Post #3

Reducing Technical Friction through Inclusive Design

In our group’s interactive learning resource on Project Evaluation, the most significant barrier for many students may not come from learning the economics and financial models, but from navigating a new platform such as Microsoft Excel. For students who are still developing basic computer and dashboard skills, opening Excel can create immediate cognitive disequilibrium, where the complexity of the interface conflicts with their existing knowledge. When learners feel overwhelmed by features such as the Ribbon or Formula Bar, they may never reach the financial analysis stage where graphs, charts, and visual learning take place.

The Barrier: Technical Friction

In the Excel Basics module, the primary barrier lies in the transition from raw, messy data to a structured grid. Students may struggle with data entry and formatting mechanics, which can lead to compounding errors in later activities such as the Graphing with Excel module [1]. If the Setup & Data Entry phase is too rigid or confusing, learners are more likely to feel frustrated rather than curious.

In a finance context, assuming that every student has the same baseline comfort with tools like Excel can unintentionally create obstacles. Starting with a completely blank workbook, for example, may present a barrier for learners with attention variability or those new to organizing data. If these barriers are not intentionally identified and addressed during the design process, they can persist unnoticed into draft or even final versions of the learning resource.

Our Fix: Implementing Scaffolds

To reduce this barrier, we redesigned the activity from a blank Excel task into a guided inquiry challenge. Instead of beginning with an empty workbook, students are provided with a pre-constructed file containing numbers, formulas, and underlying structure. This scaffold [2] allows learners to focus on organizing and interpreting information rather than learning the software interface from scratch. By lowering this initial barrier, students can more quickly move into the reasoning stage of the activity, where they analyze how economic variables, such as interest rates, affect a project’s viability.

To further support learning, a sample screenshot is provided as a self-assessment checkpoint. This acts as a timely intervention and helps ensure that when students reach the Graphing with Excel activity, they are not simply memorizing steps. Instead, they are using the tool to gather, analyze, and interpret data in order to solve authentic project-based problems.

Universal and Inclusive Design

By reducing technical friction through intentional scaffolding, this design approach allows learners to engage with the core concepts of project evaluation rather than being blocked by unfamiliar tools. This aligns with Universal Design for Learning, which encourages flexible approaches to instruction that reduce barriers and support equity and inclusion across diverse post-secondary contexts [3]. Designing with variability in mind ensures that Excel functions as a learning support tool, not a barrier, which allows for a more meaningful and confident engagement with financial analysis and project evaluation.

References:

[1] Learning Design Blueprint: Project Evaluation

[2] EDCI 335 Inclusive Learning Design. (n.d.). University of Victoria. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci335/inclusive-learning-design/

[3] Rose, D. H., Meyer, A., & the CAST UDL Team. (n.d.). Universal Design for Learning in post-secondary, technology-enabled learning environments (Module 2). In Universal Design. eCampusOntario Pressbooks. Retrieved February 27, 2026, from https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/universaldesign/part/module-2-udl-in-post-secondary-technology-enabled-learning-environments/