers students to take control of their futures.

1. Connecting learning to life
with ux
Emily
Holmes
-­‐
@uxemily
Director
of
UX
for
K-­‐12
R&D,
Hobsons

2. Can we use UX
to empower K-12 students
to take control of their futures?

3. background
7,000
middle
and
high
school
customers
Used
in
80+
countries
95%
renewal
rate

4. background
35%
of
all
US
high
school
graduates
in
the
US
last
year
had
a
Naviance
account

5. We want to do more
93% 44%
of
middle
school
students
aspire
to
go
to
college
of
students
actually
enroll
in
college

6. What have we learned
from working with schools
and districts?

7. Counselors are overburdened

8. Parents are lost
Don’t
speak
English
Haven’t
been
to
college
Unfamiliar
with
the
college
applicaPon
process
Work
mulPple
jobs
Assume
college
is
not
affordable
Aren’t
computer
literate

9. Students are unprepared
33%
• of
students
in
US
post-­‐secondary
insPtuPons
will
require
remediaPon
• of
US
students
who
go
to
college
will
never
graduate

10. Let’s find a way to help
solve this problem.

11. Lean ux

12. Where do we start?
What
we
know:
What
we
don’t
know:
Tool
to
help
students
prepare
themselves
more
effec8vely
for
the
future
Focus
on
college
and
career
readiness
Who
the
customer
is
How
we’ll
sell
it
What
we’re
building
Everything
else!

13. Where do we start?
Form
a
team
Talk
to
people
we
already
know
Look
to
see
what’s
out
there

14. Testing assumptions
Students
will
pay
for
a
soluPon
Parents
will
pay
for
a
soluPon
and
have
access
to
tech
Schools
are
willing
to
pay
for
a
soluPon
Schools
have
access
to
adequate
technology
Students
will
see
value
in
what
schools
want
for
them

15. Organizing the research

16. Organizing the research
businessmodelgeneraPon.com/canvas
leanstack.com
leanstartupmachine.com/validaPonboard/
udacity.com/course/ep245

17. User research

18. User research

19. User research

20. What we learned
What
students
like:
What
schools
want:
Project-­‐based
learning
Consistent,
standards-­‐
based
curriculum
Video
content,
especially
when
it
shows
people
who
are
similar
to
them
Iden8fying
their
own
strengths
Progress
bars
and
bright
colors
Ability
to
assess
student
progress
Engaging
content
for
students

21. A vision started forming
Photo:
Annita
Vini

22. Communicating the vision

23. Communicating the vision

24. Communicating the vision

25. Communicating the vision

26. Communicating the vision

27. Communicating the vision
More
info:
Jeff
Paaon
-­‐
“The
New
User
Story
Backlog
is
a
Map”
hap://bit.ly/1KQp

28. Testing the details
We believe that students...
We’ll know this is true if...

29. Testing the details
A B

30. Testing the details
Perceived
difficulty
Interest
level
Confidence
level

31. Testing the details

32. Testing the details

33. Ongoing iteration
• Tested
every
new
piece
in
a
classroom
sejng
• Always
looked
for
the
simplest,
most
lightweight
way
to
test
new
hypotheses
• Never
built
too
much
before
gejng
direct
feedback
from
students
and
educators

34. Where we are now

36. Wrapping up
I believe I can change the world...
I’ll know this is true if...

37. Connecting learning to life with ux
@uxemily
emily.holmes@hobsons.com