How might Renaissance Learning enhance its myON digital library to promote greater collaboration among students?

Introduction

Renaissance Learning's myON digital library is a powerful tool for student literacy, but there's an opportunity to enhance its collaborative features. I'll explore how we can improve myON to foster greater student collaboration, focusing on user needs, pain points, and innovative solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions

• Looking at the product context, I'm thinking myON might be primarily used in K-12 classrooms. Could you confirm the target age range and primary use cases for myON?

Why it matters: Determines the complexity and type of collaborative features we can implement. Expected answer: Primarily used by students aged 6-18 in classroom and home settings. Impact on approach: Would tailor solutions to different age groups and learning environments.

• Considering user behavior, I'm curious about the current level of engagement with any existing collaborative features. What percentage of users are actively using these features, and how frequently?

Why it matters: Helps identify if we need to improve existing features or introduce entirely new ones. Expected answer: Low engagement, with only 20% of users utilizing collaborative features weekly. Impact on approach: Would focus on both improving existing features and introducing new, more intuitive collaborative tools.

• Thinking about product lifecycle and company alignment, where does enhancing collaboration fit into Renaissance Learning's broader strategy for myON?

Why it matters: Ensures our improvements align with the company's vision and goals. Expected answer: It's a key priority to differentiate from competitors and increase user retention. Impact on approach: Would emphasize unique, sticky collaborative features that set myON apart.

• Considering external factors, how has the shift towards remote and hybrid learning affected the demand for collaborative features in digital libraries like myON?

Why it matters: Helps us understand if this is a reactive or proactive improvement. Expected answer: Significant increase in demand for online collaboration tools since 2020. Impact on approach: Would prioritize features that work seamlessly in both in-person and remote settings.