My Role

As the sole designer for this project, I assumed the responsibility of leading the design of Refactored AI from January 2018 onwards. I worked closely with stakeholders and leaders of the development team to establish the product vision and design direction.

User Insights & Ideation

In close collaboration with project managers and the tech lead, I engaged in a collective effort to discover valuable insights and transform conceptual ideas into user-centric features that effectively cater to user needs and behaviors.

Strategy & Vision

I took charge of driving the product design and vision, working in partnership with the tech lead to evaluate the feasibility of the development process while ensuring that user and business objectives were effectively achieved.

Planning & Scope Definition

In collaboration with project managers and the tech lead, I played a key role in defining the product. Together, we conducted prioritization exercises and engaged in negotiations to determine the essential features and technology stack for the production phase.

Design Execution

I took the initiative to create user flows and prototypes, which proved instrumental in outlining the flow and user journey for the development team. Additionally, I meticulously designed the high-fidelity UI, adhering to the proposed brand styling and guidelines. To facilitate seamless collaboration, I utilized Sketch to prepare the design files and InVision for efficient design handoff to the development team. Throughout the development process, I actively collaborated with the team to ensure quality assurance and successful product deployment.

Leadership

From the inception to the deployment of this project, I assumed a leadership role and took charge of every stage. I fostered a close collaboration with the development team, consistently offering valuable feedback, and guidance, ensuring the overall quality of the design and functionality of the build. I personally designed the user interface and delivered compelling presentations to gain support and approval from project managers and stakeholders, effectively engaging them throughout the entire project lifecycle.

Refactored AI: A Journey of Empowerment

In today's ever-evolving job market, the demand for skilled professionals in data analytics and data science is skyrocketing. To empower individuals seeking career advancement in these fields, Colaberry launched “Refactored AI”, an AI-powered, interactive learning platform providing on-demand learning opportunities.

Problem

The surge in AI and automation has increased the demand for skilled data analysts. Enterprises seek these experts for digital transformation, pushing individuals to reskill. Under-resourced communities in the US face barriers to learning and job quality. Despite challenges, the pandemic-driven digital disruption offers a unique opportunity for change.

Meeting Challenges Head-On

Our primary challenge was developing an intuitive user experience for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those with limited technical proficiency. We aimed to bridge the digital divide by ensuring accessibility, user-friendliness, and clear instructions. Another challenge was integrating the learning component with our hiring platform seamlessly, creating a cohesive end-to-end solution.

A Comprehensive Solution

Develop and construct a platform that facilitates the reskilling, upskilling, and readiness of individuals for emerging job opportunities in the fields of Data Analytics & Data Science. Establish an ecosystem centered around "jobs," where individuals can acquire sought-after skills and simultaneously explore job opportunities. This platform will serve as a network connecting enterprises and organizations with a pool of data experts, enabling them to either enhance the skills of their current workforce or identify new talent for their specific needs.

User-Driven Insights

Understanding Needs & Business Requirements

In response to Colaberry's existing in-house learning management system, Refactored was conceived to modernize technology and enhance user experience. Key requirements included self-paced learning for individuals and employers in emerging technologies. Recognizing the demand for comprehensive training in data analytics and data science, along with job placement support, we aimed to create an end-to-end solution empowering individuals to acquire training and secure employment opportunities seamlessly.

User Interviews: Interviews revealed that 85% of respondents preferred self-paced learning to traditional classroom settings. They also expressed a strong desire for interactive and engaging learning materials.

Surveys: Survey results showed that 70% of respondents were looking to advance their careers in data analytics or data science, with 60% citing lack of access to quality education as a barrier.

Key Insights:

1. Learning Support: Our students express the need for a platform that accommodates their preferred learning style, allowing them to learn at their own pace or engage with instructors for a guided learning experience.

2. Flexibility for Employers: Employers emphasize the importance of flexibility when upskilling or reskilling their workforce. They seek a solution that offers customizable curriculum options, and robust tracking and reporting capabilities, enabling them to tailor the learning experience to their specific needs.

3. Integration with Hire.Refactored: Students and business stakeholders alike desire a seamless connection between the learning platform and the job marketplace, allowing for a smooth transition from learning to job placement.

4. Specialization in Data Analytics & Data Science: Stakeholders and employers express the need for a platform that concentrates exclusively on these domains, providing specialized resources and comprehensive learning materials in these areas.

Analyzing The Existing Learning Management System (LMS) & User Experiences: Insights & Observations

To understand the components needed for the new platform, I analyzed the existing learning management system (LMS), aiming to identify successful aspects and areas needing improvement in user experience. I conducted observation sessions with students, observing their interactions during onboarding and learning. I also enrolled in the course as a student to gain a firsthand perspective and assess the application comprehensively.

Observation Notes: Common pain points observed included difficulty in accessing course materials on mobile devices and confusion around progress tracking features.

Task Completion Rates: Analysis showed that completion rates were highest for short quizzes and interactive exercises, but dropped significantly for longer lectures or readings.

User Feedback Analysis: User feedback indicated a high demand for more hands-on projects and real-world applications in the curriculum.

Key Insights:

1. Mobile-Friendly Demand: A key insight from our students is the strong desire for a mobile-friendly platform. They express the need to access and track their progress, and grades, and work on projects conveniently from their phones during work breaks.

2. User-Friendly Concerns: Our students have highlighted the lack of user-friendliness in the legacy platform. They experience significant repetitiveness in accomplishing tasks and find the platform instruction-heavy, likely compensating for a poor user experience.

3. Performance Issues: The current platform, built on the .Net framework, exhibits sluggishness in processing and loading, causing frustration among our users.

4. Enrollment Bottleneck: Our findings indicate a significant bottleneck in the enrollment process. Many students have reported the need for extensive support and guidance from our admissions and support teams, leading to delays and complications.

Creation of User Personas For Data-Driven Insights

User personas were crucial in understanding our target audience and their needs. By analyzing data from observation sessions, onboarding experiences, and personal immersion, I identified common patterns among users. This informed the development of user personas representing distinct segments within our audience.

Analyzing the data and creating user personas provided insights into user needs, preferences, and pain points. This informed decisions about the design and features of the new platform, leading to a more user-centric and intuitive design. This approach improved user experience, satisfaction, and engagement with the platform.

Key Insights:

• Global Diversity: A significant 92% of our student body comprises individuals who originated from countries other than the United States but have since become citizens or are currently residing on visas.

• Texas Residence: An impressive 87% of our students are based in Texas, largely attributed to the robust network of word-of-mouth referrals from our satisfied past students and successful graduates.

• Career Transitioners: A remarkable 93% of our students come from diverse professional backgrounds, seeking to embark on a career transition into the field of technology and related domains.

• IT Novices: Strikingly, 89% of our students have no prior background or experience in the field of Information Technology (IT), making their journey with us a remarkable testament to their dedication and willingness to learn.

Competitive Analysis For Informed Decision-Making

I conducted a competitive analysis to understand the market landscape and competitors' offerings. By evaluating key players like DataCamp, Dataquest, The Data Incubator, and Editera, I identified their strengths, weaknesses, and unique value propositions. This analysis informed our decision-making process, helping us identify opportunities for differentiation and design features that set us apart. By benchmarking against competitors, we positioned our platform to excel in key areas and leverage our unique value proposition, ensuring a compelling offering for our target audience.

Key Insights:

1. Competitor Features Matrix: DataCamp and Dataquest were found to have the most comprehensive course offerings, while The Data Incubator excelled in providing personalized learning experiences.

2. User Reviews Analysis: Positive user reviews for Editera praised its affordability and flexibility, but highlighted a lack of advanced courses compared to other platforms.

3. Market Share Analysis: DataCamp was found to have the largest market share, followed by Dataquest, indicating a highly competitive market.

Design

Content Strategy & Curriculum Design

In developing the learning features, I closely collaborated with our Data Science team to ensure an effective content strategy and curriculum design. While the Data Science team led the creation of the comprehensive curriculum and content, my role focused on organizing the curriculum for optimal presentation on the platform.

Together, we deconstructed the content and organized it into formats such as instructor-led sessions and self-paced learning modules. Our goal was to provide a cohesive learning experience in Data Analytics and Data Science, aligning the curriculum with the platform's capabilities and user needs. This collaboration merged instructional design, curriculum development, and platform functionality expertise, ensuring the content was engaging and adaptable to different learning styles. Overall, our joint efforts enabled the platform to deliver a cohesive and effective learning experience.

Collaborative Design Iterations & Feedback

During this phase, I collaborated closely with stakeholders and the development team to gather feedback and insights. Through collaborative discussions and design reviews, we evaluated different design concepts for feasibility and effectiveness. The feedback helped shape the design direction, ensuring alignment with the project's vision.

We began with organized whiteboarding sessions to generate various design concepts and ideas. These sketches served as a visual representation of our ideas, allowing us to explore layouts, information architecture, and user flows. Rapidly sketching multiple iterations enabled us to refine our ideas efficiently.

Embracing the iterative nature of sketching, I refined the design concepts quickly before moving to more detailed design stages. This approach allowed me to explore design possibilities, identify usability issues early on, and gather feedback from stakeholders and potential users.

Sketches

Wireframes

Human Skills Development - Empowering Learners Through Colaberry’s Video Feedback Service

Colaberry is committed to democratizing tech education and providing opportunities to marginalized populations worldwide. Our diverse student community includes individuals from 45 countries, including veterans, minorities, women, refugees, immigrants, young adults, career transitioners, and PhDs. Despite this diversity, our community faces the common challenge of navigating the job market in a non-native language with limited communication abilities.

To address this challenge, we developed a platform that allows students to record videos presenting newly learned concepts. This activity helps solidify their knowledge and improve their communication skills. After recording, users receive feedback from mentors and peers, enhancing their job-ready skills and confidence.

As the program expanded, scaling this service became a priority. Our data science, design, and engineering teams collaborated to create an AI-driven platform that provides on-demand feedback, empowering mentors with nuanced insights to guide their mentees effectively.

Through these efforts, Colaberry continues to create an inclusive learning environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds can acquire tech skills, gain confidence, and enhance their employability. The combination of video-based skill presentation and AI-powered feedback enhances the learning experience, fostering personal and professional growth for our students.

Colaberry’s Artificial Intelligence Video Feedback Service (CAI VFS)- Enhancing Communication Skills with AI

The Colaberry Artificial Intelligence Video Feedback Service (CAI VFS) uses advanced technology, including emotion and facial detection, and speech-to-text systems to enhance learners' communication skills. It provides feedback on two video metrics and two audio metrics, offering a comprehensive assessment.

The video metrics focus on non-verbal communication. The facial expression metric evaluates the learner's ability to convey a friendly expression, crucial for effective communication. The head pose metric assesses their positioning and eye contact, particularly useful for video interviews and conversations.

The audio metrics aim to improve speech patterns. The speech rate metric measures words spoken per minute, impacting communication effectiveness. The number and duration of pauses metric helps speakers collect their thoughts and deliver ideas confidently.

By analyzing these metrics, CAI VFS helps learners improve their communication skills comprehensively. It enables them to develop non-verbal communication, regulate speech rate, and master effective pausing, fostering proficiency and confidence in professional settings.

Transformation Through Video Feedback: Boosting Learner Confidence & Employability

Each week, our learners complete video assignments where they explain learned concepts, receiving feedback from the Colaberry AI Video Feedback Service (VFS). This AI-driven tool provides valuable feedback on their speech and presentation, significantly boosting their confidence for interviews. Many learners receive job offers after just two interviews, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach. Witness the transformative impact of our video feedback system below, showcasing learners' growth and development.

Unlocking Your Communication Potential with Colaberry AI Video Feedback Service (CAI VFS)

At Refactored, we've integrated the advanced Colaberry AI Video Feedback Service (CAI VFS) into our platform to enhance your communication skills. Using cutting-edge machine learning, CAI VFS provides detailed feedback on your facial expressions, head pose, speech rate, voiced ratio, and filler word rate. This tool helps you improve your non-verbal communication and speech delivery, ensuring you can communicate effectively and confidently. With CAI VFS, you'll receive a full transcription of your video, giving you a comprehensive overview of your presentation. Explore how CAI VFS can transform your communication skills and boost your success.

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Designs