Microsoft Teams UX Research Project
A UX Research Project to Improve Microsoft Teams Usability for Remote Learning
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Project Type: College-Based Group Project
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Timeline: 6 Weeks
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Role: UX Researcher
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Tools: Surveys, Interviews, Comparative Analysis
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Target Audience: St. Lawrence College students
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Target Audience:
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The research focused on understanding the needs of the following group:
Students
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Motivations: Access learning resources, collaborate effectively, and manage assignments efficiently.
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Challenges: Difficulty navigating the platform, limited interaction with peers, and inconsistent scheduling tools.
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This project focuses on evaluating Microsoft Teams as a collaborative tool for remote learning. The goal is to identify usability challenges and provide actionable recommendations to improve student engagement and accessibility.
My Role and Responsibilities
Role: UX Researcher
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My Responsibilities
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Conducted in-depth interviews with students to understand their experiences with Microsoft Teams.
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Designed and distributed surveys to gather quantitative insights on usability challenges.
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Performed a heuristic evaluation to identify issues in navigation, task management, and communication features.
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Analyzed competitor tools (Zoom, Google Meet) to compare functionality and usability.
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Synthesized research findings into actionable recommendations for improved user engagement.
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Collaborated with the team to deliver a comprehensive presentation and report to stakeholders.
Goal of the Project
To optimize Microsoft Teams for enhanced student engagement, effective remote learning, and improved accessibility in educational environments.
Project Phases
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1. Research & Insights
Interviews:
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Conducted interviews with four student participants to gather qualitative data.
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Key Insight: Navigation issues and limited interaction features reduced the effectiveness of the platform.
Interview Findings:
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Surveys:
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Designed and distributed surveys targeting students, yielding insights into usability and satisfaction levels.
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Key Finding: Most users preferred Microsoft Teams over competitors but highlighted challenges with the interface and scheduling.
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Survey insights:
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Comparative Analysis:
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Evaluated Zoom and Google Meet to understand their strengths and weaknesses in comparison to Teams.
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Insight: Teams excelled in calendar integration but lagged in user-friendly design.
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2. Analysis & Ideation
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Created an affinity diagram to organize insights and prioritize pain points.
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Developed a comparative matrix to benchmark features against competitor tools.
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Collaborated on sketches to visualize possible interface improvements.
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3. Recommendations
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Based on research insights, the following recommendations were made:
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Simplify Navigation: Reorganize menus to prioritize commonly used features like meetings and assignments.
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Improve Collaboration Tools: Enhance chat functionalities and streamline breakout room setups for group tasks.
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Data Security: Strengthen features to address user concerns about privacy and shared data security.
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Enhanced Training: Provide more intuitive onboarding materials for new users.
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Interface Refinements: Redesign the calendar and assignment management tools for better usability.
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Key Learnings
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User-Centered Research: Engaging with real users provided actionable insights that might not have been identified otherwise.
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Comparative Analysis Value: Evaluating competitors highlighted gaps and opportunities for improvement.
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Collaboration: Working as part of a team strengthened problem-solving and communication skills.
Affinity Diagram: Synthesizing User Pain Points and Insights
The affinity diagram organizes user feedback from interviews and surveys, highlighting key challenges such as navigation confusion, limited collaboration features, and scheduling inefficiencies. This process helped prioritize pain points for actionable recommendations.
Research Highlights
Sketches
Based on the research here is the Sketches providing recommendations & suggestions :
Contact
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