An award-winning experience
for Chan Zuckerberg
Along (by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) is a product helps teachers and students build stronger relationships, improving engagement and classroom outcomes. However, user research showed that while teachers and students were excited about the concept, the product didn't deliver and most users dropped off quickly.
In collaboration with a talented brand strategist and designer, I helped develop a brand-led vision to guide the redesign. By applying brand principles to product design, we transformed Along into a more usable, effective, and delightful experience.
The result? Along was named a 2024 Top Ed Tech Products Awards winner by District Administration!
Audit
We started by auditing the current experience and brand guidelines, identifying key touchpoints as well as areas of concern / opportunity.
Brand Principles
To ensure objectivity and appeal to a data-driven organization, I recommended framing our work using the Along Brand Principles, a process inspired by my experience with Khan Academy. Fortunately, Along had a strong brand foundation defined by IDEO. By using these principles, we could objectively assess whether Along was meeting user needs at key touchpoints in the experience.
A more personal profile
The Student Profile page in Along, intended to help students feel seen, felt underwhelming and lacked engagement. By embracing Along’s Nurturing and Lively brand principles, we envisioned a space where students feel supported and central to a personalized, Spotify-Unwrapped-like experience. This approach allows students to track their progress, receive encouragement, and access actionable next steps.
Actionable Insight
Teachers are pressed for time, so any tool they use must deliver real value. Unfortunately, the Teacher Home page in Along functioned merely as an inbox for communications with poor visual hierarchy leading to confusion and disengagement. By applying the ‘Direct’ and ‘Credible’ brand principles, the homepage can respect teachers’ time by clarifying the user experience. Reducing visual noise and using color, type, and layout intentionally establishes a clear hierarchy, guiding teachers to the most important information and actions. By surfacing valuable insights and anticipating next steps, teachers are guided towards useful next steps. Incorporating profile photos, imperfect shapes, and hand-drawn elements creates a more human experience, fostering connection and making teachers feel more engaged with their class.
Clear Communication
The core of the Along experience lies in the individual conversations between students and teachers. However, the Messaging page design made it unclear who was talking to whom and what next steps to take. By emphasizing key information—the discussion topic and the participants—and using color and imagery intentionally, we clarify who students are communicating with (‘feel secure,’ Nurturing) and how they can respond (‘guided,’ Direct). Additionally, we can infuse Along’s personality and playfulness through animations and micro-interactions.
A winning experience
We took our vision on an internal roadshow, created shareable assets, and established a closer Brand/Product collaboration. By applying Brand Principles to Product Design, we helped the org reshape Along into a more usable, effective, and delightful experience. But don’t take our word for it. The redesigned Along has been named a 2024 Top Ed Tech Products Awards winner by District Administration!
