Streamlining Timed Math Tests
ASU Math Facts is a web app to make timed math assessments easier to deliver and track for an elementary school.
Problem
Teachers spent a long time gathering and reviewing the results of paper-based timed math assessments.
Solution
Designed a web app that captures the data as students take an assessment and then sends the results to the teacher in a format that is easy for them to see progress and share with parents.
My Role:
Lead UX Designer (research, UX design, visual design)
Methods:
User observation, Stakeholder interviews, Secondary research, Journey mapping, User flows, Wireframes, Usability testing, Co-design, UI design
Tools:
Paper and Pens, Figma, Figma Mirror, Adobe Illustrator, Google Suite, ASU Brand Guide
Partners:
Junior UX Designer, Front-end Developer, Backend Development Team
Research
- Observed classrooms of students using paper tests and using math apps on tablets
- Interviewed 1st and 4th grade teachers and a STEM specialist
- Competitive analysis of math practice apps and classroom apps
- Secondary research of articles on learning design for kids and math anxiety
Observing students in the classroom showed us how adept they are at using tablets independently.
We also learned how quickly the math tests are over (2–3 minutes).
Journey Mapping
The journey map of the current process shows a lot of time spent before and after the timed test, which is only about 2 minutes. It takes 4–5 days to get results.
The ideal journey map shows the time teachers will when they can get the results immediately through our app.
User Flows & Information Architecture
Flows were planned for different users (teachers and students) and different tasks (onboarding, practice session, assessment, progress tracking, etc). We reviewed the flows with frontend and backend development teams at this point to make sure we were planning for technical constraints. Collaborating with developers helped us think about what data needed to be collected at each step of the flows.
Wireframes & Prototype
Mid-fidelity wireframes of the student flows were created in Figma. They show the content and hierarchy for each screen.
The wireframes were then turned into a clickable prototype for usability testing.
Usability Testing
We tested the prototype on an iPad with 10-year-olds. I wrote the test plan and moderated the tests, while my design partner took notes.
We learned what they expected to happen at each step, which icons they understood, and how they reacted to tracking their progress.
Co-Design
We collaborated on features and design ideas with the 10-year-olds. Their input was helpful with labels and terminology.
Visual Design
The next phase of the project will cover visual design.
The product is being custom made for ASU’s Preparatory Academy, so Arizona State University branding will be applied.
Number characters will be added for a more engaging kid experience (credit: Freepik.com).
“You listened to everything we said. I can see you incorporated it all and so much more.”
Mrs. Caviness,
First Grade Teacher, ASU Preparatory Polytechnic STEM Academy
Anika’s Advice
Observing users in their environment for even 10 minutes can provide more information than days of reading research articles.