Restoring an Integrated Training Platform

2021

PTC

Visual Design/UI
User Research
Prototyping
User Experience

Background

Learning Connector is a PTC training product that is accessible online and is integrated into PTC’s flagship product, Creo. When training mode is turned on, Learning Connector will provide timely, personalized, and relevant training. This integrated training experience is a competitive advantage over other CAD products. Our goal for this project was to restore the legacy platform to increase user retention. To accomplish our goal, we needed to make it easier to find training, ensure training recommendations were relevant, and improve training materials.

My role

I was the Lead User Experience Designer on this project.

My responsibilities included:

  • Collaboration on requirements, user stories, and iterations

    • Contribute to feature backlog and prioritization

  • Create Low-Fi sketches and wireframes

  • Create design components

  • High-Fi mockups and prototypes

  • Collaborate with instructional designers, engineers, and business stakeholders

  • Managed and oversaw graphic design and front end development work

The problem was that Learning Connector had not been maintained or updated in years. Its primary feature, which provides recommended training in ‘real-time’, was not working. It was cumbersome to browse or find training. The recommended training was often outdated, and users did not know why it was being recommended. Our users had no clear training path, leading to a high drop-off rate and low retention.

The Design Process

I worked collaboratively with the Product Management Fellow to create design requirements for this project.

Users can search for training materials: tutorials, courses, and playlists within a specific product, product version, and product feature.

  • ability to search via scoped keyword search, taxonomy-based filters, see a list of results

Users have a training path via playlists, which includes free and purchasable training materials.

  • A playlist has related courses and tutorials

  • Transparency into taxonomy

Users can easily consume tutorials because they have a consistent layout, components, and hierarchy.

Early design exploration included creating workflows and simple wireframes to capture the architecture and user experience.

Creating simple workflows with a conceptual wireframe helped communicate the product direction to the team. This was used as a starting point to help us focus on our product goals and direction.

I created wireframes iterations that were used to discuss features and functionality with product fellow and engineering managers.

The designs for delivery and launch include keyword search, dynamic contextual search (scoped search), filters, and result lists of relevant training. For real-time training, users can also toggle on/off to update training recommendations.

New designs include access to playlists and context-driven guided training paths with a sequence of training materials that give them a more well-rounded product education. Each playlist has a title, product and feature categorization, version dropdown, side drawer with navigation, and content area.

Our tutorials now have standardized templates. I created a simple hierarchy and structure to give users consistency throughout the tutorial library. This includes text-based layouts as well as video layouts.

Learnings and success metrics

This was a ground-up rebuild of the legacy platform, which required multiple sprints of work before the initial release. We could have been more iterative with our release cadence to release the updated version quickly. I also think we could have designed and built using existing 3rd party components rather than building everything custom.

Our KPI was an increase of time spent per session and user retention. As a result of releasing the new Learning Connector, we saw users spending more time on our platform overall, which means users were more engaged with the training. We also saw an increase in user retention.

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