Project Overview
Reimagining Education
Tasks
Research
UX UI Design
Branding
Prototyping
Timeline
Sep - Nov 2023
Sector
Education
01
Overview
Transitioning into the UX design field after years as a content creator and graphic designer, I embarked on a project that resonated with my personal and professional growth journey. Driven by a desire to tackle a widespread challenge among working professionals—the need to efficiently learn and master new software to advance their careers—I developed Skill Forge. This project was born from a deep understanding of the challenges faced when integrating new technologies into a professional setting.
This case study chronicles my path from the initial idea to the realization of the product, focusing on creating an app that streamlines the learning of crucial workplace skills. It also symbolizes my journey into mastering UX design, illustrating the dual nature of this endeavor as both a professional challenge and a personal development milestone.
03
Competitive Anaylsis
01
Coursera
caters towards medium to large enterprises companies
Pros:
-
diverse course offerings
-
top university partnerships
Cons:
-
Limited hands-on learning
-
Inconsistent course quality
Pricing:
-
Paid courses: $29-$99
-
Specializations: $39-$79/month
02
Skillshare
geared towards professionals and teams within organizations
Pros:
-
diverse course offerings
-
top university partnerships
Cons:
-
Limited hands-on learning
-
Inconsistent course quality
Pricing:
-
Standard: $29/mo or $299/yr
-
Premium: $45/mo or $449/yr
03
Pluralsight
gears towards working professionals and organizations
Pros:
-
diverse course offerings
-
top university partnerships
Cons:
-
Limited hands-on learning
-
Inconsistent course quality
Pricing:
-
Self-paced courses: $99-$499
-
Blended learning: $999-$1,999
Business Owner
Age 60
Book Author
Age 40
Office Assistance
Age 26
Graphic Designer
Age 34
Software Engineer
Age 30
The Participants
04
User Interviews
04.2
User Learning Factors
What are the common factors participants found most important when learning new software?
01
Visual & Concise Learning Materials
Most participants preferred video tutorials, especially those on YouTube, due to their visual nature and step-by-step instructions. They appreciated concise explanations without unnecessary "fluff".
02
Practice & Patience
Participants agreed that practice was key to mastering new software. They also mentioned the need for patience and guidance in the learning process.
03
User-friendly Design
Participants preferred software that was intuitive and had a user-friendly design. This included having clear navigation, visually appealing interfaces, engaging lessons, and a good search function.
04
Hands-on Learning
Catherine and Kevin found it helpful when they could learn software in the context of a project or a specific task. This kind of hands-on learning allowed them to understand the application and its features better.
06
Solution
SKILL FORGE
"Skill Forge," an AI-driven learning application designed specifically to cater to the evolving software learning needs of both baby boomers like Bianca, the small business owner determined to overcome her technological shortcomings, and tech-savvy millennials like Maya who seeks to enhance her digital skill set.
01
AI Mentor
02
User-Centered Learning Approach
03
Gamified Progress Tracking
04
Adaptive Learning
05
User-Centered Learning Approach
Key Features
BABY BOOMER BIANCA
Biana, is a 61 year old tech-eager baby boomer who owns a local bakery and is determined to overcome her technological shortcomings to optimize her business operations and customer relations.
Millennial Maya
Maya, a 32 year old tech-savvy graphic designer from Los Angeles. Maya is a trend-seeker always on the lookout for the latest digital tools and is keen to learn advanced software like Adobe Suite.
05
User Personas
04.1
Common User Struggles
What did all the participants most struggle with in learning new software?
01
Time constraints
All participants expressed that finding dedicated time to learn new software is a common challenge. They noted that their work or personal obligations often limited the amount of time they could spend on learning.
02
Lack of Technologica Ability
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03
Limited Resources for Learning
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04
Hypersonic Missile Defense Systems
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SKILL FORGE
Empowering the working professional to Master Applications for the Workplace
08
Wireframe to Prototype
This prototype was brought from low fidelity wireframes to high fidelity wireframes. The prototype serves as a tangible representation of our user-centered approach, showcasing how Skill Forge can effectively cater to the diverse learning needs of our target user personas: Baby Boomer Bianca & Millennial Maya
In response to the insights gathered from our user interviews, we successfully created a working prototype of Skill Forge. The prototype encapsulates the core features informed by the user pain points and preferences, such as user-friendly design, concise video tutorials, experiential project-based learning, niche software resources, and a supportive community feature.
08
AI Mentor Learning
10
Concluding Takeaways
The journey of creating Skill Forge reinforced the importance of empathetic design and the value of personal growth alongside professional development. Navigating the challenges of this project, from user research to design implementation, echoed my own learning curve in UX, underscoring the necessity of adaptability and resilience. Collaboration with developers and the feedback loop with users were instrumental in refining the app, highlighting the collaborative nature of bringing a UX project to life.
63% of the workforce have taken a course or received extra training to improve their job skills
63%
of workers
40% of workers will require upskilling within six months or less
40%
of workers
93% of business leaders expect employees to pick up new skills on the job
93%
of business leaders
02
Problem Statement
The working professional struggles with learning & more importantly mastering new software for their careers.