Crafting personalized learning: a UI/UX case study
I used to work as a Test Automation Engineer, focusing on testing IoT solutions. However, I wanted to shift to UI/UX Design. During the last year, as I pursued my goal, I noticed that the challenge wasn’t the lack of learning materials, but how they were organized for learners like me. This realization led me to the problem I’m addressing.
Understanding the problem
There is a lack of personalized upskilling opportunities that align with professionals’ individual goals. The issues stem from a combination of the following factors:
- Evolving Job Market
- Industry Trends & Demands
- Individual Career Growth Needs
- Lack of Personalised Guidance
Why should we fix it?
Once I recognized the significance of the problem, I decided to explore compelling reasons that highlight the importance of addressing this problem. Here’s what I learned —
- Professionals receive targeted & relevant learning opportunities.
- Improve their performance & productivity.
- Acquiring in-demand skills directly relevant to their career paths increases their marketability & job prospects.
- Overall career satisfaction.
As I learned more about the problem, I collected information that helped me create a clear problem statement. This statement to me is like a map that guides me as I come up with a solution —
How can we offer personalized upskilling to professionals that considers their individual needs, goals & industry trends?
The goal is to empower learners to shape & customize their learning paths. The solution needs to provide learners with a dynamic & adaptable framework for creating a personalized & effective learning journey that suits their individual needs & goals.
The Research
Literature Review
The first research I did was straightforward — I just searched on Google. I wanted to find out 3 things—
- How do young people learn now?
Millennials value career development opportunities and seek alignment between their personal goals and organisational objectives.
Individuals value opportunities for self-directed learning and autonomy in managing their careers.
- How jobs are changing?
Careers are becoming more fluid, with individuals navigating diverse career paths & seeking continuous skill development.
Automation & technological advancements will reshape the job market, requiring individuals to develop a diverse set of skills, including digital & cognitive abilities.
- How do people prefer to learn?
Feedback & progress tracking are essential features for effective online learning experiences.
Micro-learning, Gamification & Multimedia elements enhance learner engagement and retention.
Social learning & peer collaboration play a significant role in effective learning experiences.
Articles & Research Papers I read—
- “Millennial Job Seekers´ Expectations: How do Companies Respond?” by Egerová, Dana, Kutlák, Jiří & Eger, Ludvík
- “The Millennial Mindset: Work styles and aspirations of Millennials” by Deloitte
- “The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning: A Summary for the Education Endowment Foundation” by Steven Higgins, ZhiMin Xiao & Maria Katsipataki
- “The Future of Work: Jobs and Skills in 2030" by Pearson & Nesta
Interviews
I had conversations with 17 working professionals. They told me about what they enjoy, don’t enjoy, & find challenging. I asked them 5 main questions & here’s a summary of what they had to say—
- What is the most challenging aspect of Upskilling?
Lack of personalization, relevant milestones, alignment with personal goals, time management with other commitments & skill prioritization for career growth.
- When was the last time they encountered this problem?
Continuously, both recently & ongoing, as they engage in upskilling.
- Why is upskilling through any online platform difficult?
The challenges include a lack of personalized guidance & support, navigating through an overwhelming array of course options, limited interaction with instructors & peers, & struggling to align the learning experience with personal career goals.
- What’s the issue with the currently available solution?
The primary challenges include a lack of personalized content, inadequate incorporation of industry trends, and limited practical application opportunities.
- How are they solving this problem individually?
Exploring personalized learning journeys by seeking recommendations, leveraging diverse online resources, and engaging in supportive online communities.
Surveys
I prepared a survey with Google Forms & distributed it among professionals aged 23 to 35.
Goals of the Survey
- Understand the pain points of professionals with upskilling.
- Gather feedback on potential solutions & features.
The survey responses helped me shape the platform’s offerings, user experience & personalized learning paths based on the real needs & preferences of the target audience.
Survey Summary
Survey Demographics — The majority of respondents are between 26–30 years old (45%), residing in Tier 1 cities (94%) & working in IT/Technology fields (78%).
Learning Preferences — Many participants find alignment with a specific career path important (40%) & value receiving certifications (40%). A significant number emphasizes the importance of well-defined milestones (63%).
Learning Behavior — Most prefer online courses as their learning resource (72%), use online platforms weekly (45%) & engage in community-based learning (56%).
Online Learning Platforms — Udemy is the most frequently used platform (44%) & nearly half of the respondents express satisfaction with their chosen platforms (47%).
User Personas
Talking to people & doing surveys taught me what different people need from this solution. I used what I learned to make 3 personas that represent these needs. Two of the personas were edge cases & the other one was more like most people, so I decided to focus on that one.
Heuristic Evaluation
I also looked at Udemy, Coursera, Codecademy & Duolingo to see how easy they are to use & how good they feel when you use them. I checked four things that people in the interviews mentioned were important when choosing a learning platform —
- How easy it is to use?
- Quality of the courses
- How much help & engagement there is?
- Price
Here’s what I found from the evaluation:
A significant problem I observed on all platforms was the absence of personalization, possibly because they didn’t put in enough work to build detailed user profiles & grasp what each user aims to achieve.
Affinity Mapping: Summarizing my research 🏁
Grouping these insights helped me gain a better understanding of the different aspects that need attention in the platform’s design & user experience.
Time to Sketch!
Information Architecture
It’s like the blueprint of a building but for digital spaces!
Until this point, I had a general sense of how the app would operate. However, outlining the fundamental layout of the website has allowed me to clarify each step along the user’s journey within the solution.
Mapping out the Information Architecture also helped me identify & define the Primary user flows. These user flows represent the primary objectives of the users who will use the solution.
Sketching Low Fidelity Wireframes ✍🏼
The initial sketches helped me visualize my ideas.
I opted to create a website because I recognized that the solution would involve directing users to various learning platforms requiring hands-on activities, such as coding or design work. These tasks are not feasible to perform on a mobile device, hence the decision for a website.
Creating a Design System
Visual Inspirations
To kickstart my visual design process, I delved into several design systems, with a particular focus on habit-tracking websites. Given that our solution involves creating a personalized learning path that aligns with a user’s timeline & availability, I thought this would be an apt starting point for my work.
Palette
- #CCFF33 (Primary Action Colour in Dark Mode) — Vibrant & attention-grabbing. Ideal for encouraging users to take primary actions in a dark mode interface.
- #0F62FE (Primary Action Colour in Light Mode) — Enhances readability & visibility in light mode. Invokes trust & reliability, making it suitable for primary actions.
- #202429 (Primary Dark Colour) — Provides depth & contrast in the interface. Ideal for creating a clear visual hierarchy & guiding user attention.
- #415A77 (Secondary Dark Colour) — A darker shade for secondary elements without overwhelming the interface. Provides a balanced contrast with primary dark colours.
- #EDF2F4 (Primary Light Colour) — Creates a clean & minimalist look in light mode. Enhances content readability & reduces eye strain.
- #D1DBE7 (Secondary Light Colour) — Soft & approachable, making it suitable for secondary elements in a light mode interface. Creates a visually pleasing & cohesive design.
- #FFC700 (Colour to Highlight Current Instance or In-Progress Items) — Draws focus on important elements or actions that are in progress. Adds a sense of urgency & immediacy, prompting user engagement.
Gradients
I also experimented with gradients & incorporated them into my progress indicators to give them a more dynamic & lively appearance.
Typography & Iconography
I incorporated elements from IBM’s Carbon Design System into my website’s typography & iconography.
I picked it because of its accessibility & user-centric approach. It helped me ensure that the visual elements on the website not only look aesthetically pleasing but also adhere to best practices for accessibility & usability.
Branding & Logo
I decided on the name “LearnFlow” as I believe it captures the essence of continuous learning, signifying a seamless & personalized journey of skill enhancement for users.
I designed the logo to be very simple & basic. It looks like a road sign you see on the street. This is because it’s meant to guide you in the right direction as you learn & grow on this platform.
Grid System
Final Design
Onboarding
Users can import their details from LinkedIn. To make goal setting easier, users can just type in what they want to achieve, & our platform will help define those goals using keywords. Based on user feedback, I have simplified the goal-setting process into manageable steps that users can follow at their own pace.
Skill Assessment
Once users have updated their profiles with their information, skills & goals, they will be directed to the Skill Assessment page. Here, they will be encouraged to complete skill assessments & share their scores on the platform. These assessments play a vital role in establishing a starting point for the user’s learning journey, ensuring that the platform provides tailored content & recommendations to meet their specific needs & skill levels. The page also recommends the amount of time the user spends per week to achieve their goals.
Learning Journey
The Learning Journey offers 2 different ways to view your progress — a Kanban Board & a Calendar.
In the Kanban Board, you can organize your tasks (like reading materials, assignments & assessments) either by month or see your entire plan all at once. The cards are initially arranged based on your profile, but you have the flexibility to drag & drop them as you prefer.
Similarly, in the Calendar view, tasks are displayed weekly or monthly. You can also track your progress, both weekly & monthly, with the Journey progress & skills learned always visible on your screen. Plus, you’ll receive motivational prompts to help you stay focused & reach your goals, inspired by the prompts you might find in Apple Health.
Newsfeed
The newsfeed offers a dynamic & user-focused experience. At the top of the page, you’ll find your weekly tasks, helping you stay organized & on track.
Just below, we provide bite-sized content in the Quick Bits section, such as YouTube shorts or reels, to keep your learning engaging & accessible.
In the Shop Talk section, you’ll discover a diverse range of media, including YouTube videos, articles from various sources, tweets & LinkedIn & Instagram posts.
What sets our newsfeed apart is its customization — all content is carefully curated to align with your skills, goals & learning journey. As you progress through different stages of your journey, the content adapts to ensure it remains relevant & valuable to your growth & development.
Next Steps
- Usability test of the prototype with users
- Supplying users with details such as the return on investment for paid content.
- A business model
Final Thoughts
In a world where continuous learning is essential, LearnFlow emerges as a guiding light for professionals seeking personal & career growth. With a personalized approach to upskilling, it empowers individuals to define their goals, navigate their learning journey & access curated content that resonates with their aspirations.
LearnFlow’s user-centric design simplifies the complex task of goal setting, offering users a step-by-step path. The platform’s intuitive interface, inspired by habit-tracking systems, ensures a seamless & engaging learning experience. Skill assessments & progress tracking further enhance the journey, providing users with a clear starting point & motivation to achieve their objectives.
Moreover, the newsfeed feature enriches the learning experience by delivering bite-sized content & curated media that align with users’ skills, goals & journey stages. LearnFlow’s adaptability ensures that content remains relevant as users progress.
In conclusion, LearnFlow embodies the future of personalized upskilling, prioritizing user needs & industry trends. With this platform, I envision a world where learning is a dynamic & fulfilling journey, accessible to all who seek growth & success. I hope that LearnFlow finds support from those who recognize the importance of providing individuals with healthier choices in their pursuit of knowledge & career excellence.
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