Aplia eLearning Application for Professors

Ethnographic Study: To collect data on target users, we conducted a 16-subject ethnographic study. To understand their individual study methods, we interviewed undergraduates from various-sized schools at the locations where they typically studied. This contextual research provided key environmental, social, and technology insights.

User Personas and Scenarios: From the ethnographic research findings, we created the four primary personas, scenarios, and key tasks that subsequently guided the user interface design.

Mental Model: Our team conducted a card-sorting exercise with professors to establish a mental model that framed how target users thought about and accomplished their key tasks. The mental model served as the basis for the subsequent information architecture.

Interaction Models: To define technical requirements, we worked closely with Aplia’s engineering team to determine the application’s functional capabilities and development schedule constraints. We then created a series of interaction models to help prioritize final requirements.

Wireframes: With final requirements approved by Aplia, our team developed wireframes illustrating the application’s interaction model and navigation paradigm.

Usability Testing of Paper Prototypes: After developing the preliminary information architecture, we tested paper prototypes with users to quickly identify problems and appropriate solutions before a single line of code was written. Based on testing results, the team modified the information architecture and interaction design, and built interactive wireframes that served as the implementation guidelines for Aplia’s engineering and visual design teams.

UI Specifications: We refined the application’s wireframes and created detailed UI specifications for Aplia’s implementation team.

Example of a final screen with the application chrome.