Creating and Evaluating a Goal Setting Prototype for MOOCs

This case study focuses on the design and evaluation of a goal setting web application for use in online courses. Our process included background research, competitive analysis, internal feature brainstorming, persona creation, a Lightning Decision Jam, and high-fidelity prototyping [2]. We assessed our design using e-Learning System Evaluations and usability tests [1]. Key takeaways include: (a) the Lightning Decision Jam is an engaging, inclusive, and helpful exercise for narrowing down a project's scope; (b) e-Learning System Evaluations elicit more detailed feedback than usability tests, but they may not be well-suited for testing prototypes with limited functionality; and (c) the conversational nature of usability tests may lead to more ideas for new features, but these tests do not give participants the opportunity to think deeply before providing feedback. These findings have implications for user experience designers and researchers, as well as those interested in new brainstorming and system evaluation methods.