Following Design Thinking methodology and the Double Diamond Design process, I have developed a proposal for blended educational experience aimed at 13-14 year olds. Through education on persuasive design techniques on social media, teenagers are encouraged to reflect on their experience of social media, enabling them to have greater autonomy over their social media experience.

Discover

Secondary Research

1. There isn't much evidence to suggest a link between adolescent mental health and social media use. But, vague language in research may contribute to this. When specific features are studied, it is clear that certain features can have positive or negative impacts. Ultimately, it's all about how you approach social media.
2. Most people, especially teenagers, don't feel in control of their social media experience, and learning about how something works is one of the best ways to increase this feeling of control. Learning how social media works will enable teenagers to feel much better about their social media experience.
   
3. Digital technology can improve engagement and inclusivity for learners. It can promote collaboration, include diverse perspectives, considers accessibility, and offer timely feedback.

Primary Research

Semi-Structured Interviews

3 Secondary  Headteachers

• Social media can intensify existing social problems, such as anxiety, self-worth, attention spans, and pupil fallouts.
• Social media platforms focus on negative feedback, and do not monitor harmful content sufficiently.
  
• There is a lack of frameworks for digital literacy education. Young people are not as proficient in applications like the Office suite.
• Pupils do not respond to feedback on their social media use because they feel they know more than adults.
• Both home and school environments impact digital literacy, especially since the pandemic has caused students to use personal technology more frequently.

Define

Personas & Empathy Maps

The online learning platform uses Universal Design to improve the experience for all users, including those with significant support needs. Research indicates that users without parental assistance struggle with social media the most. To prioritize these users, a persona and empathy map has been created.

Deliverables

• Information architecture for the site, outlining the learning process
• A high-fidelity prototype based on this information architecture
  
• An artifact report documenting research insights, design decisions, and future directions for the project

Develop

Onboarding

In the onboarding process, learners can join their class by choosing the 'student' option and entering a 'classroom code.' They can also take a quiz to reflect on their social media use, including behaviour, screen time, who they follow, and their parent/guardian's behaviour toward social media.

First Activity

In the first activity, students will learn about social media interface design through interactive exploration and a quiz. This will help them understand how social media features can affect their behaviour. Learners will receive positive feedback to encourage critical thinking and exploration of how design affects their social media use.

Second Activity

The second activity aims to enhance learners' understanding of social media companies' motivations. They will work together to create a solution for a real-world problem faced by a social media company. This will help them develop communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. After they present their ideas and discuss the company's solution, they will reflect on their learning experience.

Third Activity

In the third activity, learners will explore the "filter bubble effect" on social media. They will learn how social media algorithms create filter bubbles, take a quiz, and view a social media feed that is different from their own. This helps learners understand how individuals in their social circles can have different social media experiences.

Deliver

Usability Testing

• Participants had a good user experience and found the information clear.
• Participants liked the website's function and style, including fonts, colours, and illustrations.
  
• However, participants did not engage with the "about us" section on the intro screen or the interactive social media feed feature in Activity 3. Some screens could be improved to fit better on the screen for a better user experience.

Prototype Changes

To encourage users to engage with the "About Us" screen, a preview of the text, with a 'read more' CTA, was added.

The screen with the interactive social media feed feature was adapted to remove the need for scrolling, and a caption was added, encouraging users to engage with the interactive social media feed.