Coursera
Timeframe: January 2024 - March 2024
My Role: Product Researcher
Team: 4 Product Researchers and myself
Methods: Design Brief & Competitive Analysis, User Research, Personas, Scenarios, User Flows, and Heuristic Evaluation
Tools: Google Docs, Excel, Qualtrics, Zoom
BACKGROUND
Coursera serves as a prominent player within the global online learning platform industry, offering a multitude of courses and programs for its users. With a mission to “transform their [users] lives through learning,” Coursera has fostered a substantial user base. To ensure the continued success and user satisfaction, it’s imperative to assess how Coursera is meeting its users’ needs. This case study aims to dive into various aspects of Coursera’s website, evaluating strengths and weaknesses in its usability and utility. By examining these indicators, we can identify areas of improvement and opportunities for Coursera to enhance its website to better meet its respective users’ needs.
I collaborated with a team of five product researchers, where my primary role involved gathering information and data on the Employers/Organizations user type. Additionally, I conducted comprehensive competitor research, focusing particularly on LinkedIn Learning.
METHODOLOGY
Competitive Analysis
Together we created usability and utility indicators to assess global online learning platforms. Each team member analyzed a specific platform using these indicators, producing data on a scale from 1 to 10. Findings were compared through a collaborative spreadsheet, aiming to identify improvement areas for Coursera, our main site.
User Research
Our comprehensive user research was dedicated to gaining profound insights into the diverse user base of Coursera, encompassing students, professionals, educators, employers or organizations, and lifelong learners. At the forefront of our efforts was the objective of determining the motivations, goals, needs, behaviors, expectations, perceptions, and challenges inherent in users' interactions with Coursera’s website. To achieve this, we conducted a user survey administered through Qualtrics, semi-formal user interviews, and user observations. Through these methods, we aimed to capture a holistic understanding of user experiences and perspectives, enabling us to identify areas for improvement and optimization within the Coursera platform.
View User Research Report (Survey) | View User Research Report (Interview/Observation)
User Modeling
Our group identified relevant behavioral variables, significant behavior patterns, and synthesized characteristics and goals for each user type of the system. Individually, we created a user persona representing an archetype of our intended users, followed by a scenario illustrating contextual details of their website usage. Then, we developed user flow diagrams depicting the current and improved system usage for the scenario. Finally, in a short report, we analyzed and discussed our work, providing insights into the rationale behind our decisions and their implications. The user-centered approach taken in crafting the persona, scenario, and user flow aims to guide the website redesign process effectively by understanding and addressing the needs and preferences of the intended users.
User Scenario
James, a 51-year-old Chief Technology Officer at Home Squared, is deeply immersed in the world of technology. Balancing his leadership role with his personal interests, he juggles staying updated on industry trends while enjoying quality time with his family and catching football games. With a wealth of experience in the tech sector, James is committed to driving innovation within his company, ensuring that Home Squared remains at the forefront of home security solutions in the USA. Lately, he's been contemplating the need for a platform that can foster knowledge growth among his employees, recognizing the importance of continuous learning in a rapidly evolving field. Whether he's attending industry conferences, diving into the latest tech publications, or leading his team in brainstorming sessions, James is dedicated to pushing boundaries and staying ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
Heuristic Evaluation
The heuristic evaluation of Coursera aimed to assess its design critically and generate requirements for substantial changes or a complete redesign. Two passes were conducted, identifying violations of Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics and Don Norman’s principles. The most common violations were related to navigation and information architecture, as well as aesthetic and minimalist design, leading to content overload and navigation difficulties.
Based on diverse user perspectives, including educators, professionals, lifelong learners, and employers/organizations, recommendations were provided to address issues such as inclusivity, aesthetic design, search functionality, and task orientation. Key insights highlighted the need for improvements in accessibility, visual design, search functionality, and navigational discoverability.
The evaluation uncovered critical issues like lack of inclusivity, cluttered design, inefficient search functionality, and barriers to exploration, affecting user control and freedom. Recommendations included implementing accessibility features, decluttering the homepage, improving search functionality, and facilitating user exploration.
By addressing these recommendations, Coursera can enhance user experience, accessibility, and inclusivity, ensuring a seamless learning environment for its diverse user base. Continuous testing, feedback collection, and iterative improvements are crucial to maintaining a user-centric approach and solidifying Coursera's position as a leading online education platform.