Elevate
Overview
Designing a 0-to-1 multi-layered eLearning assignment with skills tracking development
Instructors wanted an online assignment that teaches in stages — breaking complex assignments into structured steps with guided practice and feedback. This scaffolded learning approach is proven in classrooms, but no online platform existed to support it at scale.
At the same time, as AI reshapes how students learn, institutions are placing greater pressure on instructors to track and report on critical skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication — but no existing tool supports this.
This project focused on designing a scaffolded online assignment that guides students through complex material in stages while giving instructors clear visibility into how students are developing critical skills.
MY ROLE
UX/UI Designer
PLATFORM
E-Learning Platform
TIMELINE
Oct 2022 - June 2025
Impact
The Problem
Instructors had no online tools to teach in stages or track critical skills
Our 2022 survey revealed instructors needed two things that existing platforms didn't offer: tools to break assignments into structured, manageable steps, and the ability to track and report on how students were developing critical skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing.
The design challenge wasn't just about individual screens — it was about how the assignment felt as a whole. Students needed to know what to do, how to progress, and how their work was being evaluated. Instructors needed grading clarity and visibility into how students were developing skills over time.
The goal
Design a product that guides students through a single assignment in three clear phases while giving instructors full visibility into progress and skill development.
Research & Audit
Multi-year research to validate demand and refine product
Conducted multi-year research with 460+ participants across 4 phases to validate market demand and refine the product:
Initial Elevate Wireframe rated by Instructors
Low-Fidelity Prototype tested by Students
Final-High Fidelity Prototype
Initial Survey
2023
I surveyed 250+ instructors to understand how they were using Scaffolded Learning in their classroom and what they liked most about this method. 44% of instructors were interested in scaffolded learning and expressed interest in a tool that would allow them to use this method. We also learned that instructors wanted help breaking content into manageable chunks, tracking student skill development, and making grading more transparent.
Based on these insights, I built 2 prototypes with different scaffolded learning approaches to test among instructors.
Qualitative Validation
2023
I interviewed 7 instructors to test our 2 prototypes, Elevate and Seagull Skills, to learn which scaffolded learning approach was preferred. Elevate was the clear favorite. Instructors specifically loved the gamification, workspace features, and assignment structure.
With this feedback I designed Elevate into a high-fidelity prototype to test with students.
Usability Testing
2024
Conducted usability tests with 8 college students to gather information on the prototype's usability and feedback on key features. I learned that students loved the scaffolded structure and gamification, but struggled to understand the assignment flow, grading transparency, and how to master critical skills.
Based on this feedback I redesigned the assignment homepage and improved how grading and critical skill were communicated. After implementing design updates, we created the final demo-ready prototype.
Follow-up Survey
2025
I surveyed 205 instructors to see how scaffolded learning methods had changed since our 2023 survey and learn more about how critical skills are tracked. I found that scaffolded learning usage had grown 35%. Additionally, 52% of schools now require critical skills reporting, with another 24% encouraging it. This confirmed we were building something schools actually needed, not just wanted.
"I like it. It's structured in a way that makes sense. Get Started, Lesson 1, Lesson 2, Lesson 3, and onto the Graded Assignment. I think it flows very well."
Elyse - Junior
"It is doing the most it can to help students to understand what they are supposed to be learning which I think is really good."
Heba - Senior
Design Strategy
Designing for progession
Students initially struggled to understand how to approach assignments because everything was presented at once. This created cognitive overload and made it difficult to know where to begin or how to move forward.
To address this, I structured the experience using progressive disclosure. Assignments are broken into stages that unlock sequentially, allowing students to focus on one step at a time. This creates a clear sense of direction while reducing overwhelm and improving task completion.
Design decisions
Balancing Low-Stakes vs. High-Stakes Work
Students needed to build confidence with low-stakes questions before tackling higher-stakes graded assessments. The challenge was to make this flow feel motivating and intuitive, and not overwhelming.
Solution
I added visual indicators on the assignment homepage to communicate which sections are graded vs. ungraded. Each step got a "graded" label, and the top of the page showed an overall grade breakdown. I also added brief descriptions at the start of each step explaining what to do and how it would be graded.
Testing confirmed that this design worked, all students understood that "Getting Started" was a prerequisite review only for completion, not accuracy.
Communicating Critical Skills
Instructors wanted to track critical skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing, and make that progress transparent to students. Students didn't see how answering questions connected to these broader skills, so I needed to make skill development visible and meaningful without adding confusion.
Solution
I added a gamified system where specific questions were tagged with critical skills. When students answered correctly, they earned stars that appeared on screen and moved into their skillset panel. This created a clear visual connection between the content they were learning and the skills they were building. Testing showed students found the stars motivating and understood how the material connected to the skills—one student even called it an "interconnected relationship between the material and the skill."
System Flexibility Across Disciplines and Assignment Types
The platform needed to accommodate diverse content types (tutorials, videos, different question formats) and assignment structures (with/without writing components, with/without graded quizzes) while working across Biology, History, Psychology, and other disciplines. Despite all this flexibility, the student experience still needed to feel intuitive and straightforward, avoiding cognitive overload.
The platform had to work across multiple disciplines (Biology, History, Psychology) and handle different content types—tutorials, videos, various question formats, writing assignments, and graded quizzes. With all this flexibility, it was important that the student experience feels simple and intuitive.
Solution
I designed a modular system that could accommodate different content types and assignment structures while keeping the experience simple for students. I added a left-hand panel that showed their Progress, Resources, and Skillset, plus collapsible sections so students could hide content if it got overwhelming. Testing across different subjects showed that 7 out of 8 students could successfully navigate the core features, which proved the interface hid the system's complexity while staying intuitive for students.
Final Product
A guided experience for students, a powerful framework for instructors
The final experience brings together a structured learning flow with transparent evaluation and continuous feedback. From the student perspective, the system feels guided and manageable, with clear expectations at every stage. From the instructor's perspective, it provides a framework for organizing content, mapping skills, and evaluating performance.
outcomes & impact
Validating demand and delivering a product ready for market
The system demonstrated that structured learning flows can significantly improve both usability and adoption. Students were able to navigate assignments more confidently, understand how their work would be evaluated, and see how their actions contributed to skill development. Instructors gained clearer insights into student progress, enabling more informed teaching and assessment.
Key Results:
Validated a 35% market growth in scaffolded learning adoption
Confirmed 76% of schools require or encourage critical skills reporting
Created a flexible design that works across multiple disciplines
Delivered prototypes that show stakeholders what the platform can do
Key Deliverables:
Research reports from 460+ participants across 4 phases
User personas and journey maps
Two prototypes (Elevate and Seagull Skills) for testing
High-fidelity student and instructor prototypes
Demo-ready prototype
