Neoboard

Uncovering the needs and pain points of higher education educators in LMS tools

My team: User experience team at Neoboard

Members: 1 UX team lead, 2 Researchers, 4 Designers

My role: UX Research Intern

Timeline: 2024.3 – 2024.6

Introduction

Project Context:

As part of my UX research internship at Neoboard, a company focused on creating products that improve student learning outcomes and reduce instructor workload, I was tasked with understanding the pain points and needs of educators when using learning management systems (e.g. Canvas). Specifically, I was tasked to research for design guidelines on the integration and automation of various teaching tools to LMS, so that users could simplify workflows and improve productivity.

Problem Statement:

College instructors are struggling with managing multiple educational technologies, leading to inefficiency and a loss of time. While they use tools such as Canvas, Discord, and various grading systems, these technologies lack integration and cause additional workloads, particularly in administrative tasks and student engagement.

Research Objective:

My role was to conduct user interviews with faculty members from higher education institutions to uncover the challenges they face with current tools and identify opportunities to enhance their teaching experience through Neoboard's platform.

Research Process

Over this 10 week internship, I focused mainly on designing a research study that relies on interviews and qualitative analysis.

Secondary Research

The first step in this research was conducting a comprehensive literature review to understand the current landscape of educational technology tools and the common challenges faculty members face. I examined existing research papers, industry reports, and case studies that discussed the effectiveness of learning management systems (LMS), communication tools, and assessment software. Key themes that emerged included:

This secondary research informed the design of my survey and interviews by identifying key pain points to explore further. It also provided a solid foundation for understanding the complex challenges faced by educators in adopting and integrating educational technologies.

Survey Design

After conducting secondary research, I designed a preliminary survey to screen potential interview participants and gather baseline data on their technology use. The survey aimed to identify:

  • Educators' current use of teaching tools: LMS platforms, communication apps, grading tools, and more.

  • Comfort levels with these technologies: A range of basic to advanced tools.

  • Challenges they face: Issues with engagement, workflow inefficiencies, and administrative tasks.

This survey was essential in selecting interview participants who had relevant experience with educational technologies. It also allowed me to tailor the interviews based on the most pressing issues identified in the responses.

Interview Design

Interview goals are to investigate:

  • Specific pain points with current technology

  • Need for a new technology and whether it is related to tool integration

  • Factors that encourage instructors to try new educational products

Interview setting: In-person & Over zoom. The interviews were designed to be conversational, allowing participants to freely share their experiences while providing insights into potential areas for improvement.

Interview design: semi-structured, 10 questions (3 sections)

Users interviewed: 12

Qualitative Analysis

Individual Data Mapping

This step showcases individual data analyses from interviews with five educators, examining their unique experiences, preferences, and challenges with educational tools and classroom engagement. For each participant, insights were categorized into obstacles, neutral, and positive aspects, helping to identify both the common and unique needs across diverse teaching contexts. This approach allowed us to capture specific quotes, background information, and emotional responses, building a nuanced understanding of each educator’s workflow, pain points, and openness to adopting new technology.

Affinity Mapping

This step involved organizing qualitative data from user interviews into thematic clusters. 6 primary categories highlight users' needs and challenges with existing tools. Each section includes representative quotes and color-coded notes. This approach enables the identification of underlying patterns and "How might we" questions, setting the stage for targeted solutions that address educators' specific pain points and aspirations for improved technology use in teaching environments.

Step 1: Important quotes

Step 2: Thematic Analysis

Step 3: Insights

Example mapping with Dr. Chung

Classroom Engagement

  • Key elements: Challenge of online interaction, In-person techniques for engagement

  • Insight: Digital tools for classroom engagement need to more closely mimic the spontaneity and interactive nature of in-person settings to keep students accountable and present.

Resource Migration

  • Key elements: Time consumption, Platform-specific repositories

  • Insight: Educators need a centralized, seamless repository that can be easily updated and shared across different platforms without the need for resource recreation each term.

New Tool Adoption

  • Key elements: Preference for onboarding, Importance of usability, visual appeal

  • Insight: To encourage adoption, new tools should come with onboarding resources, trial options, and training support.

Technical Difficulties

  • Key elements: Onboarding processes, Navigational frustrations, Manual overload

  • Insight: Streamlined and user-friendly interfaces are essential, with less manual intervention required to manage tasks. Tools should minimize clicks for common tasks.

Cost Considerations

  • Key elements: Affordability for students, Preference for school supported tools

  • Insight: Any new tools introduced should be cost-effective for students, or included in school-provided resources, to ensure accessibility and sustainability in classrooms.

Source of Information

  • Key elements: Students, Peers, School, Social networks, Online channels

  • Insight: Institutions play a critical role in tool adoption by endorsing and recommending tools. Educator networks and peers also provide a trusted channel for exploring new tools.

Recommendations & Report

  1. Integration for Virtual Engagement Tools

    Faculty members noted the challenge of keeping students engaged during virtual sessions. Neoboard can integrate interactive features or allow for outside engagement tools to join the process of teaching to enhance real-time feedback, breakout room management, and customizable interactive activities. Integration of commonly used platforms like Nearpod, PollEverywhere, Zoom, Discord, could better simulate the dynamics of student engagement.

  2. Simplified Resource Migration and Centralized Storage

    Many faculty members expressed frustration with resource migration across platforms. Neoboard should consider creating a centralized repository that simplifies importing and exporting files across systems. Implementing bulk-upload options and maintaining consistent formatting during transfers can streamline this process and make it easier for educators to adopt the platform fully.

  3. User-Friendly Onboarding and Support

    Educators expressed a desire for a gradual training process and accessible support when learning new tools. Neoboard can address this by offering onboarding tutorials tailored to varying levels of tech-savviness and real-time chat support.

  4. Flexible and Cost-Effective Tool Integration

    Faculty members often make tool adoption decisions based on budget and the specific educational needs of their students. Neoboard should focus on offering essential teaching tools and analytics within a flexible pricing structure.

  5. Streamlined Interface to Minimize Technical Disruptions

    Educators frequently encountered technical issues and described current tools as tedious and time-consuming. Neoboard could benefit from a streamlined interface that requires fewer steps to accomplish basic tasks, minimizing distractions and ensuring that the focus remains on instruction.

  6. Peer and Institutional Input

    Faculty rely heavily on peer recommendations and institutional updates for tool adoption. Neoboard should prioritize usability testing with educators and offer a platform for user feedback to influence feature updates.

Project Outcome

The Integration Hub feature was shipped based on the first recommendation of this research project.

Integration Hub Feature:

  • A central hub where teachers can connect and manage different educational tools, applications, and platforms used in their classrooms.  

  • Apps to be integrated through API calls include:

    • Canvas

    • Discord

    • Slack

  • The application will require the ability to send emails and send text messages to students for push notifications.

Learnings

  1. Skills in Qualitative Research Methods: I gained hands-on experience designing and conducting interviews. This process deepened my understanding of qualitative research. This involved identifying user pain points, navigating semi-structured interviews, and synthesizing insights from diverse user feedback.

  2. Ability to Translate Findings into Actionable Insights: Through methods like affinity mapping, I sharpened my ability to categorize feedback, identify recurring themes, and translate findings into actionable recommendations. This approach helped me see how raw data can directly shape product decisions, and I contributed by creating clear, focused insights to guide platform improvements.

  3. Opportunity for Improved Data Analysis Techniques: Reflecting on my process, an area for growth is exploring more robust data analysis techniques, such as thematic analysis or journey mapping. Additionally, refining my process for consolidating feedback across diverse user types could help me create more tailored recommendations.