Google Classroom Product Analysis

UX + learning design critique of the learning management system produced by Google.

1. PRODUCT ANALYSIS: GOOGLE CLASSROOOM Vanessa Gennarelli Instructional Designer @mozzadrella mozzadrella.me
3. Nice background of *actual* students.
4. But “mission control” is a weak metaphor that isn’t carried through.
5. And shouldn’t it say “Google Classroom” somewhere… like, bigly?
7. There’s that mission again, carried through in none of the imagery…
8. There’s that mission again, carried through in none of the imagery… Why not: “Coordinate your class, the way you already do your work. Instant, paperless. Easy.”
10. Nice segmentation, maybe step out parents, who have different questions than students.
11. Not quite “Ready to go” yet though…probably “Get your questions answered” is more appropriate.
13. These are gifs, and they are great.
14. Like the progress beads here… Too much info. Would make the text larger and only single clauses.
16. Still not working as a metaphor—there is nothing “cockpit” or “control panel-y” about this screenshot.
17. If it’s convenience they want to hit home, how about “Manage your course on the go” or “All the info you need, all the time, to help students.”
19. Oh, these are cute.
20. Though they belong as a tabbed subnavigation IMHO.
21. OK, let’s sign in and do this…
23. “Guest mode”—nice call, Google, especially for classrooms.
25. I didn’t recognize this branding at first blush…
26. Would bump it up in visibility, especially since it’s part of Google Education’s larger portfolio. Maybe tweak it to be more “mission control” if they are really married to that?
28. And then… tumbleweeds and silence.
29. And then… tumbleweeds and silence. Maybe ghost outline what the dashboard will look like after I’ve made a class, or give me a sample class.
30. Let’s make a new class!
31. Clear next steps for folks to comply with COPPA and FERPA.
33. Nice fuzzy search, anticipatin’ my course needs.
34. Dynamic blue line for the next step is a nice touch too.
36. What’s this low-key little “+” button doing here?
37. Whoah, got a whole menu here. Why so buried? Use color? And what’s this retweet icon? Let’s make one of these “Assignment” jawns….
38. But Mozz, what’s a jawn?
39. But Mozz, what’s a jawn?
40. You’re welcome.
41. Clean and fast process for making an Assignment… What’s a “topic” though? ALL YOUR CONTENT NEEDZ.
43. Let’s set a due date, and maybe add a file from my desktop…
45. Don’t really get what’s going on with this low-opacity pop- up… that’s a total mess.
46. But setting permissions for students from within the app is pretty sweet. Ship it!
47. OK! What’s a “stream”? Nice ticker of who has completed the assignment…
48. There’s a lot going on in the student tab, and it’s pretty elegant.
49. There’s a lot going on in the student tab, and it’s pretty elegant. You can invite students individually via email or give all of them the link and this unique code. Not sure what the difference is between “post and “comment”…
50. OK let’s invite them individually via email (pretty great that it’s so tightly integrated).
51. Modal mashup party.
52. (Should get that looked at).
53. Emailing the whole course might be a management function… Wonder if this tab is how I manage my class….
54. Bingo. Nice that you can edit at any time. What does “View in Classroom” mean?
55. Huh. Lost here.
56. Let’s check out the student experience next… Nice that the app automatically makes a Google Drive folder…
59. Title case makes the vibe a bit stern here: * OPEN * NOT DONE
60. Oh but after I open the assignment I’m prompted to turn it in…OK.
61. Love these choices, all the access that using Google offers.
62. Title case very SEVERE here also.
63. BOOM. Wish the app told me I was on track, though.. kinda sterile.
64. Let’s participate with our fellow classmates in discussion…
65. Comments aren’t threaded, and are only associated with specific exercises as far as I can tell… What about discussions that last over the whole semester? Aaaaannd, how do students navigate between several Google Classrooms, like math, science AND English?
66. Ooooh, what’s in this here hamburger button item?
67. Clear meta-menu where you can see all your courses, rolled up into one calendar. Well done, Google. “Teaching” versus “Enrolled” is kinda awkward, but I’m so into this menu I’m not going to be salty.
68. Ooooooh.