Improving Learning Engagement for Youth with Disabilities Through Guided Experiences
Improving Learning Engagement for Youth with Disabilities Through Guided Experiences
Improving Learning Engagement for Youth with Disabilities Through Guided Experiences
Reduced task completion time by 35% and improved success rates by 40% by introducing structured and guided learning flows.
Additional improvements in engagement and satisfaction were driven by interactive elements and AI-assisted guidance during key moments.
Reduced task completion time by 35% and improved success rates by 40% by introducing structured and guided learning flows.
Additional improvements in engagement and satisfaction were driven by interactive elements and AI-assisted guidance during key moments.
Won “Best in Show” title
Won “Best in Show” title
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
Youth with disabilities struggled to navigate the platform due to dense content, unclear structure, and lack of guidance.
This led to cognitive overload and low engagement, making it difficult for users to progress independently.
The core challenge wasn’t usability alone, but structuring the experience so users could move forward with clarity and confidence.
Youth with disabilities struggled to navigate the platform due to dense content, unclear structure, and lack of guidance.
This led to cognitive overload and low engagement, making it difficult for users to progress independently.
The core challenge wasn’t usability alone, but structuring the experience so users could move forward with clarity and confidence.
My Role
My Role
Product Designer
Platform
Platform
AI-assisted Learning Platform
Timeline
Timeline
1 Year
Team
Team
UX Designers
Tools
Tools
Figma, FigJam, Google Docs
Key Insights
Key Insights
Key Insights
73% of surveyed students relied on external support, highlighting the absence of in-platform guidance and reduced user independence.
73% of surveyed students relied on external support, highlighting the absence of in-platform guidance and reduced user independence.
73% of surveyed students relied on external support, highlighting the absence of in-platform guidance and reduced user independence.
62% of surveyed students struggled to navigate and locate key content, indicating high cognitive load caused by inconsistent UI patterns.
62% of surveyed students struggled to navigate and locate key content, indicating high cognitive load caused by inconsistent UI patterns.
62% of surveyed students struggled to navigate and locate key content, indicating high cognitive load caused by inconsistent UI patterns.
Lack of standardized components led to confusion and longer task completion times.
Lack of standardized components led to confusion and longer task completion times.
Lack of standardized components led to confusion and longer task completion times.
Limited interactivity and motivation reduced sustained engagement.
Limited interactivity and motivation reduced sustained engagement.
Limited interactivity and motivation reduced sustained engagement.
Dense content and heavy visuals made information difficult to process, especially for users with cognitive challenges.
Dense content and heavy visuals made information difficult to process, especially for users with cognitive challenges.
Dense content and heavy visuals made information difficult to process, especially for users with cognitive challenges.
Design Approach
Design Approach
Design Approach
Based on insights around cognitive overload, lack of guidance, and low engagement, the design approach focused on:
Based on insights around cognitive overload, lack of guidance, and low engagement, the design approach focused on:
Improving usability of key entry points by simplifying the login experience and reducing friction.
Enhancing content discovery through a clearer and more structured discovery board and homepage.
Making resources easier to navigate and consume by improving content organization and readability.
Introducing guided support and community interaction through AI-assisted features and forum integration.
Designing for accessibility to support diverse user needs.
Improving usability of key entry points by simplifying the login experience and reducing friction.
Enhancing content discovery through a clearer and more structured discovery board and homepage.
Making resources easier to navigate and consume by improving content organization and readability.
Introducing guided support and community interaction through AI-assisted features and forum integration.
Designing for accessibility to support diverse user needs.
Improving usability of key entry points by simplifying the login experience and reducing friction.
Enhancing content discovery through a clearer and more structured discovery board and homepage.
Making resources easier to navigate and consume by improving content organization and readability.
Introducing guided support and community interaction through AI-assisted features and forum integration.
Designing for accessibility to support diverse user needs.
Key Improvements
Key Improvements
Key Improvements
The following improvements address key usability challenges and enhance how users navigate, engage, and progress through the platform.
The following improvements address key usability challenges and enhance how users navigate, engage, and progress through the platform.
The following improvements address key usability challenges and enhance how users navigate, engage, and progress through the platform.
Improved Onboarding Experience
Improved Onboarding Experience
Improved Onboarding Experience
Problem
The original onboarding flow was lengthy and unclear, making it difficult for users to understand progress and complete setup efficiently.
The original onboarding flow was lengthy and unclear, making it difficult for users to understand progress and complete setup efficiently.
What Changed
Simplified onboarding by reducing required inputs, introducing a clear progress bar, and adding a supportive character to guide users through each step.
Simplified onboarding by reducing required inputs, introducing a clear progress bar, and adding a supportive character to guide users through each step.
Before
Before
After
After
Outcome
The redesigned flow simplifies onboarding into clear, manageable steps, helping users complete setup with less confusion and more confidence.
The redesigned flow simplifies onboarding into clear, manageable steps, helping users complete setup with less confusion and more confidence.
Enhanced Discovery Experience
Enhanced Discovery Experience
Enhanced Discovery Experience
Problem
The discovery board lacked clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to focus on key actions. Important elements like study plans and preferences were not easily visible, while secondary features took unnecessary priority.
The discovery board lacked clear hierarchy, making it difficult for users to focus on key actions. Important elements like study plans and preferences were not easily visible, while secondary features took unnecessary priority.
What Changed
Refined the layout by establishing clear visual hierarchy, improving typography and color usage, and prioritizing key elements like study plans and preferences. Added a sticky mini navigation for easier access and introduced engagement features like badges, coins, and companion selection.
Refined the layout by establishing clear visual hierarchy, improving typography and color usage, and prioritizing key elements like study plans and preferences. Added a sticky mini navigation for easier access and introduced engagement features like badges, coins, and companion selection.
Before
Before
After
After
After
Outcome
The redesigned discovery experience helps users focus on what matters most, making it easier to navigate, engage with content, and stay on track with their learning journey.
The redesigned discovery experience helps users focus on what matters most, making it easier to navigate, engage with content, and stay on track with their learning journey.
Improved Homepage
Improved Homepage
Problem
The homepage lacked clear direction, making it difficult for users to understand where to start or what actions to take.
The homepage lacked clear direction, making it difficult for users to understand where to start or what actions to take.
What Changed
Refined visual hierarchy and messaging to highlight key entry points, guiding users toward important actions and sections of the platform.
Refined visual hierarchy and messaging to highlight key entry points, guiding users toward important actions and sections of the platform.
Before
Before
After
After
After
Outcome
The updated homepage provides clearer direction, helping users quickly understand where to begin and how to navigate the platform.
The updated homepage provides clearer direction, helping users quickly understand where to begin and how to navigate the platform.
Improved Resource Experience
Improved Resource Experience
Problem
Resource cards were oversized and visually inconsistent, making it difficult for users to scan content. Hover interactions were distracting and disrupted the browsing experience.
Resource cards were oversized and visually inconsistent, making it difficult for users to scan content. Hover interactions were distracting and disrupted the browsing experience.
What Changed
Refined card sizing and layout to improve scannability, and simplified hover interactions to create a more consistent and less distracting browsing experience.
Refined card sizing and layout to improve scannability, and simplified hover interactions to create a more consistent and less distracting browsing experience.
Before
Before
After
After
After
Outcome
The updated design makes it easier to browse and scan resources, creating a more focused and consistent experience.
The updated design makes it easier to browse and scan resources, creating a more focused and consistent experience.
Structured Learning Journey
Structured Learning Journey
Problem
The learning experience lacked structure and guidance, making it difficult for students to stay engaged and track their progress through lessons.
The learning experience lacked structure and guidance, making it difficult for students to stay engaged and track their progress through lessons.
What Changed
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking, a companion for guided support, and in-context features like note-taking and hints to help users stay engaged and complete lessons.
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking, a companion for guided support, and in-context features like note-taking and hints to help users stay engaged and complete lessons.
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking, a companion for guided support, and in-context features like note-taking and hints to help users stay engaged and complete lessons.
Before
Before
After
After
After
Outcome
The updated experience provides clearer guidance and structure, helping students stay engaged, track their progress, and interact more actively with the learning content.
The updated experience provides clearer guidance and structure, helping students stay engaged, track their progress, and interact more actively with the learning content.
Guided Support & Community Experience
Guided Support & Community Experience
Problem
The learning experience lacked structure and guidance, making it difficult for students to stay engaged and track their progress through lessons.
The learning experience lacked structure and guidance, making it difficult for students to stay engaged and track their progress through lessons.
What Changed
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking and an AI companion to provide real-time guidance. Supporting features like note-taking and hints were added to reinforce engagement and task completion.
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking and an AI companion to provide real-time guidance. Supporting features like note-taking and hints were added to reinforce engagement and task completion.
Introduced a structured learning flow with visible progress tracking and an AI companion to provide real-time guidance. Supporting features like note-taking and hints were added to reinforce engagement and task completion.
AI
Forum
Outcome
Early exploration showed users struggled when left to navigate freely, so the experience shifted toward more guided interactions.
Early exploration showed users struggled when left to navigate freely, so the experience shifted toward more guided interactions.
The AI companion provided contextual guidance during key moments, helping users navigate decisions and reducing reliance on trial-and-error exploration.
The AI companion provided contextual guidance during key moments, helping users navigate decisions and reducing reliance on trial-and-error exploration.
The updated experience provides clearer guidance and structure, helping students stay engaged, track their progress, and interact more actively with the learning content.
The updated experience provides clearer guidance and structure, helping students stay engaged, track their progress, and interact more actively with the learning content.
Result and Impact
Result and Impact
Result and Impact
Usability testing showed a 35% reduction in task completion time and a 40% improvement in success rates after simplifying the experience. Users were able to complete tasks faster, with efficiency improving by approximately 1.5× during testing.
Usability testing showed a 35% reduction in task completion time and a 40% improvement in success rates after simplifying the experience. Users were able to complete tasks faster, with efficiency improving by approximately 1.5× during testing.
Overall satisfaction scores increased significantly, with SUS improving from 53 to 81, indicating a more usable and intuitive system.
Overall satisfaction scores increased significantly, with SUS improving from 53 to 81, indicating a more usable and intuitive system.
These results were based on usability testing sessions with participants, using task-based evaluation and SUS scoring across multiple sessions to measure performance and satisfaction.
These results were based on usability testing sessions with participants, using task-based evaluation and SUS scoring across multiple sessions to measure performance and satisfaction.
Research Foundation
Research Foundation
Research Foundation
Conducted research through literature review, competitive analysis, surveys (15+ responses), and 2 focus group sessions.
Conducted research through literature review, competitive analysis, surveys (15+ responses), and 2 focus group sessions.
Evaluated usability through heuristic evaluation and 6 cognitive walkthrough sessions to identify key usability issues.
Evaluated usability through heuristic evaluation and 6 cognitive walkthrough sessions to identify key usability issues.
Evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluation
Heuristic Evaluation
Heuristic Evaluation
Heuristic Evaluation
Conducted a heuristic evaluation to identify usability gaps across key flows, focusing on consistency, system feedback, and interaction patterns that were impacting user confidence and task completion.
Conducted a heuristic evaluation to identify usability gaps across key flows, focusing on consistency, system feedback, and interaction patterns that were impacting user confidence and task completion.
Conducted a heuristic evaluation to identify usability gaps across key flows, focusing on consistency, system feedback, and interaction patterns that were impacting user confidence and task completion.
Inconsistent UI Elements
Inconsistent UI Elements
Inconsistent buttons, typography, and layout patterns disrupted visual hierarchy and made navigation harder to follow.
Inconsistent buttons, typography, and layout patterns disrupted visual hierarchy and made navigation harder to follow.
Inconsistent buttons, typography, and layout patterns disrupted visual hierarchy and made navigation harder to follow.
Poor System Feedback
Poor System Feedback
Lack of clear feedback for actions like completion and bookmarking reduced user confidence and made interactions feel unreliable.
Lack of clear feedback for actions like completion and bookmarking reduced user confidence and made interactions feel unreliable.
Lack of clear feedback for actions like completion and bookmarking reduced user confidence and made interactions feel unreliable.
Redundant Interactions
Redundant Interactions
Duplicate filters and unnecessary steps increased friction and slowed down task completion.
Duplicate filters and unnecessary steps increased friction and slowed down task completion.
Duplicate filters and unnecessary steps increased friction and slowed down task completion.
Visual Findings from Heuristic Evaluation
Visual Findings from Heuristic Evaluation
The bookmark function lacks confirmation feedback and bookmarked resources are hard to find.
The bookmark function lacks confirmation feedback and bookmarked resources are hard to find.
Key Insights
Key Insights
Key Insights
These findings highlighted key friction points across the experience and directly informed the redesign direction.
These findings highlighted key friction points across the experience and directly informed the redesign direction.
These findings highlighted key friction points across the experience and directly informed the redesign direction.
Homepage
Homepage
Homepage
Finding help or support required excessive effort.
Finding help or support required excessive effort.
Lack of clear CTA made next steps unclear.
Lack of clear CTA made next steps unclear.
Platform purpose was not immediately obvious.
Platform purpose was not immediately obvious.
Discovery Board (Main Page)
Visuals felt juvenile and created cognitive overload.
Modules lacked interactivity and engagement.
Rewards and progress indicators lacked motivating impact.
Onboarding
Onboarding flow was lengthy and overwhelming.
Resources Page
Ineffective filters made content difficult to find.
Discovery Board (Main Page)
Visuals felt juvenile and created cognitive overload.
Modules lacked interactivity and engagement.
Rewards and progress indicators lacked motivating impact.
Onboarding Page
Onboarding Page
7
The process of completing the onboarding was excessively lengthy and exhausting for users.
Onboarding flow was lengthy and overwhelming.
Resources Page
8
The filter tool's ineffective checkboxes hindered content retrieval, prolonging task completion.
Onboarding Page
Resources Page
Onboarding flow was lengthy and overwhelming
Ineffective filters made content difficult to find.
Discovery Board (Main Page)
Visuals felt juvenile and created cognitive overload.
Modules lacked interactivity and engagement.
Rewards and progress indicators lacked motivating impact.
Onboarding Page
Onboarding flow was lengthy and overwhelming.
Resources Page
Ineffective filters made content difficult to find.
Based on these findings, I focused on reducing cognitive load and introducing guided interactions to help users navigate content more clearly and progress with confidence.
Based on these findings, I focused on reducing cognitive load and introducing guided interactions to help users navigate content more clearly and progress with confidence.
Based on these findings, I focused on reducing cognitive load and introducing guided interactions to help users navigate content more clearly and progress with confidence.
Design Principles
Design Principles
Design Principles
These principles guided key design decisions, ensuring the experience remains accessible, engaging, and adaptable to different learning needs.
These principles guided key design decisions, ensuring the experience remains accessible, engaging, and adaptable to different learning needs.
Design for accessibility with clear visuals, readable typography, and low cognitive load.
Design for accessibility with clear visuals, readable typography, and low cognitive load.
Design for accessibility with clear visuals, readable typography, and low cognitive load.
Support progress awareness through clear structure and feedback at each step.
Support progress awareness through clear structure and feedback at each step.
Support progress awareness through clear structure and feedback at each step.
Enable personalization to adapt learning paths based on individual needs.
Enable personalization to adapt learning paths based on individual needs.
Enable personalization to adapt learning paths based on individual needs.
Encourage engagement through interactive and guided learning experiences.
Encourage engagement through interactive and guided learning experiences.
Encourage engagement through interactive and guided learning experiences.
Product Direction
Product Direction
Product Direction
Based on research insights and identified gaps, the following features were prioritized to improve engagement, clarity, and guidance.
Based on research insights and identified gaps, the following features were prioritized to improve engagement, clarity, and guidance.
Structured learning modules to guide users through clear, step-by-step progress.
Structured learning modules to guide users through clear, step-by-step progress.
Guided support system to help user navigate and stay on track.
Guided support system to help user navigate and stay on track.
Interactive elements like quizzes and activities to reinforce learning.
Interactive elements like quizzes and activities to reinforce learning.
Progress indicators and rewards to motivate continues enagagement.
Progress indicators and rewards to motivate continues enagagement.
Progress indicators and rewards to motivate continues enagagement.
Generative Research
Generative Research
Generative Research
User Survey
User Survey
User Survey
Survey responses highlighted key challenges in accessing resources, staying engaged, and navigating available support systems.
Survey responses highlighted key challenges in accessing resources, staying engaged, and navigating available support systems.
Survey responses highlighted key challenges in accessing resources, staying engaged, and navigating available support systems.
62% of users struggled to find relevant resources easily.
62% of users struggled to find relevant resources easily.
62% of users struggled to find relevant resources easily.
56% relied on external support despite platform availability.
56% relied on external support despite platform availability.
56% relied on external support despite platform availability.
73% reported low engagement due to lack of interactive content.
73% reported low engagement due to lack of interactive content.
73% reported low engagement due to lack of interactive content.
Focus Group Study
Focus Group Study
Focus Group Study
Focus group sessions provided deeper insights into user behavior, highlighting gaps in guidance, engagement, and content clarity.
Focus group sessions provided deeper insights into user behavior, highlighting gaps in guidance, engagement, and content clarity.
Focus group sessions provided deeper insights into user behavior, highlighting gaps in guidance, engagement, and content clarity.
Users needed clearer guidance to navigate tasks and understand next steps.
Users needed clearer guidance to navigate tasks and understand next steps.
Content felt overwhelming without proper structure or hierarchy.
Content felt overwhelming without proper structure or hierarchy.
Lack of interactive elements reduced engagement and motivation.
Lack of interactive elements reduced engagement and motivation.
Users valued support systems like mentors, but access felt unclear.
Users valued support systems like mentors, but access felt unclear.
Users valued support systems like mentors, but access felt unclear.
Expert Interview
Expert Interview
Expert Interview
Interviews with domain experts highlighted the importance of clear communication, structured guidance, and accessible design.
Interviews with domain experts highlighted the importance of clear communication, structured guidance, and accessible design.
Interviews with domain experts highlighted the importance of clear communication, structured guidance, and accessible design.
Experts emphasized that users benefit from step-by-step support when navigating complex content, rather than being left to explore freely. They also pointed to the need for simple language, readable interfaces, and inclusive features to ensure accessibility.
Experts emphasized that users benefit from step-by-step support when navigating complex content, rather than being left to explore freely. They also pointed to the need for simple language, readable interfaces, and inclusive features to ensure accessibility.
Experts emphasized that users benefit from step-by-step support when navigating complex content, rather than being left to explore freely. They also pointed to the need for simple language, readable interfaces, and inclusive features to ensure accessibility.
Additionally, incorporating support systems such as mentorship and collaborative tools was seen as essential to help users stay engaged and confident throughout their learning journey.
Additionally, incorporating support systems such as mentorship and collaborative tools was seen as essential to help users stay engaged and confident throughout their learning journey.
Additionally, incorporating support systems such as mentorship and collaborative tools was seen as essential to help users stay engaged and confident throughout their learning journey.
Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Insights from surveys, focus groups, and expert interviews were synthesized into key themes that guided the redesign.
Insights from surveys, focus groups, and expert interviews were synthesized into key themes that guided the redesign.
Insights from surveys, focus groups, and expert interviews were synthesized into key themes that guided the redesign.
Design Direction
Design Direction
Design Direction
Based on key findings around guidance, engagement, and content structure, the design focused on simplifying navigation, introducing guided support, and improving interactivity across the learning experience.
Based on key findings around guidance, engagement, and content structure, the design focused on simplifying navigation, introducing guided support, and improving interactivity across the learning experience.
Based on key findings around guidance, engagement, and content structure, the design focused on simplifying navigation, introducing guided support, and improving interactivity across the learning experience.
Simplified Structure
Simplified Structure
Streamlined navigation and content hierarchy to reduce cognitive load and help users quickly understand what to do next.
Streamlined navigation and content hierarchy to reduce cognitive load and help users quickly understand what to do next.
Streamlined navigation and content hierarchy to reduce cognitive load and help users quickly understand what to do next.
Guided Learning Experience
Guided Learning Experience
Introduced a guided companion to support users through tasks, providing direction, feedback, and continuous motivation.
Introduced a guided companion to support users through tasks, providing direction, feedback, and continuous motivation.
Introduced a guided companion to support users through tasks, providing direction, feedback, and continuous motivation.
Interactive Engagement
Interactive Engagement
Added quizzes, note-taking, and progress-based rewards to encourage active participation and reinforce learning.
Added quizzes, note-taking, and progress-based rewards to encourage active participation and reinforce learning.
Added quizzes, note-taking, and progress-based rewards to encourage active participation and reinforce learning.
Ideation Sketches
Ideation Sketches
Ideation Sketches
Early ideation explored multiple layout directions, navigation patterns, and interaction models before narrowing down to a guided and structured experience.
Early ideation explored multiple layout directions, navigation patterns, and interaction models before narrowing down to a guided and structured experience.
Iteration & Refinement
Iteration & Refinement
Iteration & Refinement
Improving Content Discovery
Improving Content Discovery
Improving Content Discovery
Early versions were content-heavy and lacked clear structure, making it hard for users to find relevant resources. The final design introduces clearer hierarchy, categorization, and guided pathways to improve navigation and engagement.
Early versions were content-heavy and lacked clear structure, making it hard for users to find relevant resources. The final design introduces clearer hierarchy, categorization, and guided pathways to improve navigation and engagement.
Early versions were content-heavy and lacked clear structure, making it hard for users to find relevant resources. The final design introduces clearer hierarchy, categorization, and guided pathways to improve navigation and engagement.
Streamlining Onboarding
Streamlining Onboarding
Streamlining Onboarding
The onboarding flow was simplified to reduce friction, improve clarity, and guide users through a structured and manageable process.
The onboarding flow was simplified to reduce friction, improve clarity, and guide users through a structured and manageable process.
The onboarding flow was simplified to reduce friction, improve clarity, and guide users through a structured and manageable process.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Clarity Comes From Structure
Clarity Comes From Structure
Reducing content wasn’t enough, reorganizing the layout made next steps easier for users to understand.
Reducing content wasn’t enough, reorganizing the layout made next steps easier for users to understand.
Insights Must Drive Decisions
Insights Must Drive Decisions
The biggest impact came from turning research into clear themes and applying them directly to the design
The biggest impact came from turning research into clear themes and applying them directly to the design
Interaction Drives Engagement
Interaction Drives Engagement
Adding more content didn’t help, introducing interactive elements like quizzes and feedback increased engagement.
Adding more content didn’t help, introducing interactive elements like quizzes and feedback increased engagement.
Adding more content didn’t help, introducing interactive elements like quizzes and feedback increased engagement.
Guidance Improves Usability
Guidance Improves Usability
Users struggled when left to explore, but performed better when given clear direction and next steps.
Users struggled when left to explore, but performed better when given clear direction and next steps.
Users struggled when left to explore, but performed better when given clear direction and next steps.
Interested in working together?
If you’re working on something where clarity matters, I’d love to connect.
Interested in working together?
If you’re working on something where clarity matters, I’d love to connect.
Interested in working together?
If you’re working on something where clarity matters, I’d love to connect.