More than academics
An LMS plus telecommunication platform for Kindergarten schools
EdTech | SaaS | UI/UX Design
Shapes&Tales is an LMS and telecommunication software tailored for Kindergarten schools, easing the transition to virtual learning for young children. It replicates the interactive classroom experience, making online schooling enjoyable. Focused on fostering connections, it offers 'in-between lecture' experiences vital for engagement. It addresses social and developmental needs, combating the isolation caused by Covid-19. Shapes&Tales emerged from the pandemic's challenges, aiming to create a virtual environment prioritizing social interaction and engagement for children.
How might we:
Encourage and provide kids with intangible classroom experiences like developing social interactions, social skills, and non-verbal communication with teachers and other kids.
Research Strategy
The research strategy included primary and secondary research.
Secondary research - Articles and research papers with valid and citable data related to the topic.
Primary research - User interviews, surveys and market research of the existing products, and observation strategy to observe kids during their online schools to learn about their behavior.
Research indicates that young children require an interactive educational format to maintain engagement, a component often lacking in virtual schooling. The absence of social interaction impedes their personal development, preventing the acquisition of social discipline and essential life skills such as communication, teamwork, and empathy. Without exposure to school environments, children struggle to transition from home to formal education settings.
Hypothesis
A pivot in our approach to kindergarten education is needed, prioritizing holistic development over mere academic pursuits. Crafting a virtual environment finely tuned to their requirements is paramount, necessitating intuitiveness, interactivity, and child-centric design. This space should encourage social engagement with both teachers and peers, mirroring the dynamic interaction found in traditional classrooms. By nurturing participation and fostering a sense of community, this approach endeavors to enrich students' learning journey and overall development.
Project Goals
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Develop an intuitive and accessible platform for kids to have a similar experience as in-person schools.
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Focus on the intangible experience for the specific needs of kindergarten kids
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Increase engagement levels of kids in virtual classroom.
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Help kids develop soft social skills and social interaction.
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Minimize the dependency of kids on elders during schooling hours.
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A centralized platform for all schoolwork and links.
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Make it easy for the teacher to keep track of her student’s activities.
Personas
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Competitors
Learning Management Systems
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Popular LMS platforms for K-12 education include Class for Zoom, Google Classroom, LMS365 for Microsoft Teams, Canvas, and Blackboard. Research reveals that younger students have distinct needs, requiring a more interactive and inclusive learning environment compared to older students.
To meet these needs, I intend to collaborate with educational tools such as Khan Academy, Topmarks, and WideOpenSchool platforms. Additionally, I consulted resources like ixl.com and state guidelines for Kindergarten and Pre-school syllabi to ensure the integration of necessary materials into 'Shapes&Tales'.
Journey Map
Storyboard
Shapes&Tales
Product
1. Marketing Website
To introduce the product to the market.
Will provide demos to the school.
Contact information to purchase the software.
2. Teacher Application
A single platform to manage all the classes and other schoolwork.
Every teacher will have a unique login ID to access the software.
3. Student - Parent Application
This will have 2 sections. One for the students where they will attend classes and other will be for parents for all tother school related data like kid's grades, timetable, syllabus, homework, etc.
Site Maps
Marketing Website
Teacher Application
Student - Parent Application
Wireframes
Marketing Website
Teacher Application
Student - Parent Application
Usability Testing
2 rounds of Testing and Iterations:
Wireframes Testing
Final Product Testing
Parents along with Kids
To check if the kids are able to navigate through the website without any parental support.
To see if all the parents requirements related to their child’s schoolwork and submission are fulfilled.
Teachers
To understand if the product is easy for them to use and if it fulfills all their requirements.
Designers
For the final product testing to get a designer’s perspective on the overall design.
Testing Feedback
Make it a tablet application instead of the desktop because it is hard for the kids to use keyboards and the mouse, but they find it easier to use their hands to do the action.
Give details on the screen for the interactions available. No information, causes uncertainty about the action that is needed
Some quotes
"It is a great idea to design a single centralized platform for all the schoolwork and lectures. It eliminates the hassle of managing different class links and applications."
"The parents do not have to set up a class for every single lecture. This saves the parents a lot of time."
"Having access to the syllabus hard copy is helpful as the parents do not have to open the application every time to access that."
Product Branding
Developing a branding strategy that effectively appeals to a diverse range of user groups, including kids, parents, teachers, and businesses, presented a significant challenge. Balancing the need for engaging visuals for children, user-friendly navigation for all parties involved, and a compelling business pitch for school stakeholders was no easy feat.
To tackle this challenge, I opted for a strategic approach that incorporated a combination of vibrant colors paired with muted tones, along with a neutral yet playful font. This helped strike a visual balance that appealed to both children and adults alike.
In designing the various components, I created standard elements for the marketing website, teacher and parent applications, while leveraging imagery and sound to enhance interactivity within the kids' sections, avoiding excessive text in favor of more engaging multimedia elements.
This approach allowed us to create a cohesive branding experience that catered to the unique needs and preferences of each user group, ultimately ensuring a more immersive and enjoyable experience for all involved parties.
Tool Kit
