Readify
Recommendation App
ROLE
UX Researcher, UI Designer
TOOLS
Adobe Illustrator, Figma, Miro
TIME
5 weeks
BRIEF
I aim to develop a product that addresses the pervasive issue of anxiety among students and parents associated with standardized tests. The role of standardized tests in education has long been a subject of controversy. Often, students find it challenging to communicate their concerns during this phase of their lives, leading to increased pressure and anxiety. Although the pandemic has led to the optionalization of many standardized tests, altering the fundamental structure of testing remains a significant challenge. Therefore, my product will focus on reducing stress related to daily interactions such as test registration, test preparation, test-taking, and seeking help.
RESEARCH
Second Hand Research
Two forms of test anxiety
Test anxiety can manifest in two different ways: long-term build-up or acute anxiety. Long-term build-up occurs when stress related to an upcoming test accumulates over a period of time, leading to feelings of anxiety and worry. This type of anxiety can affect the student's ability to prepare effectively for the test and may lead to poor performance. Acute anxiety, on the other hand, occurs when the student becomes rapidly overwhelmed by anxiety during the test itself. This can lead to physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and sweating, as well as difficulty concentrating and recalling information. Both types of test anxiety can have a negative impact on academic performance and may require interventions such as relaxation techniques or therapy.
Communication between kids and parents
Parent frustration can arise when their children are not meeting academic expectations. To help children succeed, parents should offer advice, high-level strategy, and clear-headed instruction. It's important to remember that motivation can be difficult to foster and easy to extinguish, and negative language such as "You're so much smarter than this" can be counterproductive. Instead, parents should use positive reinforcement and curiosity to help their children overcome challenges. By using phrases such as "You're really successful in school, so these scores kind of surprised us. We're curious and would love to help explore what's up," parents can open up a dialogue with their children and work together to improve academic performance.
Getting rid of testing
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the movement to eliminate standardized testing requirements for higher education admissions. However, some argue that without tests, it becomes more difficult to identify and address underlying problems in the education system. Additionally, critics claim that the content and style of alternative assessments, such as high school grades and essays, are more strongly linked to family income than standardized test scores like the SAT. Despite these concerns, many institutions have opted to drop testing requirements in response to the pandemic and its effects on education.
User Interviews
INTERVIEW GOALS
To enhance our comprehension of user experiences pertaining to event platforms and effectively pinpoint potential challenges, I undertake user interviews as a preliminary step prior to developing solutions. In order to ensure the authenticity and relevance of each interviewee in relation to the platform, a in-depth interview is used.
I conducted interviews with 9 students and 4 parents to gain insight into the underlying motivations, actions, timing, location, and demographics related to standardized testing.
WHAT I LEARNED…
In an effort to organize the notes from my interview, I grouped them according to similarities. I focused primarily on the responses I received to "what" and "why" questions and categorized them into five groups: emotion, problem, plan, comfort, and view. Within these groups, it became clear that people have the most concerns during the planning process of their trips. Additionally, they pay close attention to potential problems they might encounter and things that could cause discomfort.
Affinity Mapping
DEFINE
Behavior Analysis
BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
based on the information collected from the interviews, I reorganized them into their interconnected groups for more specific insights. Among all the categories, students who are more stressed and unprepared have more pain points to solve in the test process.
The yellow circle contains elements of behavior that a nervous and self driven student might have. For example, in this category, students are more focused on test materials and worried about different situations that might occur on the test day.
The green circle represents a group of students that are not putting too much stress on unpredictable situations. They are ok with facing whatever that comes up throughout the process.
The blue circle contains behaviors that a well prepared and confident student might have. In this category, students either heard more information from their family or have previous experience. They are more focused on the test itself.
Persona
Journey Map
Opportunities & Pain points
IDEATION
IDEATION
Through an analysis of the three primary concerns expressed by individuals regarding their overall test experience, I have discerned a fundamental connection among these points. These concerns predominantly revolve around a dearth of experience and the absence of a community that can offer valuable feedback and recommendations.
Unpredictable Situation
During the standardized testing process, students and parents may encounter numerous unexpected occurrences. Oftentimes, when such unexpected events arise—like traffic delays, inclement weather, disruptions in the testing environment, or timing issues—students may experience sudden bouts of anxiety.
Unclear Instruction
Given the structure of standardized tests, numerous instructions and concepts are firmly rooted in history. Frequently, knowledge and insights regarding the test are transmitted through past experiences. Students who lack any or minimal familiarity with this type of examination will be greatly uncertain and confused about the process.
Lack of Connections
During the teenage years, communication with parents becomes a significant issue worldwide. Moreover, the unfriendly online environment can exacerbate the stress experienced by students in their academic journey. Consequently, receiving constructive feedback becomes exceedingly important for anxious students as they prepare for tests.
User Feedback
DESIGN
MOOD BOARD - Calm and Explorative
Traveling is a break from our busy lives. It should flow like water and float like a cloud. Utilizing negative space in the design can help users feel more relaxed and provide a break from their media-saturated lives.
FLOW CHART
My proposition:
Our product aims to reduce stress and anxiety during the standardized testing process with features such as a simple sign-up process, connection with the student testing community, and clear recommendations for local test environments. By focusing on usability, accessibility, and community engagement, we hope to alleviate pain points associated with standardized testing, making the experience more manageable for students and parents.
Easy access sign up:
To streamline the user experience and eliminate the hassle of re-entering personal information across multiple testing platforms, our product offers an innovative auto-fill function that leverages the power of face ID. By automating the process of filling out forms and submitting personal information, students can save valuable time and energy, allowing them to focus more fully on their test preparation and performance. With this feature, we aim to provide our users with a seamless and stress-free testing experience, reducing the administrative burden and enhancing their overall satisfaction with the testing process.
Clear distinction and detail of the test center:
Our product provides students with a comprehensive list of available test centers, along with detailed information about each location. This information includes factors such as traffic, distance, noise levels, test facility quality, and nearby environment, allowing students to make informed decisions about which test center is the best fit for their needs. With this feature, we aim to provide students with greater access to suitable test centers, reducing the stress and uncertainty that can come with navigating unfamiliar testing environments.
Test info and community:
The community feature provides students with a platform to connect and share their testing experiences, giving them valuable insights into the testing process. Additionally, the community function provides a space for students to interact and support each other during the long and challenging preparation period. The test info feature allows students to quickly access critical information about their test, such as test format, location, and time, streamlining the preparation process and reducing stress and anxiety.
RETROSPECTIVE
ENCOUNTERING MEANINGFUL CHALLENGES!
Overall, this project was both challenging and therapeutic. Researching the history and backgrounds of travel was inspiring; however, finding innovative ways to reinvent features that enhance people's travel experiences proved to be a challenging task.
Moreover, designing an app from scratch was an extremely rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to conduct research, interview users, analyze collected data, and create high-fidelity interfaces. Throughout the process, I learned that a successful product must be supported by qualitative data, a clear user flow, and extensive user feedback.