Enhancing User Experience for E-learning Platform
Ana B. Praia
Client's Digital Platform is an e-learning online platform that provides free educational content for healthcare professionals and students. The content is created by renowned professionals and has excellent feedback for its quality. However, users seem to spend limited time on the platform or fail to return after registering.
This is a key product in the Digital Teaching field of the Client. The product has been available for two years now, and I would like to increase its impact as it helps in promoting the Client's Education area. Additionally, it generates indirect revenue through the purchase of paid products such as postgraduate courses, undergraduate programs, and short courses.
*This project took place from Jul/23 to Feb/24.
Tools
Miro
Microsoft Teams
Jotform
Microsoft Bookings
Google Sheets
WhatsApp
Team
1 UX Designer senior
1 UX Researcher senior
1 UX Researcher Jr
My Role
UX researcher lead
Project management
Recruiter
Data Analysis & Insights
Consolidation & presentation
Timeline
Overall: 30+ weeks
Discovery & Planning: 4 weeks
Research field: 19 weeks
Data analysis & consolidation: 9 weeks
My Design Process
Discovery Process
In the research process, the first step was to gather information and data about the product. This process was called the discovery process and took place in three stages:
The interview stage involved talking to stakeholders and exploring their perceptions and product strategies. We used a semi-structured interview methodology for this stage;
Data collection was the longest and most important stage. We analyzed Google Analytics data, including average session time and the number of new and returning visitors. We also used Hotjar to gather feedback and data from heat maps and session recordings;
To understand the product's positioning, communication with the user, and primary strategies used, we benchmarked our findings with those of our main competitors.
The consolidation of the discovery process resulted in some hypotheses and the research proposal presented in this case.
Documentation of the discovery process on a Miro board
Hypotheses generated based on data collected (Google Analytics and Hotjar)
Research Planning
Research goal
After analyzing the data and hypotheses presented during the discovery process, we established the following research goal: Increasing the average duration of user sessions on the website,
Methodology
To better identify user behaviors, needs, and pains, we chose the in-depth interview methodology, as it is an exploratory method.
Participant profile and criteria
To ensure more accurate and reliable results, we selected engaged users who had accessed Digital Academy within the last three months prior to the research. We believe that these users would have a better understanding and ownership of the platform.
Additionally, considering the large number of users and profiles registered on the platform, which include students and professionals from different fields, we created profile subgroups and set quotas for each of them based on age and gender. Our research planning aimed to speak with a total of 72 users.
Participant profile and criteria
Discussion Guide
The discussion guide was structured based on research drives and questions (below) and lasted approximately 30 minutes. It consisted of six sessions: warm-up, study/work routine, platform perception, user journey, motivation/understanding, and final considerations.
Discussion guide used in interview moderations
Research drivers
Journey and discovery process
Behavior, motivation, and needs
Communication
Research Questions
How did the user arrive at the Academy and what was their main interest in registering?
How do users use the Academy and how do they search for content and courses?
What does the user want and what do we have the capacity to offer?
Does our content have the appropriate language for the audience it reaches?
Recruitment
Recruitment for the research study was conducted with the support of the Marketing team. The process was based on engaged users* who were already registered on the platform - Client's Digital Platform.
To find participants interested in the study, a recruitment form was sent out to collect information such as age, gender, region, professional field, education, and other relevant details.
The recruitment form was initially sent out to a base of 1300 users via email marketing and institutional WhatsApp. During the research, the form was sent out again to the most up-to-date database. This helped to filter users who fit the profile sought for the study.
*An engaged user classification was created for research purposes based on the consumption of educational content on the platform and differs from the metric used for product purposes.
Recruitment challenges
We encountered several challenges during the recruitment phase, which prompted us to take action and make necessary changes to the number of interviewees, user classification, and recruitment methods. The main challenges encountered were:
Professional Profile: Users do not use the “student” option even though they are studying for a degree - grouping by profession no longer makes sense
Age: Users aged 45+ represented less than 20% of the base* - it makes sense to unite the group at 35+
Difficulty finding patterns: We had a lower return than expected among professionals in the same area
Difficulty contacting heavy users: Users have not accessed the platform for many months - new group division based on user consumption and updated base request (Oct/23)
Different definitions of engagement: What do we consider, within the research context, as an engaged user? And in the day-to-day life of the product?
Lack of trust on the part of users: Distrust due to contact via WhatsApp: users did not respond to the message and/or did not accept to participate in the research for fear of falling for scams
Researcher Field
Interviews
Participants who met the eligibility criteria and were interested in taking part in the interview were provided with a Microsoft Bookings link to schedule their interview session. As part of the scheduling process, the participant was required to accept the terms of free and informed consent to participate in the research. This document included information such as a brief explanation of the research, consent to capture images and sound, assurance of the security of the participant's data, and other relevant information in compliance with Brazil's LGPD (General Data Protection Law).
The interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, recorded and transcribed, and had a duration of around 20 to 30 minutes each. The interview process took around 3 months, with breaks in between to carry out new recruitment rounds. In the end, we reached 50% of the interview target, which was considered sufficient to answer the research questions, despite not being ideal due to the variety of profiles and the high number of registered users at the Academy.
Remote interview session on Microsoft Teams
Participant tracker sheet
To manage the large number of interviews scheduled during the interview cycle, a spreadsheet tracker was utilized. This tracker contained essential participant information, scheduling date and time for each session, session status, the name of the researcher responsible for moderating, the name of the researcher responsible for taking notes, sending bonuses, and participant grouping tags.
Participant tracker sheet
Data analysis & consolidation
Note-taking
During the research project, the interview note-taking process happened both synchronously and asynchronously, based on the availability of the researchers.
The notes were taken on a Miro board created specifically for this purpose. The board included basic information about the participant, notes and quotes from the interviews, highlights, and links to the recording and transcription.
The notes were taken in a post-it format and directly on the Miro board, making it easy to group them together and consolidate the main findings.
Note-taking board example
Findings & Insights
The process of consolidating interview data involves the following steps:
Affinity grouping
Identifying the main findings
Generating insights
Answering the research questions
Identifying opportunities
During these stages, brainstorming sessions were conducted with the team using Miro. Once the consolidation stage was completed, a final report was prepared for presentation to the stakeholders of the product.
Grouping of the Research question responses
Personas
We wanted to form a deeper understanding of our users' goals, needs, experiences, and behaviors. So, we created 6 personas for each of our user segments. They were based on user interviews. These personas represent the main groups of Academy users identified in the interviews.
There was no prior material on the Client's Digital Platform user personas
Personas help stakeholders' product decisions making
The creation of personas was the first step towards a user-centered process and must follow a process of continuous improvement, being modified based on new research and more assertive information about the user.
Presenting the results
After conducting several rounds of interviews and compiling the results, two final documents were produced: a topline report with the main findings of the interviews and a PowerPoint presentation.
The final presentation document included the background and initial research plan, a timeline, demographic information about the interviewees, personas, survey responses, key insights gathered during the user journey, opportunities for improvement, and final recommendations. The presentation also featured real quotes from the interviewees at various points throughout the presentation.
Example of the presentation report
Key learning & challenges
This project was very challenging for me due to the large number of interviewees and the level of responsibility and impact it had. It was the first exploratory research conducted on this platform with over 300k registered users. Additionally, I was responsible for research management, which included research materials production (recruitment form, consent form, tracker spreadsheet, notes board, discussion guide, documentation, reports, and presentations).
Some learnings from this case:
01
It is important to document and record all steps and arrangements, especially in a large, consolidated company and in a research with so many users. This helps to avoid errors, rework, and unnecessary delays. Since I have previously conducted research with a high volume of participants, I was well-prepared for such scenarios. This experience proved to be a differentiator in this research and I plan to continue to follow this practice in my future projects.
02
Patience is key! When working in a large company or in situations where you require support from other departments, the project may move at a slower pace. Therefore, it is essential to remain patient and adaptable to scenarios that may change throughout the process.
03
You can't embrace the world, research is a continuous process. When planning research, it is important to clearly understand your goal. You should identify your drivers along with the specific questions you want to ask and the reasons behind them. At the end of the research cycle, it is crucial to bring insights and recommendations for your product. However, if your research generates more questions than answers, it is a good sign that you are on the right track.
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Posted Apr 15, 2024
Conducted exploratory UX research identifying pain points & needs of users, resulting in a deeper understanding of user behavior and the creation of 6 personas.
