Title: Development of a Learning Management System (LMS)

Date: June 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024

Objective: To enhance and optimise the learning experience by applying a remote and
centralised learning management platform and developing a comprehensive Learning
Management System (LMS) that enhances online education delivery, streamlines
administrative tasks, and provides a fast platform for students, teachers, and administrators.

Problem statement: It is hard for students to access the current system, difficult to
manage, and it lacks essential features for effective learning and administration. Also,
students and teachers should be able to learn and manage from remote locations
respectively. This project aims to develop an integrated LMS that solves these problems.

Business needs:
- Centralised platform for course management and delivery.
- Improved user experience for students and teachers.
- Enhanced tracking and reporting of student progress.
- Streamlined administrative processes.
- Reduction in administrative overhead and manual processes.

Short-term goals:
- Develop core LMS features (course creation, enrollment, content delivery).
- Implement basic user roles (student, teacher, administrator).
- Ensure the system is secure and reliable for early users.
- Create a short term improvement plan according to the user feedback for further
improvement.

Long-term goals:
- Expand the feature set with advanced tools (analytics, gamification, social learning).
- Integrate with other educational tools and platforms.
- Achieve widespread adoption across multiple educational institutions.
- Continuously improve the system based on user feedback and technological
advancements.

Stakeholders:
End-users:
- Students: Primary users who will access course materials, submit assignments, and track
their progress.
- Teachers: Users who will create and manage courses, provide feedback, and assess
student performance.

Higher management:
- School Administrators (Principal/ CEO of University/School): Oversee the system's
implementation and ensure it meets educational standards.
- Educational Board Members: Approve and review the system's effectiveness and
compliance with educational policies.

Project team members:

- Project Manager: Oversees the project lifecycle and ensures timely delivery.
- Developers: Build and maintain the LMS software.
- UX/UI Designers: Design the user interface and ensure a seamless user experience.
- Quality Assurance Testers: Test the system for bugs and ensure it meets quality standards.

Other stakeholders (specify):

- Parents: Interested in tracking their children's progress and performance.
- External Education Consultants: Provide expertise and advice on educational best
practices and standards.
- Investors: Provide financial support.

Method(s):
- Interviews:
Conducted with students, teachers, and administrators to understand their needs and pain
points. For example, one-on-one interviews were held to gather detailed feedback on user
requirements and preferences.
- Workshops:
Facilitated with stakeholders to brainstorm features and functionalities. These workshops
included interactive sessions where participants could discuss and prioritise features.
- Surveys:
Distributed to a larger audience to gather quantitative data on desired LMS features. The
surveys included questions on current system shortcomings and desired improvements.
- Prototyping:
Developed interactive prototypes to validate design concepts and gather feedback. These
prototypes were used in user testing sessions to observe how users interact with the
proposed designs.
- Focus Groups:
Held with representative users to discuss and refine requirements. These groups included a
mix of students, teachers, and administrators to ensure diverse perspectives.

Key insights and requirements gathered:

- User-friendly Interface:
- Simple and intuitive design
- Easy navigation and accessibility for all users

- Mobile Accessibility:
- Full functionality on mobile devices
- Supports learning on the go

- Content Variety:
- Supports videos, documents, quizzes, and other content types
- Provides a rich and diverse learning experience
- Collaboration Tools:
- Features for discussion forums, group projects, and peer reviews
- Enhances collaborative learning

- Tracking and Reporting:

- Robust tools for monitoring student progress
- Generates reports for teachers and administrators

- Integration Capabilities:
- Ability to integrate with tools like Google Classroom and Zoom
- Ensures a seamless user experience

- Security and Privacy:

- High standards for data security
- Protects user privacy and sensitive information

Prioritising requirements:

Theme 1: User Interface

- High priority — Intuitive navigation, responsive design, device compatibility
- Medium priority — Interactive chatting
- Low priority — Theming options, multi-language support

Theme 2: Content Delivery

- High priority — Multimedia support, quiz creation
- Medium priority — Assignment submission portals
- Low priority — Gamification elements

Theme 3: Collaboration Tools

- High priority — Discussion forums, group project tools
- Medium priority — Peer review functionalities
- Low priority — Social learning features

Theme 4: Integration Capabilities

- High priority — Seamless integration with Google Classroom and Zoom
- Medium priority — API support for other educational tools
- Low priority — Integration with social media platforms

Theme 5: Security and Privacy

- High priority — Advanced encryption, compliance with data protection regulations
- Medium priority — Regular security audits, user authentication mechanisms
- Low priority — User privacy customization options

Theme 6: Administration and Management

High priority — Real-time dashboard, centralised management and restrict user permission
based on their role
Medium Priority — User activity tracking and alert notification
Low Priority — Customizable dashboards

Team feedback:

- Developers: Emphasised the need for a scalable architecture that can handle a large
number of users and content.
- UX/UI Designers: Highlighted the importance of user testing to ensure the LMS is easy to
use and meets user needs.
- QA Testers: Suggested early implementation of automated testing frameworks to ensure
the system remains reliable as it scales.
- Stakeholders: Stressed the need for a quick turnaround for the pilot version to gather initial
feedback and make necessary adjustments.

Challenges faced and solutions implemented:

Challenge 1: Diverse user requirements

- Solution: Prioritised features based on user role impact and conducted iterative feedback
sessions to refine requirements.

Challenge 2: Data security concerns

- Solution: Implemented advanced encryption methods and regular security audits to protect
user data and ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

Challenge 3 : High Cost

- Solution: Perform the cost breakdown and analysis and seek investors or budget
reallocation.

Challenge 4 : Data Migration

- Solution: Plan the migration process thoroughly and carefully. Create a backup and
contingency plan. Use data validation and verification techniques to ensure data integrity.

Challenge 5: Integration with existing systems

- Solution: Developed API interfaces and ensured compatibility through extensive testing to
allow seamless integration with other educational tools.

Tools used for requirements gathering and management:

- Jira: For tracking project tasks and requirements, ensuring all aspects of the project are
documented and monitored.
- Microsoft 365: For documenting requirements and collaboration, providing a central
repository for project information.
- Figma: For prototyping and design feedback, allowing designers to create and share
interactive prototypes with stakeholders.
- Google Forms: For surveys and feedback collection, enabling the team to gather
quantitative data from a large audience.
- Miro: For virtual workshops and brainstorming sessions, facilitating remote collaboration
and idea sharing.