What they needed
As they prepared to pilot their new science curriculum with a major US school district, This is School faced a familiar challenge for EdTech platforms: how to present complex educational content in a clear and user-friendly way that helps teachers understand what the platform can provide in educational content and how it can help save time and effort planning lessons.
With a major sales opportunity on the line, they needed a more polished, accessible, and strategically structured user experience, one that could confidently support classroom teaching and scale across multiple subjects and districts.
What we did for them
We partnered with This is School as an extension of their product and development teams, bringing strategic UX design expertise at a pivotal point in their roadmap. We helped them deliver a clearer, more flexible science pilot by designing for how teachers and students actually use the platform in the classroom, supporting planning, pacing and engagement. Our work introduced teacher-focused interaction models, scalable design components and a clearer content framework, laying the groundwork for future subject expansion and enhancing the platform’s overall value to educators and school clients.
Focusing on the redesign of the Unit (now “Lesson”) page and a new Courses section, we elevated the platform’s usability and teaching impact in five key areas:
Courses page
We improved content clarity and navigation, enabling teachers to easily understand and access school-specific materials, and more clearly labelled the actions and features associated with content, within the scope of the work, as well as providing suggestions for the wider user journey.
Visual & functional design
We refined the platform’s visual hierarchy and layout to minimise distractions and enhance usability in Science and Geography classroom settings. Large-format layouts, improved contrast, a default font size, and scalable navigation made the interface more intuitive and accessible across devices, especially those commonly used in a classroom environment, such as those with frequent screen switching and direct teacher interaction. Moving the concept of their lesson experience forward and improving it to showcase to their clients.
Lesson content experience
We restructured lesson layouts to guide students and teachers through content more effectively, utilising rich media, clear sequencing, leveraging existing content more effectively, and linking content for a more in-depth mixed-methods learning experience. Additionally, we introduced a new feature for a dual-mode teaching interface, based on further information we have gathered about This is School users and our collaboration with the Head of Product. This made it easier to manage pacing, focus, and time within a lesson. For busy teachers who need to plan quickly or on the fly, these new features help This is School further support teachers in the moments they need it most.
Exercise workflows
By simplifying the way teachers assign and manage exercises, we made this process clearer and the actions more intuitive and discoverable, independent of each other. The options are now a better part of the logical flow of content and don’t occupy prime space where the presentation of content is key.
Strategic design consulting & handover
Acting as a consultative and collaborative partner, we advised on product priorities, contributed to structural planning for future subjects, and outlined how this work aligns with and supports the company's larger long-term goals. We ensured the development team had everything needed for a smooth implementation.
Our unique approach and expertise balance speed with structural improvements, delivering meaningful change within timelines without requiring extensive back-end redevelopment and thoughtful advice on how to incrementally implement the experience to fit the client's needs and bring more value, and a fresh way to present their important content to their clients.
Results
The redesigned Lesson page has significantly improved the structure, delivery, and experience of learning content, aligning the platform more closely with Science and Geography classroom needs. By focusing on usability, flexibility, and teacher-led workflows, the pilot strengthened student engagement and positioned This is School to enter conversations with greater confidence, showcasing their lesson platform and content. Beyond supporting a key sales opportunity, the work laid a strategic foundation for future content areas, with reusable design patterns and interaction models that add lasting value across subjects and teaching contexts.
As we moved into the new subject areas of Science and Geography, we wanted to make sure we were showcasing the full depth and quality of our educational content, as well as providing for the subject-specific needs of new clients. Fruto have helped us do just that! They understood our needs and have helped us provide a better experience for teachers and students, which is what matters most - working with them has been a pleasure.
