Collabo XD
Transforming Classrooms: From Frustration to Collaboration
6
Weeks
Role
UX Research | Stakeholder Interviews
Wire-framing | UX Design
4
Team
Tools
Miro | Figma | Notion
Overview
Company
Collabo XD is a service design firm specializing in qualitative research and experience design, focusing on human-centered approaches across various industries. Founded on the belief that every person is an expert in their own experience, the company helps clients unleash potential through comprehensive customer research and strategic planning to deliver optimal customer experiences.
Challenge
How might we keep students motivated throughout the project and improve their hard and soft skills?
Solution
Leveraging Canvas to conduct Service Learning - Integrate existing apps into the Canvas system to facilitate easier communication between students and stakeholders.
Solution
1
Personalized Learning Management platform for students
2
Service Learning and Client Engagement Extension for LMS.
Initial Problem
What problem is being solved?
Relationship Building | Collaboration issues | Misalignment of Tasks
Students face several challenges in service-based and project-based learning, including time constraints, misalignment of tasks, and gaps between theory and practice. However, there's significant interest in experiential learning approaches, with students reporting increased confidence and engagement when participating in such programs. To address these challenges and capitalize on opportunities, the team recommends standardizing project briefs, integrating service learning components, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, and leveraging technology tools like VR and AR.
Initial Problem Discovery
How was the problem discovered?
Research | User Interviews | Survey
Total number of Student interviews
15
Universities
5
Major
5
"We never had regular project check-ins, so we'd simply showcase our work at the end. It left us feeling bored & uninterested to work."
- Northeastern University
"We kept working for the client, but we never received any feedback on our progress or whether we were on the right track with our work."
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS)
Understanding the Student Perspective
61%
Interested in PBL and SL
Shift towards experimental learning
Total number of Student who participated in Survey
15
60%
Improvement in skills
Technical, critical thinking and collaboration
77.8%
Interested in real projects
Motivation to take up SL and PBL
Mix of long and shorter projects
72.2%
Interested in working for diverse projects
A few snippits from the survey
Digging deeper...
Initial Research/ Problem Validation
Understanding the Problem
Environmental Analysis | User Personas | User Journey
Conducting an environmental analysis would provide insights into the broader educational landscape and industry trends, helping to align course offerings with market demands. User research would uncover specific pain points and needs of students, teachers, and clients, enabling the development of tailored solutions. Finally, mapping out user journeys would illuminate the entire experience of course selection, skill development, and project collaboration, identifying key touchpoints where interventions can be most effective in improving outcomes for all stakeholders.
Gap in the market
Product Functionalities
1. Limited assessment and feedback mechanisms for service-learning
2. Lack of structured opportunities for students
3. Difficulty in facilitating connections between students and community partners/clients.
Opportunities
1. Streamlined collaboration and Interaction
2. Unified platform for students
3. Comprehensive Service-Based Learning
User Persona
User personas were developed to tackle the complexities of service learning in higher education. The persona crystallized the key challenges students face, from time management struggles to the need for practical theory application and consistent feedback.
User Journey Mapping
User journey mapping helpd me visualize and understand the experiences of students, teachers, and clients as they interact with the platform. It allows me to identify pain points, such as course selection confusion and collaboration challenges, and design targeted solutions like personalized learning pathways and integrated LMS features.
Solution Discovery
Understanding the Solution
Solution Iterations | User Testing | Feedback
To better comprehend the solution and its development process, let's break it down into three key components. This approach will provide insight into how we conceived and refined each feature, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the project's evolution.
Key Component 1
Visual dashboards with gamification elements to make grade tracking clear, exciting, and motivating for students.
Insight...
"I find it challenging to keep track of all my grades and assignments across different courses. It's overwhelming to remember which tasks I've completed and which are still pending, making it difficult for me to manage my academic responsibilities effectively."
To enhance grade tracking and boost student motivation, we've implemented visual graphs and elements on the main course dashboard, complemented by a gamification feature that awards achievement badges based on submissions and grades, making progress monitoring both intuitive and engaging.
Key Component 2
Upgraded Canvas discussions, integrate client participation and AI-driven writing support, elevating communication and collaboration.
Insight...
"I struggled with client communication. Clarifying doubts was tough, and clients got annoyed by repetitive questions from different groups. I also noticed that clients were unhappy with our unprofessional writing and subpar content."
To better understand the solution, let's see a scenario in the form of storyboard
Enhanced Canvas discussion forums by integrating clients directly into the platform. This improvement fosters more dynamic and collaborative interactions, ensuring clients are actively involved in project-related discussions.
An AI-powered smart suggestion feature. This tool provides real-time writing assistance to students, improving the quality of their communications and helping them develop crucial soft skills for professional interactions.
Key Component 3
Service Learning and Client Engagement Extension for Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Insight...
"Need common communication medium for all user groups without adopting a new software just for PBL and SL."
Enhanced Canvas to improve client-student communication by enabling guest access and integrating clients into discussion forums. This creates a more collaborative learning environment without requiring clients to have full user accounts.
To prevent overburdening clients, we've added customizable forum settings. Clients can now close discussions, limit student replies, and set specific timeframes for interactions. These features optimize engagement while respecting the client's time constraints.
A shared drive feature, allowing clients and students to easily exchange project-related documents. Clients can upload materials for all students to access, while students can share their reports for client review. This promotes transparent and efficient collaboration.
Clients have access to the course calendar, providing them with visibility into submission deadlines and project milestones. This helps clients align their expectations with students' academic schedules, preventing unrealistic deadlines and ensuring a balanced approach to project management.
User Testing
Total number of User Testing Done
3
Universities
3
Major
2
Feedback
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Business Aspect
How can this boost the business?
Revenue Model | Business Viability | Technical Feasibility
Revenue Model
Custom Development Services:
Provide custom development services to tailor the extension to the specific needs and requirements of educational institutions. Charge one-time development fees or ongoing maintenance fees for personalized solutions.
Business Viability
Reduced spends on technology
Less expenditure on softwares and training
Technical Feasibility
01
Guest account for client
Canvas currently provides a guest account for parents, and non-institutional members to access the Canvas portal based on the permission allotted by the administrator
02
Adopting existing functionalities and features
Teachers can add necessary components to their service learning class, like discussion posts and file management systems, which are already present, and create a centralized platform.