My Journey with HydroAR: Unveiling Insights from Usability Testing and A/B Testing with School Students
Embarking on the development of HydroAR, an app designed to shed light on the complexities of the water cycle, presented a myriad of challenges and opportunities. The goal of enriching students’ understanding became my focus, and the true test unfolded within the classrooms of Podar International School, Latur. I am sharing a firsthand account of our initial Usability testing and A/B testing experiences, outlining the challenges, celebrating victories, and reflecting on transformative moments throughout the process.
Day 1: Establishing a Baseline: The journey began with the objective of assessing students’ understanding. Conducting a carefully crafted water cycle test for both class 4 and class 5 students exposed that, on average, class 4 students scored 3.45 out of 10. This indicated a specific need for support among class 4 students due to their limited knowledge of the water cycle.
Day 2: User Interaction Analysis: Selecting class 4 students to participate in using the HydroAR app, I conducted observations to identify usability challenges. A subsequent in-depth test with 10 students revealed specific pain points, leading to the introduction of voice functionality aimed at enhancing user engagement.
Day 3: Expanding the Test Pool: Scaling up testing efforts to include 20 additional class 4 students and introducing A/B testing with 5 students allowed me to collect more data. Positive feedback from the survey indicated a 3-point increase in satisfaction. The updated version of the app, with an average completion time of 5 minutes and 9 seconds, achieved an improved score of 4.7 out of 8.
Results and Insights:
- Task Efficiency: The updated app, under my watchful eye, demonstrated a 17.38% improvement in task completion time, enhancing the efficiency of the learning experience.
2. Knowledge Retention: Students exhibited a significant 23% increase in scores from the pre-test to the post-app quiz, emphasizing HydroAR’s effectiveness in knowledge retention.
3. User Satisfaction: Survey results reflected a noteworthy 30% upswing in student satisfaction, indicating the positive impact of the updates on the overall learning experience.
Lessons Learned:
- Adaptability is Key: Recognizing the need for targeted support for class 4 students underscored the importance of adaptability in meeting specific user requirements.
- User-Centric Approach: Observing students in action provided valuable insights, enabling user-centric adjustments that significantly improved the app’s usability.
- Continuous Iteration: A/B testing played a crucial role in refining the app, allowing for informed decision-making and improvements based on user feedback.
Conclusion: A Journey of Improvement:
My HydroAR journey at Podar International School went beyond mere app testing, evolving into a process of collaboration, adaptation, and continuous improvement. The positive results underscored the impact on students’ learning experiences. Moving forward, the insights gained will guide further enhancements to make HydroAR a dynamic and effective educational tool.
For those venturing into Usability testing, I encourage you to approach the process with an analytical mindset and a commitment to refining your product based on real user insights. The journey is ongoing, and the potential for improvement is vast. Dive into the complete narrative of HydroAR’s educational exploration and discover the transformative power of UX in the realm of learning.
