Google Classroom Product Analysis

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

Transcript

1. PRODUCT ANALYSIS:
   GOOGLE
   CLASSROOOM
   Vanessa Gennarelli
   Instructional Designer
   @mozzadrella
   mozzadrella.me
   

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3. Nice
   background of
   *actual*
   students.
   

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4. But “mission
   control” is a
   weak metaphor
   that isn’t
   carried
   through.
   

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5. And shouldn’t it
   say “Google
   Classroom”
   somewhere…
   like, bigly?
   

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7. There’s that
   mission again,
   carried through
   in none of the
   imagery…
   

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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.”
   

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10. Nice segmentation,
    maybe step out
    parents, who have
    different questions
    than students.
    

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11. Not quite “Ready
    to go” yet
    though…probably
    “Get your
    questions
    answered” is
    more appropriate.
    

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13. These are
    gifs, and
    they are
    great.
    

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14. Like the progress
    beads here…
    Too much info.
    Would make the
    text larger and only
    single clauses.
    

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16. Still not working as a
    metaphor—there is nothing
    “cockpit” or “control
    panel-y” about this
    screenshot.
    

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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.”
    

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19. Oh, these
    are cute.
    

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20. Though they belong as
    a tabbed subnavigation
    IMHO.
    

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21. OK, let’s sign in and do
    this…
    

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23. “Guest mode”—nice
    call, Google, especially
    for classrooms.
    

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25. I didn’t recognize
    this branding at
    first blush…
    

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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?
    

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28. And then…
    tumbleweeds and
    silence.
    

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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.
    

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30. Let’s make a
    new class!
    

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31. Clear next steps for
    folks to comply with
    COPPA and FERPA.
    

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33. Nice fuzzy search,
    anticipatin’ my
    course needs.
    

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34. Dynamic blue line
    for the next step is
    a nice touch too.
    

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36. What’s this low-key
    little “+” button doing
    here?
    

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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….
    

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38. But Mozz, what’s
    a jawn?
    

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39. But Mozz, what’s
    a jawn?
    

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40. You’re welcome.
    

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41. Clean and fast process
    for making an
    Assignment…
    What’s a “topic”
    though?
    ALL YOUR
    CONTENT
    NEEDZ.
    

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43. Let’s set a due date, and
    maybe add a file from my
    desktop…
    

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45. Don’t really get what’s going
    on with this low-opacity pop-
    up…
    that’s a total mess.
    

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46. But setting permissions
    for students from within
    the app is pretty sweet.
    Ship it!
    

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47. OK! What’s a “stream”?
    Nice ticker of who has
    completed the
    assignment…
    

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48. There’s a lot going on in
    the student tab, and it’s
    pretty elegant.
    

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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”…
    

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50. OK let’s invite them
    individually via email
    (pretty great that it’s
    so tightly integrated).
    

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51. Modal mashup
    party.
    

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52. (Should get that
    looked at).
    

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53. Emailing the
    whole course
    might be a
    management
    function…
    Wonder if this tab
    is how I manage
    my class….
    

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54. Bingo.
    Nice that you can
    edit at any time.
    What does “View in
    Classroom” mean?
    

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55. Huh. Lost here.
    

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56. Let’s check out the
    student experience next…
    Nice that the app automatically
    makes a Google Drive folder…
    

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59. Title case makes the
    vibe a bit stern here:
    * OPEN
    * NOT DONE
    

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60. Oh but after I open
    the assignment I’m
    prompted to turn it
    in…OK.
    

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61. Love these
    choices, all the
    access that using
    Google offers.
    

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62. Title case
    very SEVERE
    here also.
    

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63. BOOM.
    Wish the app
    told me I was
    on track,
    though..
    kinda sterile.
    

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64. Let’s participate with
    our fellow
    classmates in
    discussion…
    

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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?
    

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66. Ooooh, what’s in
    this here
    hamburger button
    item?
    

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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.
    

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68. Ooooooh.
    

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