07 / EDUCATION

Discoverer

Helping middle-school students move from a broad topic to a credible first research paper.

MY SCOPEPRODUCT DESIGNTEAMMIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, PRODUCT + ENGINEERINGTIMEFRAME2015

01 / THE PROBLEM

For a student writing an early research paper, search results are only the beginning. They still need to evaluate sources, make sense of information, organize ideas, and turn evidence into writing.

02 / THE EVIDENCE

The product was framed around the learning journey rather than a conventional search interface, recognizing where students need guidance without doing the thinking for them.

03 / THE DECISION

Create a guided workspace that connects discovery, source understanding, note-taking, and writing across the devices students use.

04 / THE COLLABORATION

The concept brought the needs of students and educators into product and engineering decisions, balancing instructional support with a clear, approachable interface.

05 / THE OUTCOME

Discoverer established a coherent product direction for supporting a student’s first research process from inquiry through a structured draft.

06 / THE REFLECTION

A learning product should make the next useful move visible while leaving the important thinking to the learner.

PROJECT EVIDENCE

Discoverer research experience across devices — 01 / A responsive research workspace carried the student journey across devices.

Stakeholder map of teachers, students, curriculum directors, librarians, and consortia — 02 / The stakeholder map connects students’ research with the teachers, librarians, and curriculum leaders supporting it.

Reporter, writer, and young researcher user map — 03 / Initially mapped for Research Companion, these student research roles later informed Discoverer as well.