Aces Education
Aces Education, an educational institution specializing in offering mentorship to students in design, media, communication, and marketing, had to shift their offline lectures to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This move, however, posed a risk to the protection of the client's intellectual property.
My Role
Design Research Leader
User Test
Client Service Management
Tools
Figma/Adobe Illustrator/Google Forms
Client
Aces Education
Team
LYYL Design Studio
Duration
Nov 2023 to Jan 2024
Problem
How might We Increase the Intellectual Property Security for the Client- Aces Education?
Our clients-Aces Education employed us to design a new online course management platform for them as they are facing the risk on their intellectual property. The mentees/student share access to paid educational resources, such as course videos and materials, among themselves. Only one student pays for the course, and then distributes the content to others, to split the costs.
MVP Solutions
Report Video Playing Abnormal
Frequent repetition of a course video could suggest it's being shared with multiple people. Consequently, notifying administration about uncommon viewing patterns can effectively pinpoint and rectify these scenarios.
Report Video Plays Abnormal Prototype
WeChat Login
Given that the majority of Aces Education's clientele are Chinese WeChat users, enforcing WeChat — that necessitates authentic-name sign-in — as the sole login option lets those overseeing the platform to successfully scrutinize actions and boost security.
Login with WeChat Prototype
Video Watermark
Implement a video watermarking solution to prevent unauthorized recording and distribution of content. This watermark will enable Aces Education to trace the source of any leaked videos, ensuring control over how the content is shared and used.
Video with Watermark Prototype
Content
Meet the Users
The primary users of SaaS Web including students of Aces Education, staffs and the mentors. Thus the content of web need to consider the needs, pain point and workflow of three different parties.
Old Aces Education Student Management Web
Student End Main Function - Watch Course Videos
The principal element in the student end showcases a list of course videos. Students view these videos for the course they're enrolled in.
Students End of Old Aces Education Web
Manager End of Old Aces Education Web
Admin End Main Function - Upload Course Video and Check Students' Information
Admin end are adopted by the staffs and mentors, the main functions of manager end including upload videos, monitors students status and enrolled students for the course.
Defining the Product Direction
As the redesign outcome of the web is not only to protect the intellectual property security of clients, but also an opportunities to boost the usability and accessibility for the users - student, staffs and mentors.
I set the goal for redesigning the Aces management web are...
UX Research
Survey and Interview: Conducted a Survey and Interview with total 20+ Students
I conducted the ux research with three key research objective:
The challenges students face during they adopted the online course platform.
The new features students wish to have on their new platform.
The content/information student wish to see at the new platform.
Online research analysis tools
Research data
Staffs/Mentors Interview
Conversely, I dedicated upwards of four hours conversing and interviewing Aces Education's employees and mentors to comprehend the issues they face with the provided management platform.
Interview Notes
Summarized Research Data
Challenges Students Faced
Features Students Want
Insights from the Staffs and Mentors Interview
Final Design Interface - Students End
Course Management
On the student's end, users can manage their one-on-one course, and the off-line course. The aim of the design was to lessen the burden of repetitive meeting coordination tasks on the personnel, allowing them to address other responsibilities more effectively in light of resource constraints.
Students End Course Arrangement Prototype
Calendar/ Timetable
In the schedule, students can schedule meetings with mentors for consultations, individualized lessons, and check the class timetable. This functionality strives to decrease administrative tasks for staffs and mentors.
Student End Timetable Prototype
View and Download Course Elements
An issue voiced by the students was their inability to access the course components via the platform. As a result, we've implemented this feature to enhance usability and accessibility.
Download Course Elements Prototype
Final Design Interface - Admin End
Course Videos Management
There existed multiple varieties of course videos that the administrators and mentors were tasked with managing. The framework we devised included layout and filtering systems to organize these videos and courses, bolstering the workflow of the administrative team and mentors.
Admin End Course Videos Management Prototype
What Challenges Did I Faced during the project Development?
Challenges 1: Business Tradeoff Between Budget and Client’s Expectation
Situation:
Clients wanted to prevent students from recording course videos and requested a feature to either shut down the screen when recording was detected or implement other solutions to stop unauthorized sharing. Additionally, clients hired us to negotiate with development teams and manage the development budget. However, after contacting and negotiating with over 10 development teams, it became clear that implementing the requested feature would exceed the budget.
Solution:
I conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing video protection technologies and their feasibility within the client's budget constraints. Then I offered alternatives solutions for clients:
Suggested implementing watermarking technology to deter unauthorized recording by embedding unique identifiers in the videos, making it easier to trace leaks.
Suggested the tracing the videos played time, and report video playing abnormal features.
Conducted users test, to gain feedbacks and clients indicated the above suggestion would be effectively protect the videos from sharing.
User Test & Iteration
Users Test: Evaluating Two End’s Usability
I invited students, staffs and mentors to participated the users test sections, the users test were hosted in various stage of product development. We also hosted syncs meeting with clients every weeks during the design phases, to collect feedbacks.
Low-fi: Collects feedbacks from the clients, staffs and students. Students end tested with 8+ times, admin end test 4+ times.
Hi-fi: Each users was given the same task sheet with different variants of users interface, to determines usability.
QA Test: In this stage, we are expecting the development team to develop the platform, after the development, I will host a QA test sections to test functionality.
Key Iteration - Admin End
Problem 1: The side bar content and dashboard filter content were repeated, users got confused during the navigation.
Change 1: Simplified the side bar, increase usability, and add filter to help user selected the content.
Key Iteration - Student End
Problem 2: Students only able to download the course elements on the “Course Elements” feature, lack on consideration of consistency.
Change 2: Students can download the course elements when they watch the course videos, increase usability.
Project Success Matrix
The development document was passed to the team of developers in February 2024, with project launch anticipated before September 2024. This project is expected to yield successful results:
Takeaway
Working on the Aces Education project was a valuable experience that taught me:
The importance of effective customer cooperation and the delicate balance between business goals and user needs.
Regular communication and feedback loops were essential in aligning the project’s objectives with their business requirements.
This cooperation ensured that our design addressed their critical issue of intellectual property protection while also delivering a user-friendly platform for students.
