Blackboard UI Redesign
Creating a universal experience for students and faculty alike.
Duration
Jan - May 2025
Team
Leecy Cruz
Thomas Nichols
Tessa Le
Caitlin Pichette
Group Tasks
User Research
Interviews
Solo Tasks
Heuristic Evaluation
Tools
Figma (presentation visuals)
The Problem
Blackboard lacks a standardized course layout. Since each professor structures their course differently, this often leads to confusion and difficulty navigating course materials. On the back end, professors who are less comfortable with technology often struggle with setting up courses due to Blackboard’s customization interface. In addition, Blackboard’s visual design is often perceived as outdated and unappealing to students.
Experience Map
User Research + Interviews
To gather information about our users, we conducted a survey as well as scheduled interviews. Our survey consisted of 20 questions and was shared among the class and via social media. For our interviews, each group member invited 1-2 people to do live interviews over zoom about their experiences using Blackboard.
Persona
Meet Franklin, a Biology major at Lesley! Like many college students, he often struggles navigating through his courses on Blackboard. Each of Franklin’s professors has set up their course page differently, which often leads to him spending extra time trying to find specific pages.
