SP10 CLIENT IMPACT ON FUNCTIONALITY & DESIGN. p. 1 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

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1 SP10 CLIENT IMPACT ON FUNCTIONALITY & DESIGN p. 1 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

2 HAVE YOU EVER HAD A STUDENT TEACH YOU SOMETHING? We have. We re learning from EDUCATORS, IT PROS, and ACADEMIC LEADERS too. The latest version of Blackboard Learn takes end-user feedback to heart and delivers. And this CLIENT IMPACT REPORT highlights how those clients have influenced the features and functionality of this release and the invaluable role they play in helping us build a better educational experience. p. 2 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

3 640 INSTITUTIONS contributed to the development of SP10, up from 250 involved in the initial release of 9.1. The new and improved features in Service Pack 10 are a blessing for blended learning, providing more options for collaborative, social and web/mobile based K12 teaching and learning. Peter Yeates, Ipswich Grammar School Each release just gets better because of the institutions participation in Blackboard Community Programs. By including the people who use Blackboard in the refining of the product, the system develops in a way that meets the users needs. Being able to provide our experience and perspective to the development process is a win-win for us. Shannon Field Embry-Riddle Aeronautical We feel like we re part of the decision process, and can help guide the future of the Blackboard Learn system. Chris Bray, University of Arkansas SP10...Item Analysis, Course Evaluation Surveys, updated Calendar... Finally! The best release yet! Kofi Merritt Army Training Support Center The new Content Editor will resolve a multitude of issues our users have experienced over the years, including automatic paste-from Word clean up that renders vastly better results than the currently available mash-up. Dennis Hood Princeton University Barbara Klett Central Oregon Community College I have a say in influencing the product, resulting in solutions that work better for my institution. Samantha Clarke University of Manchester As a result of participating in the Product Development Partnership, I am much more informed about features coming to Blackboard Learn, which will allow my department to better manage the transition and anticipate the new features. Stephanie Richter Northern Illinois University p. 3 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

4 There are many excellent features in SP10, but adding a social layer to Blackboard Learn will allow our students to connect in new ways. Stephanie Richter, Northern Illinois University NEARLY 600 Participating in Blackboard Community Programs helps to plan for successful upgrades. Leo Schouest, UC Riverside Having early access to SP10 allowed us to convince our Steering Committee to move to SP10 much earlier than originally anticipated. Being able to show them the benefits of Global Navigation was the clincher. Schelly Gardner, Southern Cross University STUDENTS influenced the development of SP10 as a result of their participation in user research activities. More student participation than any previous release. I am very pleased and honored to be part of the Blackboard Accessibility Partnership Program. The opportunity to provide input to improving the accessibility of Blackboard to screen readers is very special to me as a blind professor of mathematics. It is exciting to work on projects and learn from the technical expertise of others who are committed to Blackboard and accessibility. Betsey Doane, Housatonic Community College Students are requesting more and more social interaction on campus and inside of their courses. My Blackboard will really help facilitate these requests. Chris Bray, University of Arkansas p. 4 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

5 BLACKBOARD LEARN 9.1 SERVICE PACK 10 delivers exciting innovations as well as deep improvements to core capabilities, resulting in a product that engages learners, increases educator efficiency and improves insight. The methodology for WHAT TO BUILD and HOW TO BUILD it is driven by the feedback of thousands of clients through their participation in BLACKBOARD COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. Surveys Suggestion Box Suggestion Squad Focus Groups Usability Tests Accessibility Tests Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Beta Limited Field Trials Bug Squad COMMITMENT & IMPACT PLANNING DEVELOPMENT RELEASE FEEDBACK DRIVES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT p. 5 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

6 EMPOWERING CLIENTS TO IMPACT PRODUCT WHAT TO BUILD The process starts when a client thinks of an idea to improve the product and submits that suggestion in the online SUGGESTION BOX, a means for clients to share ideas for new features or enhancements. Client feedback in the suggestion box is strong and engaging often leading to a follow up conversation or a client visit. Over 170 suggestions were incorporated into the features and functionality included in Release 9.1 SP10. HOW TO BUILD Now that we know what we re building next, we want to design the solutions with the best experience possible. A PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP or PDP, is a formal program which is designed to engage participants during the actual design and development process of a possible new feature. For Release 9.1 SP10, we utilized an Administrator, Instructor and Student PDP. Participants are given the opportunity to help prioritize use cases and review early prototypes by working directly with Product Designers weekly for six months while the features are actually being built. Over 80 institutions met for more than 56 hours to collaborate with Product Designers on almost every change in Release 9.1 SP10. THE ACCESSIBILITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM partners accessibility experts with Blackboard Product Designers who are working on various feature designs and development projects across the Blackboard Learn Platform. Accessibility is a core component of Blackboard s design and development process and client involvement plays a key role in the success of Blackboard Learn. The Accessibility Partnership Program allows the User Experience team to deepen accessibility partnerships, engage clients across all markets in the accessibility conversation, and ensure continued client involvement in all future active projects. 22 accessibility experts representing 18 institutions influenced almost every major Release 9.1 SP10 feature by participating in the Accessibility Partnership Program. USER RESEARCH and USABILITY TESTING occurs iteratively throughout the life cycle of development by the User Experience team, who focuses on quality by measuring if designs are reliable, useful, delightful, engaging and simple. 983 Blackboard users participated 2273 times in research activities that were conducted for Release 9.1 SP10, including both moderated and un-moderated usability tests, surveys and focus groups. Before a release is generally available, clients can have access to the pre-released software by participating in a BETA, LIMITED FIELD TRIAL or EARLY RELEASE PROGRAM. Betas allow clients to test the upgrade experience, Limited Field Trials and Early Release Programs allow them to test the user experience they all prepare clients for change management, increase confidence in upgrading and provide direct access to Blackboard experts. 191 clients were involved in Release 9.1 SP10 Betas, Limited Field Trials and Early Release Programs. HOW TO MAINTAIN After a service pack is released, the BUG SQUAD allows clients to prioritize bug fixes through the use of an online crowd-sourcing tool. Clients help decide which bugs get fixed and get early visibility into when client issues will be addressed. 250 clients voted in the Release 9.1 SP10 Bug Squad. p. 6 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

7 HOW TO BUILD WHAT TO BUILD ONLINE SUGGESTION BOX 170 CLIENT SUGGESTIONS were incorporated into the features and functionality included in Release 9.1 SP10. THE ACCESSIBILITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM 22 ACCESSIBILITY EXPERTS representing 18 INSTITUTIONS influenced almost every major SP10 feature. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP 80 INSTITUTIONS met for more than 56 hours to collaborate with Product Designers on almost every change in Release 9.1 SP10. p. 7 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

8 BETAS, LIMITED FIELD TRIALS and EARLY RELEASE PROGRAMS. USER RESEARCH and USABILITY TESTING 191 CLIENTS were involved in Release 9.1 SP10 Betas, Limited Field Trials and Early Release Programs BLACKBOARD USERS participated 2205 TIMES in research activities that were conducted for Release 9.1 SP10. HOW TO MAINTAIN BUG SQUAD allows clients to prioritize bug fixes through the use of an online crowd-sourcing tool. Clients help decide which bugs get fixed and get early visibility into when client issues will be addressed. 250 clients voted in the Release 9.1 SP10. p. 8 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

9 COMMUNITY PROGRAMS HEAVILY INFLUENCED THE FOLLOWING SP10 FEATURES: PAGE 10 My Blackboard 12 Social Learning 14 Enterprise Surveys & Course Evaluations 16 Assessment Item Analysis 18 Content Editor p. 9 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

10 MY BLACKBOARD MY BLACKBOARD is a completely new, modern student experience that expands beyond the current course-based model of Blackboard Learn to one that is focused on the student. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT IMPACTED THIS FEATURE: Suggestion Box Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Accessibility Tests Usability Tests CLIENT VIEW From the Student perspective, MY BLACKBOARD and the new social learning tools will be great improvements. I think for students, especially those that are fully online students, it will give them a better sense of community. Monica Surrency Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide FOCUS GROUPS, SURVEYS, INTERVIEWS AND USABILITY TESTS WERE CONDUCTED WITH SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS, INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS TO GET FEEDBACK ON THIS FEATURE. p. 10 SP10 Client Impact Report

11 We have built a deep understanding of the expectations and needs of today s active learner. They want Blackboard Learn to be more user-friendly, more focused on their needs, and more modern - like the online experiences they have in other areas of their life outside education. So we worked with students and we built My Blackboard. - Greg Ritter, Director of Product Management MY BLACKBOARD p. 11 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

12 SOCIAL LEARNING SOCIAL LEARNING in Blackboard Learn enables students and educators to discover, connect, and collaborate with their global education network in the online learning environment they visit every day. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT IMPACTED THIS FEATURE: Suggestion Box Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Usability Tests CLIENT VIEW Service Pack 10 is a significant step forward in design and innovation. Its focus on integrating Social Learning provides a personalized learning experience to users. Through this Service Pack, Blackboard changed the traditional perception of a LMS Dolf Jordaan University of Pretoria USERS MOST FREQUENTLY USED THE WORDS DELIGHTFUL, ENGAGING, RELIABLE, SIMPLE AND USEFUL TO DESCRIBE THIS FEATURE. p. 12 SP10 Client Impact Report

13 The Instructor PDP uncovered the need to better personalize both students and instructor profiles online. They also helped us understand the finer points of profile privacy needs, especially in the K-12 environment. - Dan Rinzel, Blackboard Design Manager SOCIAL LEARNING p. 13 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

14 ENTERPRISE SURVEYS & COURSE EVALUATIONS ENTERPRISE SURVEY AND COURSE EVALUATION formerly found in the Outcomes System has been updated and is now included in the core Course Delivery product. Institutions may now conduct surveys as needed at the course, department, institution and general public levels. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT IMPACTED THIS FEATURE: Suggestion Box Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Usability Tests CLIENT VIEW Our institution can t wait for SP10 because the majority of our faculty has requested a better survey system. The Enterprise Surveys & Course Evaluations Tool delivers. Rene Aube College Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick p. 14 SP10 Client Impact Report ALL USERS PARTICIPATING IN A SURVEY TOOL USABILITY TEST WERE ABLE TO CREATE A SURVEY, ADD QUESTIONS, SCHEDULE THE SURVEY, AND SURVEY PARTICIPANTS WITH 100 PERCENT SUCCESS AND NO MISTAKES.

15 Client Interviews, conversations and usability testing helped us realize that we could help institutions increase response rates to online surveys by ensuring students saw links to respond within their courses and could easily access and complete surveys in the environment they are most comfortable in their phones. - JoAnna Hunt, Blackboard Product Designer ENTERPRISE SURVEY AND COURSE EVALUATION p. 15 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

16 ASSESSMENT ITEM ANALYSIS ASSESSMENT ITEM ANALYSIS helps instructors refine their Assessments by evaluating the quality of each question and that question s ability to discriminate between students who understand the material and those who do not. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT IMPACTED THIS FEATURE: Suggestion Box Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Accessibility Tests Usability Tests CLIENT VIEW I was thrilled to see the item analysis tool. I think the Product Development Partnership helped to make the interface simpler to understand while ensuring that it included enough detail to be meaningful. Stephanie Richter Northern Illinois University p. 16 SP10 Client Impact Report

17 The Administrator PDP elevated the importance of reporting against questions delivered via question sets and random blocks. The team also pointed out the need for a robust documentation behind the numbers in order to avoid false interpretation of the statistics while assisting in the overall design and presentation refinement of the feature. - Ranjan Bhattarai, Blackboard Product Designer ASSESSMENT ITEM ANALYSIS p. 17 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

18 CONTENT EDITOR The new CONTENT EDITOR, which is based on the industry standard TinyMCE WYSIWYG editor, vastly improves the client experience for entering text and adding content to all areas of Blackboard Learn. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT IMPACTED THIS FEATURE: Suggestion Box Product Development Partnerships (PDP) Accessibility Partnership Program Limited Field Trial Early Release Program CLIENT VIEW This new Content Editor is on par with the best text box editor I ve worked with to date. It did everything I expected it to do. David Gray Palomar College OVER 160 INSTITUTIONS WERE ABLE TO TEST THE NEW CONTENT EDITOR PRIOR TO ITS GENERALLY AVAILABILITY BY PARTICIPATING IN THE LIMITED FIELD TRIAL AND EARLY RELEASE PROGRAM. p. 18 SP10 Client Impact Report

19 We listened to the well-founded criticism of the old-vtbe and began to work with clients on research and development of a new Content Editor that would address these shortcomings. Our clients provided us with valuable input on features that would take the user experience in Blackboard Learn to the next level. Today, I am happy to say that the new Content Editor delivers a vastly improved experience for editing HTML that will be delivered in a way that enables the Blackboard Learn solution to provide maintenance and delivery of new capabilities in future releases faster. We couldn t have done it without the feedback from our clients. - Mark O Neil, Blackboard Product Manager CONTENT EDITOR p. 19 Blackboard Learn SP10 Client Impact Report

20 THANK YOU to all of the clients that impacted Release 9.1 SP10. Learn more about the ways you can impact a future release by participating in a Blackboard Community Program: BLACKBOARD.COM/EMPOWER See more of SP10 at blackboardlearn.com/enhanced Copyright Blackboard Inc. All rights reserved. Blackboard, the Blackboard logo, Blackboard Learn and Behind the Blackboard are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackboard Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Blackboard products and services may be covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 8,265,968, 7,493,396; 7,558,853.