a user experience model for online graduate design education

MA DESIGN 2.0 UX: Integrated Professional Program Development for Relevance, Reach & Growth

Designing an advanced graduate-level professional learning environment that blends face-to-face and online student engagement

MA Design 2.0: Integrated User Experience

Michael Eckersley, PhD

Executive SummaryTable of Contents Page

1. Introduction & Background (Michael Eckersley)

3

2. Research Summary & Question(Noah Albro)

9

3. Method (Amanda Boyd) 12

4. Research & Design Development 4a. Onboarding, Communications & Student Support (Chin, Zhang, Boyd)

21 !22

4b. Live Engagement & Compelling Delivery (Albro, Armstrong, Sorrick)

30

4c. Community Network & Content Library (Lanzer, Kelly)

33

4d. Professional Network & External Community (Magario, Lin)

39

5. Conclusions & Recommendations 47

Research and design development are reported on an improved and expansive model for graduate-level professional design education. The model proposes a comprehensive learning experience for blended groups of face-to-face and online learners. The current state of enterprise application software for online education was studied and followed by focused user research of online learners and graduate-level designers. A needs-clustering technique was employed to assess and group salient student needs. From these insights, design teams explored ways of coordinating and delivering a high quality learning experience to graduate designers.


Amanda Boyd Daniel Chin Taylor Zhang Rachel Lin Rebecca Magario

Jordan Kelly Sarah Lanzer Noah Albro Liz Armstrong Melissa Sorrick

Contributing Authors:

1. Intro, Background Michael Eckersley Q: What is your definition of design?

Eames: A plan for arranging elements in such a

way as to best accomplish a particular purpose.

Q: What are the boundaries of design?

Eames: What are the boundaries of problems?

Q: Does the creation of design admit constraint?

Eames: Design depends largely on constraints.

Q: What constraints?

Eames: The sum of all constraints. Here is one of

the few effective keys to the design problem: the

ability of the designer to recognize as many of the

constraints as possible (and) his willingness and

enthusiasm for working within these constraints

—the constraints of price, size, strength, balance,

surface, time, etc.; each problem has its own

peculiar list.

Q: To whom does design address itself: to the

greatest number (the masses)? The specialists…

the enlightened amateur…a privileged social

class?

Eames: To the need.

An interview with Charles Eames, 1969


On Design !

• "Everyone designs who devises courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones." –Herbert Simon

(4-stage design process model)

"Design is only secondarily about pretty lumpy objects, and primarily about a whole approach to doing business, serving customers, and providing value." "Design... has become central to enterprise strategy."

–Tom Peters

• Design is all about looking carefully at qualities of human experience, understanding the challenges and opportunities involved, and making things that point to future new value and solutions.


On a Human-Centered Focus How design builds value on the basis of human experienceAssessing Stakeholder Motives,

Needs, Desires: !• Student motivation

• Program motivation

• Institutional motivation


Designing a lively, high-functioning service experience is demanding work

• Services are "living" systems, core to the enterprise

• Service development is never done • Services must be curated, improved,

reinvented • Quality is performance-based, and

ultimately assessed qualitatively, subjectively

• Service expectations vary widely, and perceived gaps–however minor– proliferate and grow in significance


Student consumers are being empowered, and they have no patience for poor (thin) educational experiences

Entertainment Education

Esthetic

Absorption

Immersion

ActivePartic-ipation

PassivePartic-ipation

–Pine & Gilmore (1998)

Escapist


• Human-centered design principles, methods and practices came about as an answer to poorly designed, hard-to-use software.

• The current state of rigid, complicated, unreliable and distracting online course software is ripe for innovation

• Education is a consumer service experience, and consumers (students and faculty) cannot fail to notice if the service has been compromised through poor design. They have a right to expect better.

high touch

“thick”

experience quality

low touch

“thin”

Our assessment (so far) of current online course application software

Our observation of online course sessions and our demoing of various online software leaves an impression of being "underwater" con@ined in scuba gear. Sure, we can breath, we can (kind of) see and talk hear each other, but the foreignness perception is pervasive and limits the quality of our interaction. Fluency at higher order forms of thinking (Bloom), creativity and social interaction (Goffman) is a real challenge when the medium is such a distraction. Gained mastery will probably come, but it's a steep learning curve.

• The technology is always present, rarely recedes into the background. The stiffness and non-intuitive UI is frequently a conscious social and cognitive distraction

• Service failures are not uncommon, making reliability an issue

• Overpopulated MOOCs bleed students

• The economics of online courses can lead to expedient choices and weak, “zombie” offerings

• The faculty learning curve is steep in bending the technology beyond the most basic functionality. Nevertheless, determined effort is likely to yield functional competency

• Teachers are expected to adapt their courses and teaching to the technology's limitations rather than expect the technology to fit human requirements in the classroom


2. Research Questions Noah Albro

1. Is it possible build a vital, high functioning graduate program ecology that meshes Edwards and Lawrence campus students together with a ratio of online students?

!2. Is it possible to take a standard online course software platform, or optimize a Google Coursebuilder configuration and place it at the core of such a graduate design program–without suffering a loss of coherence or student engagement?

Creating a value ecology


"Always design a thing by considering it in its next

larger context..." -‐ Eliel Saarinen

On Systems

We began by studying systems and engaged in preliminary research to determine the current state of how people learn online and the online education industry. !• Service Safari • Tools for online teaching and

collaborative work

• Online education resource research


We interviewed people who had taken online classes before and gathered their impressions and insights. !• What worked?

• What lacked?

• What was their motivation?

On The Student Experience


3. Method Amanda Boyd


The population of graduate level design students in blended online and offline programs is, so far, small to non-existent. So we set out to study each group independentlygraduate level design students and current online students) independently.

Understanding Audience Requirements

Online Student Requirements

Following this work we constructed a picture of this composite audience.

Designers’ Graduate Program Requirements

We used insights gathered about designers to develop a list of requirements that should be present in an advanced online learning experience in Design.

Designers’ Graduate Program Requirements

• Access to high-value, empowering knowledge

• New professional competencies, skills

• Professional credentials

• Access to a group of likeminded peers

• Access to knowledgeable mentors

• Assurance of program value

• Assurance of program applicability to career goals

• Prospect of career marketability


We interviewed designers to understand their behaviors and requirements. !• What do they need, want, desire

in a professional education? • How do they act, talk, present

themselves (their behaviors)? • What would be their

requirements in a blended online learning experience?

Our Target Users

Persona Development


• 25 y/o single female • Lives in midsize Midwestern American city,

and wants to stay there • Art Director at a modest design and brand

comms firm • Smart, curious, discriminating, but socially

skilled • Realizes her education and skills are not

keeping pace with changing industry tends, competencies, market demands

• Shopping around for the best available graduate design option

• Connected to the local AIGA design community, has an active online presence with LinkedIn

• Writes a blog on her design, decorating, photography, cooking interests

Persona 1: "Jia"


• 30 y/o tech project manager for a vertical software product co. in Midwest US

• Married w/ two small children • Strong ego; good copywriter; can’t draw • B.S. Marketing Management, Minor in English • Attended a few design-related conferences;

seeks a design competency that leverages his marketing background to help him get ahead

• Restless; wants career transition, but concerned it may not go smoothly

• Comes from conservative Christian bg, btu sees himself as a Creative: a music lover; plays with

• Friends in a band on the weekend • Occasionally browses design-related websites:

DMI, Design Taxi, mashables, AIGA, HOW Design

Persona 2: "Brian"


• 23 y/o undergrad design student at a small liberal arts university in the Dallas area

• Graduating near top of class with a BFA in Media Design this Spring

• Strong student portfolio; decent technical skills; weak communication and presentation skills

• Idealistic about design; knows little about business or markets

• Anxious about his future; little professional experience, but has an Internship lined up for summer

• Fashion savvy: black thick-framed glasses, Baldwin jeans, Nixon watch - up on current styles

Persona 3: "Ian"


We used the insights that we gathered about the current online students to develop a list of requirements that should be present in an online education experience

Current or Recent Online Student Requirements

• Flexible scheduling

• Affordability: cost-benefit

• Collaborative group activity

• Live content and group interaction

• Timely personalized help, feedback

• Relatable content by learning style: visual, aural, verbal, social

• Option for doing independent work

• Accessible technology



User Modes & Requirements Matrix

4. Research Results

A. Improved Onboarding, Communications & Student Support

B. Ensured Live Engagement & Compelling Delivery of Content

C. Foster a Community Network and Connected Content Library

D. Build a Professional Alumni Network & External Community


Solve For Four (4) Actionable User Needs:

4A. Improved Onboarding, Communications & Student Support !Daniel Chin, Taylor Zhang, Amanda Boyd

• What is the current state experience?

- Personal Journeys

- The Good & The Bad

• How can the current experience be improved?

• Prescribed experience

• Creating a scenario


What is the current student onboard experience? Taylor's International Journey


What is the current student onboarding experience? Daniel's Local Journey


program assessment

Application process

Sem 1 Sem 2 Sem 3 Sem 4 Sem 5 Sem 6 Sem 7 Sem 8...... Graduation

1.) The application requirements, specidically the GRE, seem irrelevant to the course of study. The portfolio request may have led to the incorrect assumptions related to point 2. 2.) At the beginning of the program I was disappointed at the amount of book study and pure theory. Coming from a BFA, most of our work was the application of theory and in the beginning I wasn't aware of the drastic difference between the nature of Fine Arts programs vs. that of Arts programs. I assumed, incorrectly, that most design programs were similar in format. I do wish there were more emphasis on the real world application of learned theory, but I'm one of the people who learn by doing. 3.) I wish there would have been more structure surrounding thesis material preparation. Perhaps scheduled peer collaboration/reviews. It's easy to feel like you're out on an island during that time.

Neg

ativ

e Ex

perie

nces

Posi

tive

Expe

rienc

es

✘

✔

1.) I was pleased to learn that KU was now offering a Master's program relevant to my current line of work and interests, and that I would be able to attend while continuing to be employed. Initially an IxD major, I later switched to DM as I began to see strategy was more in line with my goals, although it seems as if there is little difference between the two program requirements other than the focus of the thesis. 2.) Initially I was discouraged by the coursework (reason below) but over time I began to see value in the material.

✘

✘

✘

✔

What do program graduates report? A Design Management graduate's journey


program assessment

Application process

Sem 1 Sem 2 Sem 3 Sem 4 Sem 5 Sem 6 Sem 7 Sem 8...... Graduation

My only negative is the application process. It seemed very disorganized. We were expected to have all these items prepared then in anticipation of acceptance and it seemed as though there was no sense of urgency. I didn't dind out that I was accepted until it was almost too late to get into classes.

Neg

ativ

e Ex

perie

nces

Posi

tive

Expe

rienc

es

✘

The course descriptions were true to the actual course work. I enjoyed the classes and have been able to apply what I have learned almost immediately.

✔ ✔ ✔

✘

What do program graduates report? A Design Management graduate's journey


Daniel's Experience Journey

Target and solve the causes of negative service interactions


A Prescribed Onboarding Experience


A Prescribed Onboarding Experience Scenario

"Jia's" Journey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rOVSI9Uq7JA


http://youtube.com/v/rOVSI9Uq7JA



4B. Ensured Live Engagement, Compelling Delivery of Content

!• Opportunity for Independent Work

• Live Meetings and Discussion

• Rich Content and Multi-modal Delivery

• Immersion in Advanced, Empowering Knowledge


Melissa Sorrick, Noah Albro, Liz Armstrong

Combined Physical & Online Sessions


• Screen/video sharing

• Planning, diagramming, sketching

• Document Collaboration

• Presenting: SlideShare

• Project, task Management

A Student Collaborative Teaming Scenario

Watch how graduate design students might study and work collaboratively in a blended online/ofdline program.

Key Features

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh_s1Z1_oD8



http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&tab=wn&q=


4C. Foster a Community Network and Connected Content Library

• Powerful program content and applications that are current, relevant and engaging to students

• Opportunity for learning from outside sources

• Information sharing to other classmates

• Outlets for students to expand on information

• Communication between students and teachers


Jordan Kelly, Sarah Lanzer


4C. Community Network and Content Library:

Scenario: “JIA” COMES HOME Saturday morning after giving herself a break after a long week of work and clients. The night before she attended an event within the surrounding area. She posts some pictures and her thoughts about the event on the class blog. Then she pulls up the lecture from the beginning of the week. While listening she is simultaneously checking out the links that were posted by other students on the twitter feed. After the lecture ends, she reads Brian’s post on the discussion board. She comments from her own point of view and also gives Brian some helpful pointers. She spends the next couple of hours searching the web and dinds two great articles on design that she thinks will be very benedicial to the students and relate well to the speaker of the week’s topic.



Scenario: “BRIAN” COMES HOME from school, and opens his computer. He enjoys watching the weekly lectures live because he is able to engage with the speaker and ask questions. Once the lecture is over, he sits down the have dinner with his family. After he logs back onto the class site. This response allows him to understand the relationship between his current position within the workplace and his desired position.

Scenario: “IAN” COMES HOME from studio and grabs his computer to complete his online class assignment before heading out with his friends for the night. He opens his computer and logs onto the class network. He then opens the lecture of the week that was recorded a few days before. He listens as he glances at classmates’ blogs. He dinds the lectures interesting but usually struggles to dit them in every week with his busy schedule. Which is why most of them are spent multi tasking. He quickly types up a response to show his understanding and knowledge of what the speaker was teaching and posts it to the discussion board.



How professional networks work

4D. Professional Alumni Network & External Community !Rebecca Magario, Rachel Lin


• Creating opportunities for people to meet and connect (events, conferences, traveling, volunteering, clubs, workshops, etc.)

• Utilizing public social media, such as Facebook and LinkedIn to disseminate pertinent information. As well as, focusing on improving School web platform to maximize the flow of information.

• Promote professional online/corporate contributions from successful people, students and alumni for learning opportunities.

• Recruitments (LinkedIn, Symposia, etc.)

Ways to facilitate the growth of a community


Using existing social media and LinkedIn platform to build on current existing professional network model

Current network at KU: informal and small in scale


A convergence of platforms to a specific student-centered interface

The School could thrive on a platform that facilitates the growth of a community where students, graduates, faculty and professionals connect and share information


5. Conclusions & Recommendations


• Invite 3-5 online guest students to a forthcoming KU MA Design course, and beta test different software configurations to improve communication and collaborative work

• Work with Admins to redesign the entire MA Design student onboarding experience.

• Build and test a prototype alumni and professional community network channel

• Test launch a series of events: open-houses, symposia through the KU Center for Design Research


5. Conclusions & Recommendations

MA DESIGN 2.0 UX: Integrated Professional Program Development for Relevance, Reach & Growth

Designing an advanced graduate-level professional learning environment that blends face-to-face and online student engagement


Michael Eckersley, PhDAmanda Boyd Daniel Chin Taylor Zhang Rachel Lin Rebecca Magario

Jordan Kelly Sarah Lanzer Noah Albro Liz Armstrong Melissa Sorrick

Contributing Authors:

Thanks!

a user experience model for online graduate design education

Design

design development

design problem

poor design

boundaries of design

phdma design

tompetersma design

signicancema design

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