Problem:
Code.org’s current digital experience for Computer Science Fundamentals (CSF) faces declining user retention and a significant drop in new teacher adoption, despite growing demand for online coding programs for young learners.
Market research showing upward trends in gamified learning, and competitive evaluations highlighting a gap in student engagement drove the hypothesis that the implementation of new gamification features can keep student users engaged, thus improving customer satisfaction, teacher adoption, and client retention.
Solution:
Eight research methods informed the creation of 7 user personas and corresponding journey maps, pinpointing key pain points and areas for improvement. By mapping the optimal points for design changes and gamification features, we made targeted recommendations to enhance engagement, retention, and performance at critical stages of the learning journey.
PROCESS
We conducted a multi-method research approach to inform our design recommendations. Competitive analysis of 7 direct and 7 indirect competitors identified 12 gamification features not currently utilized by Code.org. A heuristic evaluation of CSF Express and AI Dance modules revealed four primary usability issues: inconsistent language, poor tablet responsiveness, misaligned visual design with real-world coding software, and inconsistent help module delivery.
A literature review on student and teacher motivation and gamification insights informed our strategy. Teacher interviews and surveys (199 teachers, 125 students) helped prioritize the most valuable gamification features. Student playtests across grades 1-5 identified pain points, providing actionable data for design improvements. This research guided our targeted recommendations for enhancing user engagement and platform usability.
