My Role
🚀 Led UX research (12 interviews, 164 surveys, 3 focus groups).
🎯 identified pain points and designed solutions.
🤝 Collaborated with teams.
📊 Conducted usability testing.
🛠 Implemented changes with Synergy (Tutora).
Overview
The LMS upgrade aimed to enhance the learning experience by improving usability, navigation, and accessibility for learners, managers, and course creators.
What is the problem?
Built in 2011, the site’s outdated UI and numerous usability issues created a stark contrast to modern user expectations, highlighting the urgent need for a complete redesign.
Emphasise: Understanding users
- Conducted 12 usability interviews with learners, managers, course creators, and administrators.
- Surveyed 164 staff members to gather insights.
- 3 Focus groups (IT, L&D, Regional L&D Advisors based in APAC, ROA, MEESA, WACA).
- Identified pain points in navigation, reporting, and accessibility.
Define: Key Problems
Multiple data sources helped us identify core user challenges and opportunities for improvement.
- Complex navigation made it difficult to find courses.
- Managers struggled to track learner progress due to unfiltered reports.
- Outdated UI made engagement low.
- Course creation was inefficient for course creators.
Ideate: Proposed Solutions
- For Learners: Simplified dashboard, clear course distinctions, faster performance, self-paced learning paths.
- For Managers: Real-time tracking, customisable reports, automatic reminders, easy access to team progress.
- For Content Creators: Advanced tools for interactive content, flexible course design, multilingual support.
- For Regional HR Managers: Centralised training data, HRIS integration, real-time tracking, enhanced coordination.
Design: Before and after Screens
I played a key role in every stage of the process, from selecting the Spark theme to designing and conducting thorough testing. The project successfully launched in early December. Below, you can explore the before-and-after screens for a visual comparison. For a more in-depth look, read the full case study.
Test: Usability Testing Results
Notable Improvements
- Learners improved in accessing training and tracking progress.
- Managers found progress monitoring easier but still struggle to locate essential training.
Ongoing Challenges
- Learners continue to have difficulty finding relevant courses.
- Managers saw only slight improvements in accessing required training and deadlines.
- Course creators faced more difficulty identifying relevant courses, likely due to issues with search and catalog functions, which remain slow and ineffective.
Final Impact
- The site is more visually engaging and on-brand, enhancing the user experience and improving engagement by 58%.
- The LMS is now simpler to upgrade and scalable.
- Dashboards are cleaner, reducing clicks.
User Feedback & Testimonials
💬 User Feedback:
📝 Content Creator:
“The previous one was good. This one is great! It looks nice and feels faster.”
📖 Learner:
“Plan Academy was long overdue for a refresh. Now it feels modern and fresh, sending a strong message about investing in people.”
🌍 Country HR Manager:
“It’s a good step forward. Country offices are not usually consulted, so I’m genuinely happy to have had this opportunity to provide feedback.”
Learnings and whats next?
- 80/20 Principle: The Best Way Forward in Time-Challenged Projects
- User research shapes impactful changes.
- Iterative testing improves adoption.
- Clear communication drives success.
What’s Next?
Next Steps & Future Enhancements (Ongoing in FY25)
- User Survey II – Gathering feedback to measure which improvements have been successful and identify areas that still need work.
- Search Functionality Improvements- Addressing a major issue flagged in Usability Testing II to enhance search efficiency.
- Help Centre Expansion – Introducing a dedicated FAQs page for better self-service support.
- Continued Content Creator Support – Ensuring content teams maximize the new Totara platform through training and workshops.
Long-Term Vision
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- Continuous iteration on search & catalog features based on evolving user needs.
- Leveraging user data insights to refine learning experiences.
- Ensuring the LMS remains scalable, accessible, and aligned with organizational goals.