Summary

User-Centered Design

User-Centered Design is important because it puts users at the center of the design process, resulting in products and experiences that are more effective, enjoyable, and valuable for all stakeholders involved.

• User Research: This involves methods such as interviews, surveys, and observations to gather insights into users' characteristics, goals, and challenges related to learning.

• Persona Development: Learning designers create fictional characters representing different user groups, based on research data, to better understand users' needs, motivations, and behaviors.

Prototyping

Designers create low-fidelity or high-fidelity prototypes of learning materials or interfaces to gather feedback from users early in the design process, allowing for iterative refinement and improvement.

• Rapid Prototyping: Involves quickly creating a basic, often incomplete version of a product or system to test its functionality, usability, and feasibility. (low fidelity)

• Paper Prototyping: involves creating mockups or sketches of a product or interface using pen and paper. (low fidelity)

• Wireframing: Involves creating simple, schematic representations of a digital interface, typically focusing on layout, structure, and functionality. (medium fidelity)

• Functional Prototyping: Involves creating interactive, high-fidelity prototypes that simulate the behavior and functionality of a final product or system. (high fidelity)

Evaluation

Evaluation methods can be applied during various phases of the learning design and development process.

• Heuristic Evaluation: Designers assess learning materials against a set of established usability principles or heuristics to identify potential problems and areas for improvement.

• Usability Testing: This involves observing users as they interact with prototypes or existing learning materials to identify usability issues, such as navigation difficulties or confusing instructions, and make informed design decisions.

• User Feedback: Continuous gathering of feedback from users throughout the design process, allowing designers to refine and adapt learning materials based on user preferences and needs.

• Accessibility Evaluation: Ensuring that learning materials are accessible to users with diverse needs and abilities, through techniques such as automated testing tools, manual inspection, and user testing with individuals representing different accessibility requirements.

Other Resources

Calhoun, C., Sahay, S., & Wilson, M. (2021). Instructional Design Evaluation. In  J. K.  McDonald &  R. E. West (Eds.), Design for Learning: Principles, Processes, and Praxis. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/id/instructional_design_evaluation

Schmidt, M., Earnshaw, Y., Tawfik, A. A., & Jahnke, I. (2020). Methods of User Centered Design and Evaluation for Learning Designers. In  M. Schmidt,  A. A. Tawfik,  I. Jahnke, &  Y. Earnshaw (Eds.), Learner and User Experience Research: An Introduction for the Field of Learning Design & Technology. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/ux/ucd_methods_for_lx

Gregg, A., Reid, R., Aldemir, T., Gray, J., Frederick, M., & Garbrick, A. (2020). Think-Aloud Observations to Improve Online Course Design: A Case Example and “How-to” Guide. In  M. Schmidt,  A. A. Tawfik,  I. Jahnke, &  Y. Earnshaw (Eds.), Learner and User Experience Research: An Introduction for the Field of Learning Design & Technology. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/ux/15_think_aloud_obser

Wiley, D., Strader, R., & Bodily, R. (2021). Continuous Improvement of Instructional Materials. In  J. K.  McDonald &  R. E. West (Eds.), Design for Learning: Principles, Processes, and Praxis. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/id/continuous_improvement