Barriers & risks
Keep learners visible at every step
Do not leave considerations of your disadvantaged learners in Step 1.
At every stage, ask:
- Does this fit their real life?
- Does this reduce or increase barriers?
- Does this build confidence or anxiety?
- Is this manageable in time and effort?
If not → adjust your design
Learner insight (from research & pilots)
Across contexts, disadvantaged learners consistently say:
- “I need something I can fit around my life”
- “I worry about going back to learning”
- “Too much content makes me disengage”
- “I need to see how this helps me immediately”
These are design constraints, not preferences
Common design risks (and how to avoid them)
1. Designing for an “average learner”
→ Instead: design for real, specific learners
2. Overloading content
→ Instead: prioritise what matters most
3. Assuming digital confidence
→ Instead: simplify tools and provide support
4. Adding interaction without purpose
→ Instead: use it only when it adds value
5. Treating delivery as separate from design
→ Instead: design with delivery in mind from the start