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The Design Thinking Journey: Create User-Focused Learning
In our work, we create custom learningsolutions that aim to engage and delight our learners by being fresh,innovative, and, most importantly, human-centered. In order to do this, we usea design thinking framework that includes research and concepting to focus andinform the building of our learning experiences from the perspective of ourusers. This framework allows us to strategically create the most effective and impactful learning experiences, which is really the name of the game.
Before we dive into each stage, take a look atour design thinking framework (Figure 1):
Figure 1: A design thinking framework
Discovery
Discovery is the team’s jumping-off point. Weconduct discovery at the beginning of projects to understand what learners needfrom our products and digital learning experiences. Our aims here are tounderstand who our learners are, and to identify and validate the problem weare solving for our clients. In this stage of the project cycle, we ask the bigquestions:
- What is the purpose of thisproject?
- What is the learning strategy?
- What are the core learningobjectives?
During discovery, we conduct user research andlook in-depth at the goals, needs, and personas of the users to drive designand learning experience (LX) decisions. We will conduct interviews, surveys,card sorts, field research and analysis, etc. This is also our chance to readany secondary research that may give us a deeper understanding of the specificlearning environment.
Tool tip: There are many tools available for these sorts of activities, and mostof them provide sophisticated back-end aggregated data functionality, whichhelps cycle through research-based activities quickly and efficiently. It couldbe a simple Google Form or a more complex research platform, depending on yourresearch needs. #getyourresearchon
Contentarchitecture
Inthis stage of the framework, we begin to connect strategy with execution. It istraditionally where an instructional designer or content strategist comes intoplay. We begin by chunking the content and establishing our content hierarchybased on source material. We can then easily create user flows, wireframes, andsitemaps, depending on the particular project specs and modalities. As weemploy a learner-centered approach, we validate our choices at each step withour SMEs, our clients, and our learners by integrating a continuous andcollaborative feedback loop.
Tool tip: Our in-house team has been using(and loving) InVision’s Freehand application to rapidly validate and edit ourassumptions within our user flows, wireframes, and content architecture (Figure2). There are also other tools such as UXPin, Balsamiq Mockups, Axure, GoogleSlides, etc. It’s important to find a tool that works for you. #youdoyou
Figure 2: Content architecture (usedwith permission of InVision)
Concept
Theconcept phase is our magic moment where we get to design forward for ourclients to create that impactful learning experience. We start off theconcepting and creative direction phase with a concept board (or mood board, ifyou will). We document project objectives, brand guidelines, and key brandwords, and we curate and pull visual and creative inspiration that sets thecreative direction for the project and all corresponding components. This stepis crucial, as it allows the client to interact with the concept in ameaningful way and also stands as our creative direction road map throughoutthe life cycle of the project.
Tool tip: We love InVision for this phase. It is an epic tool for concepting andcreative direction. You need to bring the creativity, though, as any tool isonly as powerful as your imagination will allow. #creativitytakescourage
Visualand interaction design
Byharnessing the experiences and expertise of our team, we have adopted a processthat is more closely aligned to web development or app design. It is during thevisual and interaction design phase of our process that this becomes mostevident as we begin to aggregate all of the pieces (Figure 3).
Figure 3: The visual andinteraction design phases
Weuse our concept, creative direction, content, and wireframes to create ourfirst static and interface designs. The static mockups combine a selection ofscreens from the more complex wireframes. This allows us to quickly finalizethe overall look and feel and move into digital prototyping. During this stage,we can rapidly iterate on our visual designs while also tweaking the contentand instructional/interface copy as we test our assumptions.
Tool tip: In the past we have used Adobe XD, UXPin, and InVisionto prototype our digital learning products and facilitate a smooth handoff withour development team. If this is an approach that you want to incorporate intoyour next project, do some testing to ensure you choose a platform that worksfor you. #bebold #beawesome
Figure 4: Handoff to developmentteam (used with permission of InVision)
Development
Movinginto development is an exciting stage of the process. By now, when followingthis framework, all concept, content, and design components and UX/UI piecesare 100 percent, and development is focused exclusively on the build, not on solvingproblems or validating design decisions, as that work is already done. (Highfive!) During development, we typically cycle through an alpha build, a betabuild, an accessibility build, and, once we are prepping finals, a productsheet with all tech specs for reference. It is important to think about howyour client will interact with and review these builds, especially ifweb-based.
Tool tip: Depending on the project specs,the tools you can use for development will vary. For digital learning, Articulate360 (including Rise) and Adobe Captivate are the powerhouses. Articulate 360has an amazing review tool with versioning that is super sophisticated in termsof client experience. If you are doing a web-based experience, the tools youuse for these builds would be based on the language used and the project team’sskill set. #toomanyoptions
