User Comments and Design Decisions

Early feedback

Users value having access to an inventory of data and products

• PCS: “I'm not sure that we do [anything like this], to be honest! That was one of the advantages of doing that assessment that we did, that it actually lets you see what everyone in the district is using across the board. I think it would be a good tool for us to see if there are overlaps. I'm not sure if we keep an overall list of programs or supports that we have. If there is one, I am not aware of it. ...Until I did the audit a couple months ago, I could not have told you what products we use in the district -- only the products that directly affected me in my job. It gives us a way to see the big picture and how it all connects, rather than seeing the fragmented pieces. We really could be saving some money. Are we using our resources as wisely as we could? Are multiple principals purchasing the same product for their own schools? It made me realize the degree to which my district goes to keep data safe. This let me know that our student data is safe.”
• DCPS: A similar DSWG product matrix was an “eye opening approach to how many tools we had, how they were being used across the district, and who the product owners were.” DCPS no longer has editing access to the matrix.
• GPS: “Looking at the snapshot, we don't have anything like this that looks holistically at everything and how it fits in…. We would use this to find out, “Is the system worth keeping? Is it worth tweaking? Or stop using and see what else is out there? Is there a system that combines a couple features? Could we come up with a game plan to increase usage? … Sometimes we don't know who's on first. I like the idea of capturing everything we have and who is responsible, how they connect to student learning, product information / like products. We have all these things and they just seem kind of random. We could save cost - how much are we spending versus usage?
• GCS: “Schools keep a list of tools and products, and we are currently compiling a district list.”
• SPS: “What I really like is that it gives you a map of who is doing what, where. It has the potential to see how effectively and in service of what. It puts together a lot of pieces that are hard to track.”
• Based on designs, 3/4 interviewees would use tool (SPS has existing systems in place: “We’re weird… Were I in a large district office needing to figure out what's going on out there, then absolutely.”)

Users can collaborate asynchronously on one inventory

• PCS: “If multiple people could access and share a link and answer specific questions, that would be awesome… I don’t want to take ownership of [filling out everything]. It shouldn’t be one person doing that document. It should be a shared collection of input.”

Users can view select information in summary view and fill out full product information in modal

• PCS: “[In the Excel] the technology was the most challenging part. Once I understood what I needed to answer, it was pretty easy.”
• PCS: Regarding design, "It looks friendlier! Looking at this versus looking at the Excel file makes me feel more comfortable figuring this out."
• TNTP: Districts were “overwhelmed by entering information into the tool with so much information in one place.”
• GCS: “The tech department found the Excel useful, and this version is more user friendly.”

Summary view includes Product, Vendor, Purpose, Usage

• GPS: Product, Purpose, Effectiveness / Usage
• GCS: Usage, School variation. Tech department would want to see hosting.
• PCS: Connectivity, Usage, not hosting
• SPS: Product, Purpose, Usage

Facilitators can tag users to fill out certain areas

• PCS: When filling out Excel, facilitator scheduled individual interviews with Finance, HR, etc. to respond to specific questions and logged responses in tool. “People in other departments might be overwhelmed” by whole inventory.

Users can fill out additional, optional fields related to procurement, implementation, alignment to EdSurge Product Index

• DCPS: Additional questions about tool use: “Training, vendor relationship, price point of product plus staff time needed, strengths and weaknesses, what would you do differently for overall change management process?”
• Pivot: Districts need to be able to identify redundancies
• Pivot: Point of contact needed for accountability
• JPS: “We were focused on capturing specific costs related to PD dollars. We need ability to look at ROI on PD investments with system view.”
• SPS: Ability to filter / sort by purpose - EdSurge Schema

Users can download or share the inventory

• Audience:
  • Cabinet: district-wide technology committee, superintendent, assistant superintendent director of technology, and business team
  • Principals and central office team
• Format:
  • User friendly snapshot or summary - not Excel. PDF or link would be fine - link is live data, but people still like to print things out
  • PDF report

Validating Designs

• Add Product Entry: 4/4
• Add Participants: 4/4 (uncertain what would happen after adding)
• View Options: 2/4 (2 guessed product criteria / compatibility)
• Checkboxes: 2/4
• Tag User: 2/3
• Complete: 4/4
• What’s next: 3/4