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Project Overview
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, enhancing user experience and accessibility in apps is crucial. This project tackles these industry challenges head-on, enabling you to apply core UX design skills while addressing real user needs. You'll gain hands-on experience that aligns with professional practices, setting you up for success in your career.
Project Sections
Understanding User Needs
In this phase, you'll conduct user research to identify pain points in the current educational app. This crucial first step will guide your design decisions and ensure a user-centered approach. You'll learn how to gather qualitative and quantitative data, analyze it, and create user personas that reflect the target audience's needs.
Tasks:
- ▸Conduct surveys and interviews with current app users to gather feedback on their experience.
- ▸Analyze user feedback to identify common pain points and areas for improvement.
- ▸Create user personas based on research findings to guide your design process.
- ▸Map out user journeys to visualize the experience and identify critical touchpoints.
- ▸Compile your findings into a comprehensive user research report for stakeholder review.
- ▸Present your research insights to peers for constructive feedback and suggestions.
Resources:
- 📚"Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug
- 📚Nielsen Norman Group's User Research Guidelines
- 📚User Experience Research: Practical Techniques for Designers by Mike Kuniavsky
Reflection
Reflect on the challenges of gathering user feedback. How did this inform your understanding of user needs?
Checkpoint
Submit a user research report and user personas.
Accessibility Standards
This section focuses on understanding and applying accessibility standards in your design. You'll learn about WCAG guidelines and how to ensure your app is usable by people with various disabilities. This knowledge is critical in creating inclusive educational apps that serve all users effectively.
Tasks:
- ▸Study WCAG guidelines and summarize key accessibility principles relevant to app design.
- ▸Evaluate the current app against accessibility standards and document findings.
- ▸Create an accessibility checklist to guide your design process moving forward.
- ▸Incorporate accessibility features into wireframes, such as color contrast and text size adjustments.
- ▸Conduct a peer review to assess your accessibility considerations.
- ▸Prepare a presentation on the importance of accessibility in educational technology.
Resources:
- 📚WCAG 2.1 Guidelines
- 📚"A Web for Everyone" by Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery
- 📚Accessibility Testing Tools (e.g., WAVE, Axe)
Reflection
Consider how accessibility impacts user experience. What insights did you gain from this section?
Checkpoint
Submit an accessibility evaluation report with recommendations.
Prototyping and Wireframing
In this phase, you'll translate your research and accessibility insights into prototypes and wireframes. You'll learn to use industry-standard tools for creating effective visual representations of your app, enabling you to test ideas before full implementation.
Tasks:
- ▸Choose a prototyping tool (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD) and familiarize yourself with its features.
- ▸Create low-fidelity wireframes for the redesigned app based on user personas and accessibility standards.
- ▸Develop high-fidelity prototypes that incorporate user feedback and accessibility features.
- ▸Share prototypes with peers for feedback and iterate based on their insights.
- ▸Conduct a design critique session to refine your prototypes further.
- ▸Document the design rationale behind your wireframes and prototypes.
Resources:
- 📚Figma User Guide
- 📚"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman
- 📚Adobe XD Tutorials
Reflection
Reflect on the prototyping process. What challenges did you face in translating research into design?
Checkpoint
Submit wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes.
User Testing Methods
This section emphasizes the importance of user testing in the design process. You'll learn various testing methods to validate your prototypes and gather actionable feedback from real users, ensuring your design meets their needs effectively.
Tasks:
- ▸Plan and schedule user testing sessions with a diverse group of participants.
- ▸Develop a testing script that outlines tasks for users to complete during the session.
- ▸Conduct user testing, observing interactions and noting areas of confusion or difficulty.
- ▸Analyze feedback and identify patterns or recurring issues in user interactions.
- ▸Iterate on your design based on user testing insights and prepare a revised prototype.
- ▸Create a user testing report summarizing findings and design changes made.
Resources:
- 📚Usability.gov Testing Methods
- 📚"Rocket Surgery Made Easy" by Steve Krug
- 📚User Testing Tools (e.g., Lookback, UserTesting)
Reflection
How did user feedback influence your design decisions? What did you learn about the testing process?
Checkpoint
Submit the user testing report and revised prototype.
Iterative Design Processes
In this final phase, you'll focus on refining your app through iterative design processes. You'll learn how to incorporate feedback continuously and adapt your design to meet evolving user needs, ensuring a user-centered approach throughout the development cycle.
Tasks:
- ▸Review all feedback collected from user testing and identify key areas for improvement.
- ▸Create an iterative design plan that outlines steps for continuous improvement.
- ▸Implement design changes based on user feedback and accessibility standards.
- ▸Conduct follow-up testing to validate changes and gather additional insights.
- ▸Document the iterative process and decisions made throughout the project.
- ▸Prepare a final presentation showcasing your design journey and final product.
Resources:
- 📚"Lean UX" by Jeff Gothelf
- 📚Agile UX Design Practices
- 📚Prototyping Tools and Resources
Reflection
What have you learned about the importance of iteration in design? How will you apply this in future projects?
Checkpoint
Submit the final prototype and iterative design documentation.
Timeline
8 weeks with weekly check-ins and iterative reviews to adapt the project as needed.
Final Deliverable
A fully redesigned educational app prototype that enhances user experience and accessibility, accompanied by a comprehensive project report detailing the design process, user research, and testing outcomes.
Evaluation Criteria
- ✓Depth of user research and understanding of user needs.
- ✓Adherence to accessibility standards in design.
- ✓Quality and usability of prototypes and wireframes.
- ✓Effectiveness of user testing methods and incorporation of feedback.
- ✓Clarity and professionalism of project documentation and presentation.
Community Engagement
Engage with peers through forums or study groups to share insights, gather feedback, and showcase your work. Consider participating in UX meetups or online communities for broader networking.