Improved Goal Setting Usability & Adoption for Live Tutoring Sessions
Improved Goal Setting Usability and Adoption for Live Tutoring Sessions
Improved Goal Setting Usability and Adoption for Live Tutoring Sessions
PLUS Personalized Learning is a hybrid human-AI tutoring platform with 500+ tutors, used across 13+ schools, supporting 5,000+ middle school students through real-time, in-class math tutoring sessions
PLUS Personalized Learning is a hybrid human-AI tutoring platform with 500+ tutors, used across 13+ schools, supporting 5,000+ middle school students through real-time, in-class math tutoring sessions
PLUS Personalized Learning is a hybrid human-AI tutoring platform with 500+ tutors, used across 13+ schools, supporting 5,000+ middle school students through real-time, in-class math tutoring sessions
ROLE
ROLE
Product Designer
Product Designer
Product Designer
TEAM
TEAM
Design Lead
Product Lead
Dev Lead
Design Lead
Product Lead
Dev Lead
Design Lead
Product Lead
Dev Lead
SKILLS
SKILLS
Product Design
User Research
Product Design
User Research
Product Design
User Research
Impact
Impact
Impact
500+ tutors gained a clearer, more consistent way to engage with goal setting during live sessions with students.
500+ tutors gained a clearer, more consistent way to engage with goal setting during live sessions with students.
500+ tutors gained a clearer, more consistent way to engage with goal setting during live sessions with students.
My Role
My Role
My Role
As the product designer, I owned the end-to-end process from research and synthesis to prototyping, iteration, and dev handoff.
As the product designer, I owned the end-to-end process from research and synthesis to prototyping, iteration, and dev handoff.
As the product designer, I owned the end-to-end process from research and synthesis to prototyping, iteration, and dev handoff.
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
Tutors understood goal setting conceptually, but struggled to integrate it consistently into their live workflow.
Tutors understood goal setting conceptually, but struggled to integrate it consistently into their live workflow.
Tutors understood goal setting conceptually, but struggled to integrate it consistently into their live workflow.
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
A goal-setting workflow where each scenario is tailored to help tutors set, check, and update goals with ease.
A goal-setting workflow where each scenario is tailored to help tutors set, check, and update goals with ease.
A goal-setting workflow where each scenario is tailored to help tutors set, check, and update goals with ease.
Context
Context
Context
How does tutoring work at PLUS?
PLUS partners with schools across the U.S. to deliver live, 1:1 math tutoring during the school day. The program currently supports 5,000+ middle schoolers across 13+ school partnerships, with a network of 500+ university tutors.
Who is the user of the app, students or tutors?
What is a session?
What happens during a session?
Where does goal setting fit in the live tutoring session?
Session Structure
Session Structure
Session Structure
Goal setting begins right after the warm-up phase. With about 6 students per session, it has to be quick to initiate.
Goal setting begins right after the warm-up phase. With about 6 students per session, it has to be quick to initiate.
Goal Setting Scenarios
Goal Setting Scenarios
Goal Setting Scenarios
The activity depends on where the session falls in the goal-setting cycle. The tutor shares their screen with the student during goal setting, so it has to make sense to the student too.
The activity depends on where the session falls in the goal-setting cycle. The tutor shares their screen with the student during goal setting, so it has to make sense to the student too.
Research Synthesis
Research Synthesis
Research Synthesis
What Was Discovered
What Was Discovered
What Was Discovered
Hidden Cycle
Hidden Cycle
The live app does not show the 3-scenario cycle, so tutors have no way to see it.
Two audiences
Two audiences
Tutors share their screen with students, so every interaction had to work for both at once.
Tutors share their screen with students, so every interaction had to work for both at once.
No margin for confusion
No margin for confusion
With about 6 students per session, it has to be fast and effortless.
With about 6 students per session, it has to be fast and effortless.
How might we make goal setting self-evident without introducing new behaviors?
How might we make goal setting self-evident without introducing new behaviors?
How might we make goal setting self-evident without introducing new behaviors?
Friction Points & Design Decisions
Friction Points & Design Decisions
Friction Points & Design Decisions
What's actually preventing the goal setting feature from being useful?
What's actually preventing the goal setting feature from being useful?
What's actually preventing the goal setting feature from being useful?
Friction Point #1
Friction Point #1
Friction Point #1
The goal is buried within metadata, making it difficult for tutors and students to quickly reference it at a glance, increasing cognitive load during live sessions.
The goal is buried within metadata, making it difficult for tutors and students to quickly reference it at a glance, increasing cognitive load during live sessions.
The goal is buried within metadata, making it difficult for tutors and students to quickly reference it at a glance, increasing cognitive load during live sessions.
Original Goals Set Modal
Original Goals Set Modal
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
Surface the goal via a goal statement.
Surface the goal via a goal statement.
Surface the goal via a goal statement.
This makes the student’s current goal immediately clear to both the tutor and student, eliminating time spent trying to interpret it.
This makes the student’s current goal immediately clear to both the tutor and student, eliminating time spent trying to interpret it.
This makes the student’s current goal immediately clear to both the tutor and student, eliminating time spent trying to interpret it.
New Goals Set Modal
Friction Point #2
Friction Point #2
Friction Point #2
The “update goal” scenario does not prioritize reviewing the system-generated suggestions and the student’s progress from the previous goal cycle.
The “update goal” scenario does not prioritize reviewing the system-generated suggestions and the student’s progress from the previous goal cycle.
The “update goal” scenario does not prioritize reviewing the system-generated suggestions and the student’s progress from the previous goal cycle.
Original Update Goals Modal
Original Update Goals Modal
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
Separate goal progress and system suggestions into distinct sections, and move both higher in the hierarchy.
Separate goal progress and system suggestions into distinct sections, and move both higher in the hierarchy.
Separate goal progress and system suggestions into distinct sections, and move both higher in the hierarchy.
Tutors see what the student accomplished and what the system suggests before they update the goal.
Tutors see what the student accomplished and what the system suggests before they update the goal.
Tutors see what the student accomplished and what the system suggests before they update the goal.
New Update Goals Modal
New Update Goals Modal
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
Mark the system’s suggested value on the slider, emphasizing it during input.
Mark the system’s suggested value on the slider, emphasizing it during input.
Mark the system’s suggested value on the slider, emphasizing it during input.
Tutors get a clear target to drag toward and students see where they're aiming on the shared screen.
Tutors get a clear target to drag toward and students see where they're aiming on the shared screen.
Tutors get a clear target to drag toward and students see where they're aiming on the shared screen.
Original slider input
Original slider input
New Slider Input with Suggested Value
New Slider Input with Suggested Value
Friction Point #3
Friction Point #3
Friction Point #3
Like the goal itself, the end date is buried in metadata. Tutors have to dig for it before they can even tell the student when the goal is due
Like the goal itself, the end date is buried in metadata. Tutors have to dig for it before they can even tell the student when the goal is due
Like the goal itself, the end date is buried in metadata. Tutors have to dig for it before they can even tell the student when the goal is due
Original Check Goals Modal
Original Check Goals Modal
Original Check Goals Modal
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
Move the goal cycle timeline to the top of the interface and add a days remaining tag.
Move the goal cycle timeline to the top of the interface and add a days remaining tag.
Move the goal cycle timeline to the top of the interface and add a days remaining tag.
New Check Goals Modal
New Check Goals Modal
New Check Goals Modal
Friction Point #4
Friction Point #4
Friction Point #4
Unclear and inconsistent UX copy across the scenarios, causing confusion and inability to predict what should happen next.
Unclear and inconsistent UX copy across the scenarios, causing confusion and inability to predict what should happen next.
Unclear and inconsistent UX copy across the scenarios, causing confusion and inability to predict what should happen next.
Original Set Goal UX Flow
Original Set Goal UX Flow
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
UX Copy that provides signals for each specific goal setting scenario
UX Copy that provides signals for each specific goal setting scenario
UX Copy that provides signals for each specific goal setting scenario
New Set Goal UX Flow with Proper UX Copy
New Set Goal UX Flow with Proper UX Copy
Friction Point #5
Friction Point #5
Friction Point #5
Session recordings revealed that the small slider handle made exact value selection time consuming during live sessions.
Session recordings revealed that the small slider handle made exact value selection time consuming during live sessions.
Session recordings revealed that the small slider handle made exact value selection time consuming during live sessions.
Screenshot from Session Recordings indicating struggle with slider
Screenshot from Session Recordings indicating struggle with slider
Design Decision
Design Decision
Design Decision
Increase the slider handle size and add a text input.
Increase the slider handle size and add a text input.
Increase the slider handle size and add a text input.
The slider stays to show the goal quantity visually, while text input makes entry faster and more precise.
The slider stays to show the goal quantity visually, while text input makes entry faster and more precise.
The slider stays to show the goal quantity visually, while text input makes entry faster and more precise.
New Input with Text and Slider Options
New Input with Text and Slider Options
The Solution
A goal-setting workflow where each scenario is tailored to help tutors set, check, and update goals with ease.
Positive Feedback from the PLUS Team
Positive Feedback from the PLUS Team
Positive Feedback from the PLUS Team
Success Metrics
Shipped!! But, with tutors on summer break, metrics can't be measured until the program resumes in the fall. Below are the metrics I'll track to evaluate the redesign.
Shipped!! But, with tutors on summer break, metrics can't be measured until the program resumes in the fall. Below are the metrics I'll track to evaluate the redesign.
Shipped!! But, with tutors on summer break, metrics can't be measured until the program resumes in the fall. Below are the metrics I'll track to evaluate the redesign.
Time spent completing goal setting per student
Tutor satisfaction
Reduction in confusion in goal setting flow
For the check-in scenario, I proposed a dropdown to capture what the student is facing mid-cycle, but it was not included in the final release.
For the check-in scenario, I proposed a dropdown to capture what the student is facing mid-cycle, but it was not included in the final release.
For the check-in scenario, I proposed a dropdown to capture what the student is facing mid-cycle, but it was not included in the final release.
Proposed Check-In Dropdown
Proposed Check-In Dropdown
Why?
Why?
Why?
It introduced new behavior that forced tutors to change their workflow instead of supporting their existing process like the other updates did.
Researchers need time to determine what dropdown information is actually useful mid-cycle.
It introduced new behavior that forced tutors to change their workflow instead of supporting their existing process like the other updates did.
Researchers need time to determine what dropdown information is actually useful mid-cycle.
It introduced new behavior that forced tutors to change their workflow instead of supporting their existing process like the other updates did.
Researchers need time to determine what dropdown information is actually useful mid-cycle.
Processes & Tools
AI
As part of this project, I leveraged AI tools such as Stitch AI and Figma Make to explore rapid variations of the design. I also utilized ChatGPT and Claude to speed up the UX Copy process.
Research
Stakeholder Interviews
Workflow Analysis
Heuristic Evaluation
Design
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Figma
Prototyping
Responsive Design
Design Systems
Processes & Tools
Processes & Tools
AI
AI
As part of this project, I leveraged AI tools such as Stitch AI and Figma Make to explore rapid variations of the design. I also utilized ChatGPT and Claude to speed up the UX Copy process.
As part of this project, I leveraged AI tools such as Stitch AI and Figma Make to explore rapid variations of the design. I also utilized ChatGPT and Claude to speed up the UX Copy process.
Research
Stakeholder Interviews
Stakeholder Interviews
Workflow Analysis
Workflow Analysis
Heuristic Evaluation
Heuristic Evaluation
Design
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Wireframing
Prototyping
Prototyping
Responsive Design
Responsive Design
Design Systems
Design Systems
Learnings
Learnings
1.
1.
1.
Knowing when to hold back
Knowing when to hold back
Knowing when to hold back
The check-in dropdown was cut not because it was a bad idea, but because the timing wasn't right. Knowing when to hold back is part of the design process.
2.
2.
2.
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking
Designing across interconnected scenarios required balancing cohesion with distinction. Each flow needed to feel part of the same system while still supporting its own unique context.
Designing across interconnected scenarios required balancing cohesion with distinction. Each flow needed to feel part of the same system while still supporting its own unique context.
Designing across interconnected scenarios required balancing cohesion with distinction. Each flow needed to feel part of the same system while still supporting its own unique context.
Open to New Opportunities!