My Case

At the college I work we have been moving very quickly it seems in our adoption of mobile technologies.  Administration from the outset basically said ‘this was happening, so hopefully you will get on board or be left behind’.  While I personally see advantages to teaching and learning with tech (increased engagement, opportunity to create richer learning environments), many felt that it was forced upon us.  I believe that as a result of this there is pushback from faculty and resistance to adopting more new technology as it continues to evolve.  

Every new technology advancement presents an opportunity to engage our learners, however we need a mechanism to also engage our faculty in becoming leaders in the field of ed tech.

My Design Principles

Below is my list of proposed design principles that I feel are key to creating a consistent experience for the project team and end users (not listed in order of importance, they are intended to all work together).

• Make it adaptable– Ensure that all elements of the design allow for changes in technology and pedagogy that will inevitably arrive in the future.
  • Innovation- incorporating adaptability will allow future iterations of a selected project to be improved upon
  • Impact on learning- technology is constantly changing, as are the skills required in the workforce, being adaptable will improve future learning opportunities
  • Reliance on technology- making sure things are adaptable will assist any future technological changes that are sure to occur
  • Usability- Adaptability will allow incremental changes to be easily incorporated into the project
  • Risk- Adaptability will ensure that financial and time investments will not be wasted as needs evolve
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- Investment in adaptability will ensure future costs are kept to a minimum as small changes will only be necessary, not complete redesign
• Ensure authenticity– Making the project authentic for the end user is paramount.  The product should mimic real-life situations as closely as possible.
  • Innovation- Real-world scenarios could potentially be brought into the workforce and spur innovation
  • Impact on learning- Learning as close to real-life as possible will better prepare users and allow them to experience things they will encounter in the workforce
  • Reliance on technology- Using authentic technology will better prepare users
  • Usability- Making sure things are authentic in the design will not necessarily make things easier to use, but it will prepare users for what to expect
  • Risk- An authentic experience will prepare users for a real workplace experience and could save time and money in the future
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- Authentic design that replicates real-world scenarios will improve workforce performance.
• Involve all stakeholders– Having all of the stakeholders involved at key stages will ensure that the end product will suit everyone’s needs (For example, in online course design involve faculty, students, IT, ID’s, administration…).  A caution for this is to make sure there is a clear leader in the process who will make final decisions as too many voices and opinions could slow down the process if not facilitated properly.
  • Innovation- By having all voices heard, a more complete, well rounded and progressive product will be developed
  • Impact on learning- Involving many knowledgeable individuals will build a better product and therefore enhance the learning experience
  • Reliance on technology- Shared experience from the team will inform technological decisions
  • Usability- More people involved in the process will allow for more diversity in technological proficiency and will help in designing a product that is user-friendly
  • Risk- Having a well-rounded team will lessen the potential for future redesigns of the product
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- All individuals invested in the project should be happy with the end product as they all had a hand in its design
• Ensure that there is a constant, feedback loop– By making sure that edits and suggestions are being made and incorporated on an ongoing basis, there will be a steady workflow to the project.
  • Innovation- By keeping the feedback constant and up to date, improvements can be made quickly and efficiently
  • Impact on learning- Deadlines can be met more constantly and all feedback will be incorporated on time creating a superior product
  • Reliance on technology- By using elements of collaborative software in the design to improve efficiency the project will move at a more consistent pace
  • Usability- Any improvements to ease of use of the project will be incorporated quickly
  • Risk- Accelerations in schedule and project development can be realized through incorporating feedback efficiently
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- Faster integration of feedback, suggestions, ideas will not only lead to a better product, but time can be removed from the project development schedule
• Check your sensitivity at the door– While ensuring that the feedback one provides to fellow team members is sensitive, be honest and direct with giving feedback.  When receiving feedback do not take things personally as varied opinions will lead to a better product (be hard on the issue, not the individual).
  • Innovation- Being honest and not holding back opinions on the product more opportunity for progressive change can happen
  • Impact on learning- A better product will be developed when all ideas are brought to the table, this will in turn improve the learning experience
  • Reliance on technology- If team members express their abilities in regards to technology in an honest and forthright manner, gaps can be identified and dealt with at the outset of the project
  • Usability- Direct and honest feedback to the team when one questions the ease of use of the end product will benefit the user’s experience
  • Risk- Resolving differences of opinion and incorporating ideas in a timely manner rather than stressing about them will save time and money
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- An understanding at the outset that any constructive feedback will be handled in a professional manner will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the team
• Always keep the end user in mind– At every point of development in the project make sure that things are being looked at from the perspective of the end user (if possible incorporate the end user into the design team).
  • Innovation- By designing the product from the perspective of the end user the potential for creating an improved experience is greater
  • Impact on learning- Focusing on the end user will enhance and simplify the learning experience
  • Reliance on technology- Knowing the environment in which the end user operates will lead to an appropriate technological design
  • Usability- Keeping the end user in mind will ensure that the product is consistent with their abilities
  • Risk- A product that is appropriate for the end user and that they are happy with will not require as much redesign
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- Keeping the end users needs in mind during design will ensure a better suited product and a better user experience
• Bring solutions to the table, not problems. – In my opinion, it cannot be understated how important this is to a successful team project
  • Innovation- By asking the team to bring solutions to the table, more ideas will be brought forward and spur on more innovation
  • Impact on learning- More variety of solutions will lead to a better product and learning experience for the user
  • Reliance on technology- Any technical issues can be resolved quickly as solutions to tech problems will be researched by all team members
  • Usability- Issues with ease of use will be brought forward alongside solutions to these issues.  Items can be proactively dealt with
  • Risk- Time and money will be saved as solutions to problems will not lag and affect the project schedule
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- By having all team members in the mindset of bringing solutions to the table, an environment of creativity will be created and fostered
• Prototype the product- Once initial design is complete, take it for a test run.
  • Innovation- Discrepancies can be identified early and changes can be made before the product is officially ‘launched’
  • Impact on learning- Improving the product before it is launched will lower rates of frustration when things don’t flow properly
  • Reliance on technology- Flaws in technological design can be fixed before utilization
  • Usability- By performing a test run of the product, issues with user interface and ease of use can be identified early on
  • Risk- Although initially this may increase cost and development time slightly, this will serve a long-term benefit of not having to redesign early and have a better product initially produced
  • The value proposition of innovation in design- This important final step in the design will allow the team to remove any technical ‘bugs’ and also allow for a fresh perspective from someone outside the team (preferably an end user).

References

Hess, W.  (2013, July 10).  20 Guiding principles for experience design.  Retrieved from http://www.designprinciplesftw.com/collections/20-guiding-principles-for-experience-design

Monash University. (2017). How to write the case study.  Retrieved from http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/quickrefs/27-case-study.pdf