Context
LearnQM provides educational tools to help students intuitively learn the quantum mechanics concepts behind semiconductors. The project is by the Design and Social Interaction Studio at Georgia Tech.
Problem
Quantum Mechanics (QM) and Semiconductor Physics are the foundations taught in core science and engineering courses. Educators face major challenges because of the abstract, non-experiential, and counter-intuitive nature of the key concepts in these areas. Course materials emphasize mathematical formulations rather than conceptual understanding. As a result, students often struggle to develop robust mental models and intuitive grasp of the concepts.
Challenge
How might we create interactive visualizations that teach complex concepts in an intuitive way?
Specific Goals
Create easy to understand yet accurate visual representations.
Redesign the website to be a more cohesive experience.
Create a scalable design system for future team members.
Research
We conducted interviews with the users that asked them to speak aloud their thought process while using the product. The data from the interviews was analyzed using an affinity map. User flow maps and personas were created to empathize with users and their mindsets and pain-points during the whole process of interaction with the product.
Insights from user testing
Colors play a big role in grouping conceptual groups.
Users are overwhelmed when presented too much information and call to action at once.
A student might get more reward out of figuring out information rather than being directly told.
Design Considerations
Ensure colors are accessible to visually impaired and does not detract from understanding the visualizations.
Limit the amount of information and possible interaction introduced per scene.
Encourage users to experiment with visualizations to develop their own understanding.
Design Process
Conceptualizing the designs involved:
sketching designs
making prototypes of the interactions
conducting guerrilla user testing of the visualizations
iteration through both design and development
Website
Conceptualization
Wireframe
Styleguide
Custom Illustrations
Final mockups
What I Learned
Through this project, I’ve come to realize the importance of UX in all kinds of domains, especially education. Through applying user research, we can actually see where students are struggling and find solutions that help them to learn in more holistic and intuitive ways.