System
of Courses
(SOC) Platform

Context

Pearson was operating a learning platform used daily by children and teachers in public schools. The product ecosystem had grown fragmented over time, with multiple teams working asynchronously across different platforms, primarily iOS and Windows tablets.

The result was a system that struggled to stay current, both technically and experientially, in environments where time, bandwidth, and reliability were critical, especially inside classrooms.

This project represented an opportunity to reset the platform direction, simplify delivery, and improve day-to-day classroom usability at scale.

A laptop displaying an educational dashboard with three sections about English language arts for different grade levels, in a classroom with students.

The Process

A laptop on a desk in a classroom displays educational content about animals, with children sitting at desks in the background.

01 / Problem Framing

The existing system faced several compounding issues:

  • Platform fragmentation across devices

  • Slow and unreliable content downloads

  • Poor coordination between internal teams

  • Network saturation in school environments

  • Classroom delays caused by technical friction

In parallel, Pearson was exploring a shift to Chromebooks, driven by significantly lower hardware replacement costs for schools.

The core challenge was not only redesigning an app, but restructuring how educational content was delivered, accessed, and managed.

02 / Approach

The project required simplifying both the user experience and the underlying system logic.

Key focus areas included:

  • Reducing classroom friction

  • Designing for inconsistent connectivity

  • Supporting teachers’ real workflows

  • Ensuring the system scaled across devices and users

I designed new user paths that emphasized on-demand access, clarity, and control, rather than bulk content delivery.

To align teams and stakeholders, I produced interactive demos that communicated not only what the product would do, but how it would behave in real classroom conditions.

03 / Research

We conducted in-person research sessions in Ohio with three distinct user groups:

  • Users comfortable with computers

  • Users unfamiliar with computers

  • Existing users of the current app

Participants included children, parents, and teachers.

The testing validated both usability and system logic. The proposed direction achieved an 80% approval rate, providing strong evidence to move forward and align internal stakeholders around the new approach.

A classroom with students sitting at desks facing a teacher and a large screen displaying educational content. In the foreground, a laptop on a desk shows a digital unit manager interface.

04 / Key Idea

To address long download times and network congestion, I proposed a metadata-first content model. Instead of downloading full course packages upfront:

  • Users initially downloaded only lightweight metadata

  • This allowed them to preview content before committing

  • Full lessons were downloaded only when needed

  • Completed work could be uploaded to the cloud and removed locally

This model:

  • Reduced network strain

  • Improved classroom efficiency

  • Gave teachers and students more control

  • Aligned with real-world school constraints

05 / Outcomes

The redesigned system delivered measurable improvements:

  • Faster and more predictable content access

  • Reduced classroom delays

  • Lower network impact in shared environments

  • Improved confidence and satisfaction among teachers

  • A clearer, more intuitive experience for students

Teachers in particular valued the ability to download, use, upload, and clear content quickly, enabling smoother classroom sessions and better time management.

Why This Matters

As UX Lead, I was responsible for:

  • Defining a new product direction

  • Designing updated user flows and interaction models

  • Rethinking content delivery behavior

  • Translating research insights into a cohesive system

  • Creating demos to align internal teams and stakeholders

I operated across strategy, interaction design, and validation.

Classroom with students sitting at desks, using tablet devices. Two laptops are placed on desks at the front of the classroom.

This project demonstrates my ability to:

  • Simplify complex platform problems into clear systems

  • Design for constrained, real-world environments

  • Lead UX direction across organizational and technical boundaries

  • Balance user needs, infrastructure limits, and business realities

It is a strong example of systems-driven UX leadership, where experience design directly improves operational efficiency and educational outcomes.