The Challenge
More than 8000 schools use digital learning solutions of Extramarks across India, Singapore, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and South Africa. Extramarks’ current application required a strategic overhaul, consistent with the brand identity and coherent with addressing the most dominant needs and challenges of its users.
The leadership envisioned a comprehensive digital solution with a simplification that could be brought in through improved design to make learning more consumable in an interesting way, leading to an increased adoption of the product. Inherent complexities in the existing product required to be sorted out, with a clearer understanding of the mental models of users.
Our Methodology
Think Design + Extramarks journey started with Insight & Strategy workshop, which helped in charting the first steps.
Initial Insight & Strategy workshop focused on defining and detailing user segments, creating journey maps and envisioning future state, understanding domain-specific challenges and workflows, mapping entity relationships among others. Spanning four days, Insight & Strategy workshop help lay the right foundations.
Thereafter, a series of workshops at planned intervals helped in progressively transforming user experience across apps and platforms, one after the other (Extramarks is present on Interactive Whiteboard, Web (browser-based), iOS, Android and Windows platforms).
Key features
1. CTP (Classroom Tablet Program)
Classroom Tablet Program primarily connected students with teachers through tablet and whiteboard interfaces. Being a 100% digital solution, inherent complexities existed in sorting out mental models of users. Modules such as attendance, assignments, study groups etc. needed additional focus in order to make them intuitable and delightful.
2. CTP: Features and Functionality
In addition to classroom interactions, CTP had relevance at students’ homes as well, since this was the single mode of communication used by school administration, to communicate with the parents. In addition to calendar, bulletin and parent communication, projects and homework were critical to user experience. With a host of features and functions, the applications clearly required simplification through design.
3. Embedded Application (Smart Study Tab)
Embedded application allows its users to access library content of Extramarks, in addition to notes, reports and scheduling features. Maintaining a consistent theme by way of unified design, CTP & embedded application now function as a family. Look and feel, UI elements, interactions, layout and core functional elements are all bound by a consistent language and behavior.
4. Web portal and web application
With its transformed products and apps being widely used, Extramarks required redefined presence by way of its web portal. In tune with its expansion plans to the Middle East and Africa, the web portal now features modern design language, responsive layout and an interface that is compatible with multiple languages. The web portal’s Interface is now unified with Extramarks’ redefined design language.
5. Smart study app
Extramarks smart study app puts the power self-motivated study in the hands of its users, by way of an android application. The app is free to use initially and has subscription tiers mapped to educational content. The app allows students and parents to buy packages, enroll and facilitate tutor, track progress and more.
DESIGN ACTIVITIES
Consulting, Stakeholder Workshop, Wireframe iterations, Prototyping, User testing, Visual design and Visual system, Specifications, Front End Development and Dev. Coordination.
CURRENT STATUS
A concerted effort from Stakeholders, Designers and Developers, spanning 10 months resulted in a transformed Extramarks eco-system.
Launched in October 2015, Extramarks in its refreshed form is significantly more usable, unified, coherent and exciting; the digital footprint also significantly increased. With adoption across 8000+ schools across more than 7 countries and impacting a user base of millions of students, parents, teachers and academicians, Extramarks is a leader in its space.
