NYU Classes: Using the New Design Trial


About the New Design

Over the last several semesters, ITS has drawn upon a user-centered design approach, researching how our community uses NYU Classes to achieve specific teaching and learning objectives. As a result of the data and feedback collected, the optional look and feel described below is a New Design Trial which seeks to enhance how all users interact with NYU Classes. This optional design focuses on enhancing three main areas of user experience: place finding, navigation, and system messaging.

This article will cover the following main user interface (UI) enhancements:

I. Place finding

II. Navigation

III. Messaging

Entering/exiting the New Design Trial mode

To preview the new design, select the option to Try the New Design, available at all times at the top left corner of the NYU Classes screen.




Once selected, a drop-down menu will appear. To enter the New Design mode, click the blue Try the New Design button.




You will now enter the New Design Trial mode. You may exit the New Design Trial at any time by selecting the Exit the Design Trial link at the top of the screen.



I. Place finding

My Workspace

In the standard interface, the "My Workspace" tab rests in the same navigation bar as users’ course sites. In the New Design Trial mode, it is differentiated from course sites and placed in the upper left corner of the interface.


 

II. Navigation

Course site tool menu

The NYU Classes course site tool menu has been redesigned in the New Design Trial to automatically organize site tools by functional category, making it easier to understand tools’ purposes at a glance. Tools are arranged into the following categories: Information, Communication, Activities and Assessment, Content, Utilities, and Other.



The following course tools have been renamed to be more intuitive:

Adding/editing site tools

The Add/Edit Tools screen, available to instructors via the “Settings” tool, now allows you to add tools directly to the relevant tool category.

Note: Tools can only be added to their associated category.

 

III. Messaging

Tool ordering

Within the "Tool Order" screen, you may still reorder, rename, and hide tools from student view. The icons have been updated to reflect what action they will preform. Additionally, the categories within the course site left menu are also reflected here.

Note: Tools may only be reordered within their respective categories.

Site notifications

Notification messages within the New Design Trial mode have been redesigned to provide consistent color coding based off of notification type/priority.

Red messages will provide warnings regarding unsaved content.

 

Yellow messages will provide general message alerts.

 

Blue messages will provide tips and info.