Company

CollegeBoard

Role

UX Designer + Researcher

Year

2017

AP Web App Evolution

The CollegeBoard’s Advanced Placement (AP) program is a cornerstone of college readiness in the U.S., offering over 30 courses and exams.

However, the digital experience was fragmented across four separate sites, making it challenging for students, teachers, coordinators, and administrators to locate what they needed. Each group defined success differently—from students seeking college credit, to teachers requiring resources, to coordinators administering exams smoothly, to administrators expanding AP in their schools. CollegeBoard engaged Cooper, where I was part of the design team, to create a unified solution.

Demo video of the CollegeBoard AP site

Project Story

We began with in-depth research, including stakeholder interviews, alignment workshops, and over 30 user interviews across all constituent groups. These insights, paired with newly crafted personas and scenarios, shaped our exploration and design.

Our solution had three pillars:

  1. Simplified Wayfinding – We consolidated four sites into a single, re-architected AP Central, with a navigation system designed to make it easy for all constituents to locate the correct information.

  2. Targeted Tools and Data – We introduced the “My AP” dashboard, a personalized hub tailored to role and courses. Teachers could view student performance, students had assignment planners, coordinators had exam timelines, and administrators had access to program data.

  3. Integrated Support Features – To support AP’s new full-year model, we designed searchable, curriculum-aligned resources to ensure students and teachers could easily access lesson plans, pacing guides, and primary sources.

Project Story

We began with in-depth research, including stakeholder interviews, alignment workshops, and over 30 user interviews across all constituent groups. These insights, paired with newly crafted personas and scenarios, shaped our exploration and design.

Our solution had three pillars:

  1. Simplified Wayfinding – We consolidated four sites into a single, re-architected AP Central, with a navigation system designed to make it easy for all constituents to locate the correct information.

  2. Targeted Tools and Data – We introduced the “My AP” dashboard, a personalized hub tailored to role and courses. Teachers could view student performance, students had assignment planners, coordinators had exam timelines, and administrators had access to program data.

  3. Integrated Support Features – To support AP’s new full-year model, we designed searchable, curriculum-aligned resources to ensure students and teachers could easily access lesson plans, pacing guides, and primary sources.

My Contributions

  • Conducted and synthesized stakeholder and user research (30+ interviews across students, teachers, coordinators, administrators)

  • Facilitated alignment workshops to define success across diverse constituent needs

  • Created personas, scenarios, and design principles to guide the solution

  • Designed and iterated on the “My AP” personalized dashboard

  • Helped consolidate four fragmented sites into a single, unified AP Central experience

  • Partnered with cross-functional teams to ensure designs supported AP’s new full-year model

Timeline Solution

Our Impact

The new AP Central provided a unified “one-stop shop” experience. Teachers gained quick access to robust resources, students had clearer preparation and guidance, coordinators could more easily manage exam administration, and administrators gained insights to expand their programs. The redesign elevated the AP program from a collection of digital tools into a coherent, supportive ecosystem for all stakeholders.

Project Stats

  • 20+ ethnographic interviews with members exploring brain health

  • 3 conceptual directions storyboarded and tested with users

  • 2 final value-adds delivered: flexible assessment + outcome-based recommendations

Sketches of WW explorations

‹ APP IA

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