RIT MyCourses
RIT MyCourses
An online platform for course materials, assignments, and communication.
An online platform for course materials, assignments, and communication.
Overview
Overview
The RIT myCourses portal struggled with usability, necessitating a redesign to enhance key user experiences. Our professor tasked us with improving assignment submissions and communication between students and professors.
I conducted extensive user research to identify pain points and designed improved user flows using Figma. The new interface incorporates high-fidelity screens and micro-animations to create smoother, more intuitive interactions.
The RIT myCourses portal struggled with usability, necessitating a redesign to enhance key user experiences. Our professor tasked us with improving assignment submissions and communication between students and professors.
I conducted extensive user research to identify pain points and designed improved user flows using Figma. The new interface incorporates high-fidelity screens and micro-animations to create smoother, more intuitive interactions.
Role
Researcher and Designer
Role
Researcher and Designer
Type
UX Case Study
Timeline
3 months
Timeline
3 months
Problem
Problem
The RIT myCourses portal faced significant usability issues, necessitating a redesign to improve core functionality. The focus was on enhancing assignment submission and streamlining communication between students and professors.
The RIT myCourses portal faced significant usability issues, necessitating a redesign to improve core functionality. The focus was on enhancing assignment submission and streamlining communication between students and professors.
Solution
Solution
The redesigned RIT MyCourses portal improves usability and core functionality by simplifying assignment submission and streamlining student-professor communication. A faster, more intuitive email feature enhances direct interaction, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience.
The redesigned RIT MyCourses portal improves usability and core functionality by simplifying assignment submission and streamlining student-professor communication. A faster, more intuitive email feature enhances direct interaction, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience.
Research
Research
The project began with extensive research to gain insights into the user experience of myCourses. I evaluated the existing site structure and interaction flows, followed by conducting a user survey targeting both students and faculty. After analyzing survey data, I conducted in-depth interviews with a group of students to understand their usage patterns and pain points. These findings formed the foundation for identifying key areas of improvement in the platform's usability.
The project began with extensive research to gain insights into the user experience of myCourses. I evaluated the existing site structure and interaction flows, followed by conducting a user survey targeting both students and faculty. After analyzing survey data, I conducted in-depth interviews with a group of students to understand their usage patterns and pain points. These findings formed the foundation for identifying key areas of improvement in the platform's usability.
User Insights and key challenges
User Insights and key challenges
Submitting assignments is incredibly frustrating due to the overwhelming number of steps involved in the process.
Submitting assignments is incredibly frustrating due to the overwhelming number of steps involved in the process.
Communicating with professors is challenging and often feels inefficient or unclear.
Communicating with professors is challenging and often feels inefficient or unclear.
The overall user interface is excessively cluttered, making it difficult to navigate and understand.
The overall user interface is excessively cluttered, making it difficult to navigate and understand.
70% - Students are frustrated with the current flow of assignment submission.
70% - Students are frustrated with the current flow of assignment submission.
50% - Users struggle to communicate online with students/professors.
50% - Users struggle to communicate online with students/professors.
60% - Find it tough to find course content due to poor organization.
60% - Find it tough to find course content due to poor organization.
User quotes from interviews
User quotes from interviews
“The communication system between students and professors is outdated, requiring too many unnecessary steps.”
“The communication system between students and professors is outdated, requiring too many unnecessary steps.”
“The assignment submission process is cumbersome, leading to frustration and inefficiencies for students. Also hard to track deadlines.”
“The assignment submission process is cumbersome, leading to frustration and inefficiencies for students. Also hard to track deadlines.”
Users on Reddit
Users on Reddit
Goals
Goals
Simplify Submissions
Simplify Submissions
Ease Communication
Ease Communication
Uncluttered UI
Uncluttered UI
Solution one - Effortless assignment submission
Solution one - Effortless assignment submission
The redesigned assignment submission flow is more intuitive and efficient. A structured card layout improves organization, the "Submit Now" button enhances usability, and the improved upload box supports multiple formats. A clear success message ensures transparency and user confidence.
The redesigned assignment submission flow is more intuitive and efficient. A structured card layout improves organization, the "Submit Now" button enhances usability, and the improved upload box supports multiple formats. A clear success message ensures transparency and user confidence.
Solution Two - Seamless student-professor communication
Solution Two - Seamless student-professor communication
The new professor messaging flow is simpler and more efficient. A "Message Professor" button opens a minimalist message box, reducing steps. User-friendly buttons and positive feedback make communication faster and more supportive.
The new professor messaging flow is simpler and more efficient. A "Message Professor" button opens a minimalist message box, reducing steps. User-friendly buttons and positive feedback make communication faster and more supportive.
Optimized Components
2
2
3
3
1
1
4
4
1. Card layout
1. Card layout
2. Clear Deadline
2. Clear Deadline
3. Submit Button
3. Submit Button
4. Grades Tracking
4. Grades Tracking
Card Layout - The layout is more structured, visually clear, and user-friendly, ensuring a seamless workflow for assignment management and grade tracking
Card Layout - The layout is more structured, visually clear, and user-friendly, ensuring a seamless workflow for assignment management and grade tracking
Clear Deadline - The design makes deadlines clear, urgent, and easy to find, reducing confusion and the risk of missed submissions—a major improvement over MyCourses' less intuitive display.
Clear Deadline - The design makes deadlines clear, urgent, and easy to find, reducing confusion and the risk of missed submissions—a major improvement over MyCourses' less intuitive display.
Submit Button - Makes submission faster, clearer, and more intuitive, reducing user frustration and ensuring assignments are turned in on time.
Submit Button - Makes submission faster, clearer, and more intuitive, reducing user frustration and ensuring assignments are turned in on time.
Grades Tracking Card - Makes grades and feedback instantly accessible, reducing navigation effort and improving student engagement with their academic progress.
Grades Tracking Card - Makes grades and feedback instantly accessible, reducing navigation effort and improving student engagement with their academic progress.
5
6
7
5
6
7
5. Proper brief
5. Proper brief
6. New Dropbox
6. New Dropbox
7. Upload button
7. Upload button
Project Brief - Assignment instructions more digestible, scannable, and actionable, reducing confusion and ensuring students stay on track.
Project Brief - Assignment instructions more digestible, scannable, and actionable, reducing confusion and ensuring students stay on track.
New Dropbox - Dropbox design is more versatile, intuitive, and efficient, allowing students to upload multiple file formats effortlessly in a modern, streamlined interface.
New Dropbox - Dropbox design is more versatile, intuitive, and efficient, allowing students to upload multiple file formats effortlessly in a modern, streamlined interface.
Upload Button - The button makes submission clear, quick, and effortless, improving usability and reducing friction in the assignment upload process.
Upload Button - The button makes submission clear, quick, and effortless, improving usability and reducing friction in the assignment upload process.
How did it go?
How did it go?
Redesigning myCourses was a rewarding challenge, leading to a solution that was appreciated by my professor and classmates.
Redesigning myCourses was a rewarding challenge, leading to a solution that was appreciated by my professor and classmates.
I developed a complete design system, including a new lading page, core pages, and micro-interactions.
I developed a complete design system, including a new lading page, core pages, and micro-interactions.
Future plans include improving the end-of-semester experiences and supporting students facing academic challenges.
Future plans include improving the end-of-semester experiences and supporting students facing academic challenges.