MVP: Class and assessment timetable

Published on 24/09/2023 by Jay Kim

Rapid Landscape Research

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Goal
Understand how class timetables and assessment due dates are managed

Method
Guerilla interviews on the Clayton campus, Monash University

Participants
23 users, a mix of new and continuing year students

Date
3 days, from 18 June 2023 to 20 June 2023

The current timetable webpage — Monash’s current timetable webpage

Physical diary with a weekly activities — Monash’s current timetable webpage

Key Findings

The most used tool: Google Calendar

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The most important data: Assessment deadlines

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The importance of physical diaries: A sense of progress

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PAIN POINT 1

Scattered information

• Class and exam timetables on Allocate+
• Assessment due dates on Moodle
• Key dates on the Monash website and emails

PAIN POINT 2

Static data

• Manual entry to integrate with a personal calendar
• Manual reminder setup per event
• Repeatative set-up every semester
• Efforts to keep it up-to-date

PAIN POINT 3

Multiple calendars to manage: Work shift, and more

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PAIN POINT 4

Short-lived authenticated session duration

• Session expires multiple times a day
• No biometric options for a quick login back

Design Proposal

Time & Location aware, All-in-one timetable

Description here

Priorities And Iterations

Description here

MVP Usability Testing

Key findings from the first round

Key findings from the second round

Delivery

Prep for Sprints

A screenshot of the dev handoff file for the MVP

Design QA

App launch

For months leading up to the app launch, we closely collaborated with the Student Communications team, the Content team, and the Media team at Monash. Together, we prepared advertising materials and developed a comprehensive communication plan to promote the app across existing channels.

Celebration team picture on the user base growth of 30,000

The launch was a great success, with a steady stream of new users joining every day. User retention, session numbers, and app ratings on both the App Store and Google Play surpassed our expectations. It was incredibly rewarding to see users genuinely finding real value in the product.

Next step

Roadmap adjustment

After launch, we revisited the roadmap based on user feedback and data insights to ensure our priorities aligned with real user needs.

For example, one recurring piece of feedback was about the colours used on the timetable. Initially, this was considered a lower priority for the launch and was scheduled for a later iteration. However, the colours were unexpectedly misinterpreted by some users, leading to confusion. Based on this, the team decided to fast-track the update and release it earlier than originally planned.

Rather than rigidly sticking to the original roadmap, we embraced feedback and quickly adapted our priorities to serve our users better. It reinforced our shared commitment to continuous improvement and delivering meaningful value through the app.