KPMG Hui #2

 

It is always enjoyable to reconnect with the 2021 MIT team at KPMG. 

Time to reflect & challenge our thinking as we continue with the design process, not to mention how spoilt we always are by Justine and the KPMG team. 

It had been awhile since I last spoke with the MIT team as I was unable to attend the last Google Meet. 

Like always we started our day with the WWW reflecting on our projects.

• What's working?
• What's not? - barriers / road bumps
• What's next?
• Challenging Statement & Title of Inquiry
• What Data have we collected?

Just when you think you are getting your head around your inquiry someone gives you feedback that challenges your thinking. Of course this all part of the Inquiry process and it is so valuable to help you go deeper into your inquiry, as it is always evolving and in some instances slightly changing your path. Today for me was reaffirming I am currently on that path but also highlighted that I have A LOT of mahi to do. As my inquiry is slightly out of the box I am always second guessing and rechecking with myself so that I stay on the path...

In a sense to 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'... well at least I hope that's what I do and not fall down a rabbit hole like Alice! (not sure why I am quoting The Wizard of Oz or the Alice in Wonderland Movies!!)

The afternoon then took a turn with the announcement from Jenny that out trip to Rarotonga in July was a GO! Quickly the discussions turned to the organisation and expectations of our visit (albeit with COVID still on people's minds) Once the excitement settled we set out a timeline of tasks to do to get prepared. Exciting times ahead and more mahi to do. Time management is going to be my biggest challenge moving forward especially that it is a data collection term at school. Do little but often and it will fall into place! (hopefully) Not to mention the mighty reward for all our hard mahi of the upcoming trip to Rarotonga. The old saying goes "you have to do the mahi to get the treats!"

Thanks MET team for providing these opportunities that will not only add to our kete of knowledge but also enrich our lives with these experiences.

Data Collection

I was left pondering what data I could gather that would show the impact of how giving  clear instructions to students can ensure that they fully comprehend what is expected of them in order to achieve.

I pulled our school data apart particularly focussing on years 5 & 6. Raw data shows us patterns, areas of strengths and weakness but it doesn't tell us the whole story. I dug deeper in order to understand the needs that suit behind the numbers. 

Looking at the students individually paints an informative picture. With a range of diverse learning needs in this cohort of senior students it showed the many barriers they have to overcome and highlights the need of explicit instructions to support their success.

This also started me on a journey of looking at other ways to collect data. With our team still early in it's collaborative journey (16 months) and with the challenges Covid-19 provide in 2020 saw the use of a digital platform become the main portal for the delivery of our curriculum program. By creating this digital platform for all curriculum areas it provided a transparent, rewinable environment for tamariki and whānau to engage in. So the best place to start is always with the tamariki...

Types of data I am in the process of gathering is;

• Student voice - interviewing students
• Whānau voice?
• Student & Teacher observations
• Google Form Survey questionnaire to teachers across schools 
• Google Form Survey Questionnaire to RTLB, LSC, SENCO

Once I have gathered and received a wide range of data I will create a continuum to show my findings from the surveys and display the student voice in a Google sheet.

The gathering of student voice in my own team has been reaffirming and heart warming that we are providing consistency across the team and that students enjoy the Digital platform to support their learning. 

Next steps... 

To look in to Dr Rebecca Jesson research. Dr Jesson is the Associate Director, Woolf Fisher Research Centre, Faculty of Education. Her focus is on designing, with teachers, innovations that will improve the literacy outcomes for students. 

To collate the data and record it's findings.

To observe other teachers across different school settings and talk to the tamariki about what type of instructions helps them the most. 

To have a korereo with whānau about the use of our digital platform to see if they feel their child has  engagement and  helps them understand their tasks? 

KPMG Hui March 2021

It was great reconnecting today with the 2021 MIT team at KPMG. Time to reflect and continue with the design process.

We started our day with the WWW reflecting on our projects

• What's working?
• What's not - barriers / road bumps
• What opportunities do you sense?

Reflecting on my Inquiry challenge I am not 100% in it's direction as it continues to evolve and feel I still have some barriers and road bumps to overcome. As we shared our thoughts on the WWW I got the sense everyone was feeling the same. What are we actually trying to achieve with our inquiry challenge and who is the target group.

Next step Dorothy asked us "Can you ‘see’ a prototype you could create for your solution and for your ‘design team’ to give feedback on?"

The mind started to boggle... some reflection time was needed. I revisited my Inquiry challenge for what seems like the hundredth time and then read through five of the most popular user testing techniques used by UX designers and design thinkers!

1. Concept Testing - In the very early stages of the design process, you’ll want to test out your initial concepts before actually designing them. Low-fidelity prototypes—a simple sketch, or even static images—can be used to communicate your idea to your target users. You’ll then interview your users to gauge how they feel about the concept. Is it a product or feature they’d be interested in using? Does it have the potential to solve the user’s problem?
2. A/B Testing - A/B testing is used to compare two different versions of a design. This method can be used at any stage of the design process, whether you have paper prototypes or fully clickable digital ones. In A/B testing, you’ll create two different prototypes and test each version on a different set of users. You might test two different layouts, for example, or different copy for a certain CTA button on a certain screen. It’s important to only A/B test one variable at a time so as not to skew the results. 
3. Usability Testing - A crucial user testing method that should be used repeatedly throughout the design process, usability testing shows you how easy your design is to use. Usability testing is usually an observational exercise: you’ll ask your users to complete certain tasks, and observe them as they do so. Throughout the test, you’ll see which aspects of the design caused problems for the user, as well as which aspects appear to be user-friendly. In doing so, you’ll identify usability issues which you’ll seek to fix in the next iteration of your prototype. 
4. First Click Testing - When designing an app or a website, you want to make sure that the user takes the intended action whenever they land on a certain page or screen. First-click testing shows you what your users first steps are when they encounter an interface; in other words, where do they click first?
   This helps you to determine which visual elements and content should take priority, where buttons, icons, and menu items should be located, as well as the kind of language you should use for buttons and labels. First-click testing can be conducted using both low and high-fidelity prototypes. 
5. Tree Testing - Once you’ve come up with the information architecture of your digital product, you can use tree testing to see how user-friendly it really is.
   You’ll present the user with a “tree” of information—representative of how your site menus would be laid out—and ask them to find specific items. If users struggle to locate certain information, you’ll need to rethink your information architecture. Tree testing is often conducted as a remote, unmoderated study, but it can also be done in person using paper prototypes.

Progress update... once the feeling of being overwhelmed passed I was able to focus on who, why and the what. With the help of my MIT colleagues and valuable discussions had throughout our hui, I came to the conclusion that I am focussing on supporting teachers by creating a curation of resources to scaffold giving of instructions for learners with specific needs.