TestReady
A Personalized, One-Stop TOEFL iBT Prep Portal
The TestReady homepage, feedback screen and a listening practice screen.
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User Research Overview
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The user testing for the TestReady project focused primarily on the homepage and insights pages. All of the Section Test and Section Practice item screens are based on current TOEFL items that have already been validated so there wasn't a need to test them. Our UX researcher conducted a number of Userzoom tests looking to see if users were able to interpret the information presented in our global insights pages as well as navigate to and from our homepage and e-comm pages.
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High level findings:
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Users didn't have any issues navigating between the various platform screens.
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​Once on the insights page they were able to select a specific subject and didn't have any trouble interpreting the corresponding performance data. ​​​​
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My Role
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As the senior UX/UI designer on this project I worked closely with a lead UI designer, a UX researcher, an instructional designer and the development team.
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The purpose behind TestReady is to provide a platform for students who are taking the TOEFL test to access all of their test prep products in one place. The platform provides the user with a library of purchased test items, information about progress and performance, access to global insights, an e-comm page and a prep. resources page.
TestReady Designs
The Null State Dashboard
The purpose of the Null state dashboard is to act, primarily, as a marketing tool to drive users to purchase test prep items. You will see each of the test prep products being sold on the e-comm page represented on this page with CTAs leading the user to the relevant section of the e-comm page.
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Also featured prominently at the top of the page is a study plan, that when completed, recommends prep products based on the user's responses.
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The Return State Dashboard
Once the user has purchased test prep materials the null state dashboard changes from marketing products to displaying performance and progress on the various prep items that have been purchased. The Your Test Prep section not only displays performance and progress but is the access point to launch each of the prep exercises.
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Global Insights, Reading
The global insights page consists of three main sections:
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The top section contains four graphs that display a high level overview of performance on each of the four subjects over time. ​
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The middle "Test Prep Performance" section provides a more detailed view of each of the sub tests with a performance summary and product recommendations based on that performance. This section is tabbed by subject so the user can quickly switch between each of the four subjects.
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The bottom of the page provides tips for improving performance on the various test item types.
Global Insights, Speaking
This screen shows what it looks like when the user has tabbed from reading to speaking. Performance information for speaking is depicted by a bar graph rather than a line graph due to the fact that each test in speaking consists of an Integrated speaking item as well as an Independent item. It was determined that the two data points would be more accurately depicted by a bar graph than a dot on a line graph. ​
The E-comm Page
The e-comm page displays all the TOEFL test prep products available for purchase. Each of the cards at the top of the page is a page anchor. Selecting "View Products" on the card scrolls the page to the corresponding product section below.
After items have been added to the cart, selecting the cart provides the user with a list of their test prep materials, and takes them through our checkout process. ​
The Portfolio Overview Dashboard provides an overview of all the user's accounts in their portfolio.
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Primary Navigation: To address the issue of the contextual navigation being hidden in the old version of the Investor platform we decided to move it to the primary navigation at the top of the page. The Portfolio, Accounts and Groups navigation categories allow the user to view their performance, balance, risk etc. from each of those three contexts.
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Tile/Widget Concept: User testing of our existing Advisor product, which utilizes the tile concept revealed that users love this approach. They reported that it is a simple and intuitive method for grouping information within the dashboard.
Dashboard Configurability: This dashboard, as well as the Accounts and Account Groups Dashboards, are fully configurable by the user. The user has the ability to choose which tiles they want to display on each dashboard and hide the tiles they don't want. A list of their hidden tiles may be accessed by clicking the three dot dropdown in the header bar at the top of the page.
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Section Practice, Reading
Two new types of test prep materials were created for the TestReady platform.
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The first type, Section Practice, provide the user with extensive feedback on their performance at the end of each test section and is not timed. ​
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The second, Section Test, is intended to closely approximate the actual TOEFL test. It is timed and does not include feedback other than overall performance.
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Seen here is an example of a Section Test reading item.
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Section Practice, Reading Review
In the Section Practice product, the user has the choice of reviewing their answers once they have completed all the items in the test. This screen shows what the review screen for a multiple choice reading item looks like.
Three types of feedback are provided and is accessed via the accordion chevron. They are:
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Incorrect answers:
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Correct answers:
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Unanswered items:
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Section Practice, Speaking
This is a speaking practice item. The user is given a prompt. Selecting play on the audio player provides an audio version of the prompt. The user may play and pause the audio as much as they'd like. When they select Next they are brought to a screen where they are given 60 seconds to respond to the prompt.
Section Practice, Speaking Review
When the user records their response for the speaking item above it is being evaluated using our AI capabilities on the 9 different sub-skills seen on this screen.
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Opening the accordion for any of these sub-skills provides detailed recommendations for how to improve. The lollipop graph displays their performance on these 9 sub-skills from low to high. They can also hear their response again or read an audio transcript of it.
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Section Practice, Listening
This is a multi-select listening practice item. The user listens to a passage and selects yes or no answers. The audio can be paused or replayed at any time.
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Section Practice, Listening Review
The review screen for the listening multi-select item displays correct and incorrect items at the top of the screen.
Expanding any of the accordions in the Review Feedback section opens an explanation for each answer.​The original audio prompt can be replayed from this screen as well.
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Section Practice, Writing
This is an example of a writing practice item. They are asked to read the passage and provide a 150 to 225 word written summary response. It is not timed.
Section Practice, Writing Review
This is the review screen for the writing practice item. A transcript of the user's written response is provided.
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Our AI capabilities evaluate the user's written response in terms of the four sub-skills in the accordions at the bottom of the screen. Opening any of the accordions provides performance details and recommendations for improvement.
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Section Test, Reading
The following section consists of Section Test items for each of the four subjects of reading, speaking, listening and writing.
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The Section Test, test prep product is designed to replicate the TOEFL test taking experience.
These items look and function the same way as a TOEFL item. Audio cannot be replayed and feedback is not provided other than a final score at the end of the section.
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This is an example of a reading Section Test item.
Section Test, Speaking
In this speaking section test item the user is given a prompt and ask to provide a spoken response to it for up to 60 seconds.
Our AI Speechrater engine scores the response and calculates a final score. No feedback beyond a final score is given.
Section Test, Listening
This is a listening Section Test item. Unlike a Section Practice listening item, the audio auto-plays and the cannot be paused or replayed. No feedback beyond a final score is provided.
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Section Test, Writing
This is a writing Section Test item. It functions the same way as a Section Practice item except only a total score is provided for feedback.
Other Prep Resources Screen
Before TestReady was created there was no centralized location for all of the different TOEFL resources. This page was added to the platform to provide the user with a singular location for accessing all TOEFL related information.
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