Solvably is a personalized, digital learning platform that supports real-world, collaborative, creative problem-solving in an accessible, user-friendly, and easy-to-author environment.
Traditional classroom learning focuses on getting students prepared for standardized high-stakes tests (e.g. knowledge retention assessments such as the SAT). They do not however, prepare students for the world of work, which requires a broader set of skills – this is a large gap in the market that we are looking to address.
Employers are concerned that graduates, while being taught foundational literacies such as math, reading, and writing, are not being taught the skills of the workplace. These 21st century skills include the so-called “4 C’s” (Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Communication) and character qualities such as grit and persistence. It falls on the employer to “up-skill” new intakes. Costing time and money. It is estimated that this skills gap will cost industry $10TN by 2023.
MassiveU is looking to address this gap in learning platforms and develop a true “real-world” problem-solving platform for our users, that helps foster the development of 21st century skills, through an academically sound “framework”
• Critical thinking is all about solving problems
• Creativity teaches students to think outside the box
• Collaboration shows students how to work together to achieve a common goal
• Communication lets students learn how to best convey their ideas
The goal was to deliver value to the users in two distinct ways; first, create a learningenvironment that helps foster 21st century skills, second, create an “ePortfolio” for thestudents taking them beyond the transcript.
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Traditional schooling prioritizes tests over real-world relevance.
Education does not align closely with the demands and dynamics of the workforce.
Outdated curriculum lacks current relevance, making topics unengaging.
Struggle to show mastery of standards, skills don't apply in real life.
“I find that the courses I am taking in high school are not preparing me for the jobs I need to be looking at in the next two years. I need more exposure to real-world situations to prepare me for the workforce.”
“I worry about my Mom, she works so hard to support us. I need to get through school with the best grades and get a full scholarship. It’s hard to stand out above the rest of the class.”
Our primary design goal was to seamlessly integrate the most effective features found in popular platforms like Google Docs, Slack and an escape room. This strategic approach empowers users with the ability to collaborate in real-time and efficiently share digital assets.
Solvably incorporates elements reminiscent of immersive escape room experiences. In this design exploration, we immersed users in an engaging and interactive journey, creating a cohesive and captivating digital environment.
Within the Solvably ecosystem, users are given the opportunity to navigate through various segments of the experience, collaboratively tackling a diverse array of challenges. This design strategy fosters the development of critical collaboration and problem-solving skills, aligning with our core objectives.
Onboarding is essential to helping users understand and engage with Solvably, a platform built around a structured learning framework. To simplify the process, we created a walkthrough video that introduces users to the application. The video highlights key functionalities, including the learning framework, challenge navigation for accessing and completing steps, and the team collaboration sidebar for communication, file sharing, and accessing the syllabus.
This interactive interface, empowering users to confidently explore the platform. It addressed initial complexity by providing a step-by-step introduction, making features intuitive and accessible. As a result, users reported higher confidence in using Solvably, support queries decreased significantly, and first impressions improved, with many appreciating the straightforward onboarding experience.
By focusing on clarity and feature highlights, we reduced friction and helped users quickly grasp the platform’s purpose and capabilities, setting them up for success from day one.
During testing for Solvably's K-12 version, a significant collaboration issue arose among 4th and 5th-grade students. In a specific section of the platform, users shared input fields for collaborative answers, resembling Google Docs. However, users frequently entered these fields without coordination, leading to disruptions, frustration, and confusion.
To address this, I proposed locking input fields upon user entry to prevent simultaneous typing, added a text bubble animation ("UserName, is typing...") to signal ongoing activity, and introduced a 5-second delay post-typing for collaboration. These design adjustments aimed to enhance the collaborative experience for Solvably's K-12 users.