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AI & Fairness: User Testing of a Figma-Prototype

"The missing teacher in AI" project, aimed to develop innovative ideas on how to ensure Fairness in AI, by including teachers in the meta-design of new applications. Within this project, the aim was to design a digital solution that addresses diverse knowledge levels while ensuring a sense of belonging to a class community.

Quick read

  • My Role

    • User research & testing, project & product manager

  • Methods

    • Design thinking, walkthroughs, open discussions

  • Results & Impact

    • Narrowing down the product

    • Improving navigation

    • Rethinking & adding functionalities

Challenges & Solutions

  • Networking to find user testers

  • Letting users talk during walkthroughs

My Role

In my role as user researcher & tester, I was responsible for communicating with other stakeholders, finding and facilitating user research processes as well as user tests, as well as evaluating and documenting insights.

Further, I also took on the role of project and product manager of the team, which included structuring the overall work processes, documenting, facilitating work processes, and time management.


Used Methodologies:

The project utilized design thinking methodologies, including brainstorming sessions, mind mapping, and collaborative ideation exercises as well as user research methodologies (see full case study here).

User Testing was conducted in the form of open discussions with experts & potential users and narrative walkthroughs.

Reasoning for Chosen Methodologies

Open discussions

  • Already set part of the project (preliminary presentations in front of class & experts)

  • Opportunity to show project multiple people at the same time

  • Committee of experts or students that work on similar tasks.

Narrative walkthroughs

  • Making sure that others can navigate the prototype

  • Validating specific design decisions

  • Testing if layouts are intuitive & time-saving

  • Doable online (since user testers were only available online)

  • New to all team members (opportunity to learn)


Examples of the Figma-Prototype


Challenges & Solution

International team & finding Swedish teachers

Because none of the team members had teacher contacts in Sweden, it was a challenge to find possible user testers. We focused intensively on building a network within Sweden, by reaching out to all personal contacts including our lecturers. In the end, one Swedish teacher was testing the product.

Further, the decision was made to let an Indian teacher and a classmate test the prototype as well.

Holding back on explanations & comments

During the walkthroughs, we intended to stay quiet to let the user narrate their actions. However, it was challenging to hold back if they asked some questions, even if they could solve them on their own in seconds.

Therefore, we went over the methodology after our first meeting again and tried to hold back any comments and explanations in the further walkthroughs. The last one was the most successful, and we could see that by holding back we got the most insights.

Narrowing down & communicating the product vision

During the open discussions it became evident, that the product has gotten very broad. Further, the goal was not communicated enough.

To solve this, we went back to the drawing board and started to focus on one specific function/ add-on. This enabled us to go deeper and make clearer design decisions. We revised the goal again and reformulated it to become more clear.


Results & Insights

Both methods resulted in valid feedback. The open discussions led us to refocus on a specific detail instead of a whole digital system. The walkthroughs showed clear areas of improvement in the navigation but also brought up new ideas and possibilities for the product.


Personal Takeaways

  • Saying less is more, is hard but worth it

  • Even if you think you started to look for user testers - start even earlier

  • Always mention how much time the meeting is supposed to be, to avoid different expectations

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