MaiaLearning
MaiaLearning
MaiaLearning
Discover
Discover
Discover
Understanding the Challenges & User Needs
Understanding the Challenges & User Needs
MaiaLearning is an educational and career guidance platform serving three primary user groups:
MaiaLearning is an educational and career guidance platform serving three primary user groups:
→
→
→
Students – Need an intuitive platform to explore career options, track college applications, and manage tasks;
Students – Need an intuitive platform to explore career options, track college applications, and manage tasks;
→
→
→
Counselors – Manage student progress, provide guidance, and track key metrics;
Counselors – Manage student progress, provide guidance, and track key metrics;
→
→
→
Administrators – Require detailed reporting and insights into school-wide performance.
Administrators – Require detailed reporting and insights into school-wide performance.
Through user interviews, analytics review, and competitive benchmarking, key pain points were identified:
Through user interviews, analytics review, and competitive benchmarking, key pain points were identified:
→
→
→
Overly Complex Navigation – Users struggled to find essential features like career exploration and application tracking;
Overly Complex Navigation – Users struggled to find essential features like career exploration and application tracking;
→
→
→
Fragmented User Experience – Separate modules created inefficiencies and workflow inconsistencies;
Fragmented User Experience – Separate modules created inefficiencies and workflow inconsistencies;
→
→
→
Steep Learning Curve – New users required extensive guidance to become proficient.
Steep Learning Curve – New users required extensive guidance to become proficient.
Define
Define
Define
Setting the Design Goals
Setting the Design Goals
With a strong focus on usability and accessibility, the key design objectives were established:
With a strong focus on usability and accessibility, the key design objectives were established:
→
→
→
Simplify Navigation & Reduce Cognitive Load
Simplify Navigation & Reduce Cognitive Load
•
•
•
Consolidate key features into clear categories;
Consolidate key features into clear categories;
•
•
•
Improve task discoverability and workflow consistency.
Improve task discoverability and workflow consistency.
→
→
→
Boost Engagement & Motivation
Boost Engagement & Motivation
•
•
•
Introduce gamification elements (progress bars, badges, and achievement trackers);
Introduce gamification elements (progress bars, badges, and achievement trackers);
•
•
•
Provide clear visual guidance to help students stay on track.
Provide clear visual guidance to help students stay on track.
→
→
→
Enhance Accessibility & Mobile Experience
Enhance Accessibility & Mobile Experience
•
•
•
Ensure full compliance with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards;
Ensure full compliance with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards;
•
•
•
Optimize the mobile-responsive design for seamless usage across devices.
Optimize the mobile-responsive design for seamless usage across devices.
By aligning the design strategy with user needs, the redesign aimed to enhance usability while keeping the platform engaging and efficient.
By aligning the design strategy with user needs, the redesign aimed to enhance usability while keeping the platform engaging and efficient.
Iterate
Iterate
Iterate
Prototyping and A/B Testing
Prototyping and A/B Testing
To refine the user experience, an iterative design process with continuous user testing was implemented.
To refine the user experience, an iterative design process with continuous user testing was implemented.
→
→
→
Wireframing & Prototyping
Wireframing & Prototyping
•
•
•
Created low-fidelity wireframes to explore navigation improvements;
Created low-fidelity wireframes to explore navigation improvements;
•
•
•
Developed interactive prototypes for usability testing with real users.
Developed interactive prototypes for usability testing with real users.
→
→
→
A/B Testing Key Features
A/B Testing Key Features
•
•
•
Navigation structure – Tested different menu layouts to determine the most intuitive flow;
Navigation structure – Tested different menu layouts to determine the most intuitive flow;
•
•
•
Gamification elements – Evaluated user engagement with progress bars and achievement badges;
Gamification elements – Evaluated user engagement with progress bars and achievement badges;
•
•
•
Interactive onboarding – Compared tooltips vs. step-by-step tutorials for guiding new users.
Interactive onboarding – Compared tooltips vs. step-by-step tutorials for guiding new users.
→
→
→
User Research Insights
User Research Insights
•
•
•
Students preferred gamified progress tracking to stay motivated;
Students preferred gamified progress tracking to stay motivated;
•
•
•
Counselors needed consolidated dashboards to improve workflow efficiency;
Counselors needed consolidated dashboards to improve workflow efficiency;
•
•
•
Administrators valued customizable reporting tools for better data visualization.
Administrators valued customizable reporting tools for better data visualization.
The iterative testing approach validated key design decisions and ensured user-centric improvements.
The iterative testing approach validated key design decisions and ensured user-centric improvements.
Design
Design
Design
Building a Seamless, Engaging & Accessible Platform
Building a Seamless, Engaging & Accessible Platform
Based on user feedback and testing insights, the following design enhancements were implemented:
Based on user feedback and testing insights, the following design enhancements were implemented:
→
→
→
Simplified Navigation & Information Architecture
Simplified Navigation & Information Architecture
•
•
•
Consolidated features into clear sections:
Consolidated features into clear sections:
◦
◦
◦
Students: College Planning, Career Exploration, Task Management;
Students: College Planning, Career Exploration, Task Management;
◦
◦
◦
Counselors: Student Progress Dashboard, Communication Tools;
Counselors: Student Progress Dashboard, Communication Tools;
◦
◦
◦
Administrators: Customizable Reporting, Account Management.
Administrators: Customizable Reporting, Account Management.
•
•
Reduced cognitive load by organizing tasks based on user needs.
Reduced cognitive load by organizing tasks based on user needs.
→
→
→
Gamification for Engagement & Motivation
Gamification for Engagement & Motivation
•
•
•
Introduced progress bars and achievement badges to encourage students to complete tasks;
Introduced progress bars and achievement badges to encourage students to complete tasks;
•
•
•
Implemented real-time feedback notifications to keep users informed about important deadlines.
Implemented real-time feedback notifications to keep users informed about important deadlines.
→
→
→
Interactive Onboarding & Learning Curve Optimization
Interactive Onboarding & Learning Curve Optimization
•
•
•
Designed a step-by-step tutorial system with dynamic tooltips for contextual guidance.
Designed a step-by-step tutorial system with dynamic tooltips for contextual guidance.
•
•
•
Reduced the onboarding time from 21 days to 15 days by simplifying instructions.
Reduced the onboarding time from 21 days to 15 days by simplifying instructions.
→
→
→
Accessibility & Mobile Optimization
Accessibility & Mobile Optimization
•
•
•
WCAG 2.1 compliance:
WCAG 2.1 compliance:
◦
◦
◦
High-contrast UI for readability;
High-contrast UI for readability;
◦
◦
◦
Keyboard navigation for screen-reader users.
Keyboard navigation for screen-reader users.
•
•
•
Mobile-responsive layout:
Mobile-responsive layout:
◦
◦
◦
Optimized touch-friendly interactions;
Optimized touch-friendly interactions;
◦
◦
◦
Ensured seamless cross-device experiences.
Ensured seamless cross-device experiences.
These design improvements transformed the platform into an intuitive, engaging, and accessible solution.
These design improvements transformed the platform into an intuitive, engaging, and accessible solution.
Measure
Measure
Measure
Evaluating the Impact & Success of the Redesign
Evaluating the Impact & Success of the Redesign
Following the launch of the redesigned MaiaLearning platform, key performance metrics were tracked:
Following the launch of the redesigned MaiaLearning platform, key performance metrics were tracked:
→
→
→
User Engagement & Retention
User Engagement & Retention
•
•
•
31% increase in daily active users completing key tasks, driven by streamlined navigation and gamification.
31% increase in daily active users completing key tasks, driven by streamlined navigation and gamification.
→
→
→
Onboarding Efficiency
Onboarding Efficiency
•
•
•
29% reduction in onboarding time, making it easier for users to become proficient.
29% reduction in onboarding time, making it easier for users to become proficient.
→
→
→
Support & Workflow Improvements
Support & Workflow Improvements
•
•
•
40% drop in support tickets, indicating improved usability and reduced user confusion.
40% drop in support tickets, indicating improved usability and reduced user confusion.
→
→
→
Task Completion & Progress Tracking
Task Completion & Progress Tracking
•
•
•
8% decrease in abandoned tasks, showing increased motivation from gamification features.
→
→
→
User Satisfaction & Loyalty
User Satisfaction & Loyalty
•
•
•
20-point increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS), reflecting a higher satisfaction rate among users.
These measurable improvements validated the effectiveness of the design changes, demonstrating their impact on user engagement and overall platform success.
These measurable improvements validated the effectiveness of the design changes, demonstrating their impact on user engagement and overall platform success.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The MaiaLearning redesign successfully transformed the platform by making it:
The MaiaLearning redesign successfully transformed the platform by making it:
→
→
→
More intuitive – Simplified navigation and optimized workflows;
More intuitive – Simplified navigation and optimized workflows;
→
→
→
More engaging – Gamification features encouraged student participation;
More engaging – Gamification features encouraged student participation;
→
→
→
More accessible – WCAG 2.1 compliance ensured usability for all users;
More accessible – WCAG 2.1 compliance ensured usability for all users;
→
→
→
More efficient – Counselors and administrators benefited from improved dashboards.
More efficient – Counselors and administrators benefited from improved dashboards.
The measurable increase in engagement, reduced onboarding time, and improved task completion rates proved the success of a user-centered design approach.
The measurable increase in engagement, reduced onboarding time, and improved task completion rates proved the success of a user-centered design approach.
This case study highlights how thoughtful UX/UI design can drive real impact, making career guidance platforms more accessible, engaging, and effective for students, educators, and administrators alike.
This case study highlights how thoughtful UX/UI design can drive real impact, making career guidance platforms more accessible, engaging, and effective for students, educators, and administrators alike.
Copyright © 2024 Monochromatic Ltd. All rights reserved.
Workhub, 77 Lower Camden Street, Dublin, D02 XE80, Ireland
Copyright © 2024 Monochromatic Ltd. All rights reserved.
Workhub, 77 Lower Camden Street, Dublin, D02 XE80, Ireland
Copyright © 2024 Monochromatic Ltd. All rights reserved.
Workhub, 77 Lower Camden Street, Dublin, D02 XE80, Ireland
