Standardizing Digital Data Collection in Special Education Classrooms
In special education, data collection is not optional — it’s a legal mandate. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools must track and report student progress on Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals to remain compliant. But beyond compliance, data collection supports decision-making in the classroom, supports communication with families, and ensures that students receive the specific support they need.
In special education, data collection is not optional — it’s a legal mandate. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools must track and report student progress on Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals to remain compliant. But beyond compliance, data collection supports decision-making in the classroom, supports communication with families, and ensures that students receive the specific support they need.
THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM
Special education teachers are required to report progress on dozens, sometimes hundreds of student goals without reliable systems to track, synthesize, or communicate data.
SOLUTION SNEAK PEAK
Design for Day-to-Day Classroom Workflows
1
Data Collection Interface
Simple, comprehensive, and intuitive data entry. Designed for speed, clarity, and consistency across teams.
2
Attached Lesson Plan
Attaching lesson plans brings clarity to every session, giving the team the context they need to support each student effectively.
3
Audit/Edit Session
Giving users the flexibility to revise and recover from mistakes without penalty.
SOLUTION SNEAK PEAK
Design for Day-to-Day Classroom Workflows
1
Data Collection Interface
Simple, comprehensive, and intuitive data entry. Designed for speed, clarity, and consistency across teams.
2
Attached Lesson Plan
Attaching lesson plans brings clarity to every session, giving the team the context they need to support each student effectively.
3
Audit/Edit Session
Giving users the flexibility to revise and recover from mistakes without penalty.
1
Data Collection Interface
Simple, comprehensive, and intuitive data entry. Designed for speed, clarity, and consistency across teams.
2
Attached Lesson Plan
Attaching lesson plans brings clarity to every session, giving the team the context they need to support each student effectively.
3
Audit/Edit Session
Giving users the flexibility to revise and recover from mistakes without penalty.
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
When Systems Fail the Classroom
Imagine you’re a special education teacher preparing for an IEP meeting. You’re expected to report on student progress, but all you have are scattered notes and what you can remember from the past months. The anxiety builds. You start to question whether you’re able to show up for your students and families in the way you intended.
This is the daily reality for many teachers. Without established systems, data is left behind, communication breaks down, and districts face real consequences.
Imagine you’re a special education teacher preparing for an IEP meeting. You’re expected to report on student progress, but all you have are scattered notes and what you can remember from the past months. The anxiety builds. You start to question whether you’re able to show up for your students and families in the way you intended.
This is the daily reality for many teachers. Without established systems, data is left behind, communication breaks down, and districts face real consequences.
75% of special education teachers surveyed said they [somewhat or strongly agree] that they are not able to fulfill the duties of their role within contracted hours — resulting in long workdays and high burnout rates.
75% of special education teachers surveyed said they [somewhat or strongly agree] that they are not able to fulfill the duties of their role within contracted hours — resulting in long workdays and high burnout rates.
⚠️
Unrealistic Expectations: The volume of goals teachers are required to manage can be high. Depending on the classroom type, goals across the school year can range from 50 - 200+.
Unrealistic Expectations: The volume of goals teachers are required to manage can be high. Depending on the classroom type, goals across the school year can range from 50 - 200+.
⚠️
Rising Legal Risk: Districts can spend hundreds of thousands each year resolving parent/guardian disputes that often stem from poor documentation.
Rising Legal Risk: Districts can spend hundreds of thousands each year resolving parent/guardian disputes that often stem from poor documentation.
⚠️
Community Fallout: When teachers struggle to meet compliance standards, confidence spirals, burn out takes root, families grow discouraged, and the sense of partnership between home and school weakens.
Community Fallout: When teachers struggle to meet compliance standards, confidence spirals, burn out takes root, families grow discouraged, and the sense of partnership between home and school weakens.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Looking In to Understand the Status Quo
To better understand why current data collection systems are failing teachers, I probed to explore the different strategies teachers currently use in the classroom.
To better understand why current data collection systems are failing teachers, I probed to explore the different strategies teachers currently use in the classroom.
KEY INSIGHT #1
Survey + Interviews
Out of the 12 head of classroom teaches I surveyed and interviewed, a large majority of them use a paper/binder system. 0% had dedicated data collection software.
Out of the 12 head of classroom teaches I surveyed and interviewed, a large majority of them use a paper/binder system. 0% had dedicated data collection software.
How do you organize your data collection strategy?
"Having to organize a dozen data sheets per student and update them each quarter can be a lot to manage and sort through."
— Steve H. (Special Education Teacher, 3 years experience)
KEY INSIGHT #2
Interviews + Heuristic Audit + Theme Mapping
My strategy was to go deep to understand and audit the most common approaches across districts, and identify where they fall short. Even at their best, these strategies revealed several friction points and clear opportunities for improvement.
My strategy was to go deep to understand and audit the most common approaches across districts, and identify where they fall short. Even at their best, these strategies revealed several friction points and clear opportunities for improvement.
🧠 Grouping Insights into Themes
Theme 1: Aesthetic and minimal design
Paper-based and spreadsheet forms are overwhelming to read at a glance.
Theme 2: Visibility of system status
Progress visualization requires time consuming manual synthesis.
Theme 3: Help and documentation
Lack of definitions and lesson plan context leads to confusion and inconsistent support
Theme 4: User control & efficiency of use
Managing student data is time-consuming and difficult to scale across multiple goals.
Theme 5: Match between system and the real world
Rigid formats leave no room to capture the full story behind student progress.
Theme 1: Aesthetic and minimal design
Paper-based and spreadsheet forms are overwhelming to read at a glance.
Theme 2: Visibility of system status
Progress visualization requires time consuming manual synthesis.
Theme 3: Help and documentation
Lack of definitions and lesson plan context leads to confusion and inconsistent support
Theme 4: User control & efficiency of use
Managing student data is time-consuming and difficult to scale across multiple goals.
Theme 5: Match between system and the real world
Rigid formats leave no room to capture the full story behind student progress.
Theme 1: Aesthetic and minimal design
Paper-based and spreadsheet forms are overwhelming to read at a glance.
Theme 2: Visibility of system status
Progress visualization requires time consuming manual synthesis.
Theme 3: Help and documentation
Lack of definitions and lesson plan context leads to confusion and inconsistent support
Theme 4: User control & efficiency of use
Managing student data is time-consuming and difficult to scale across multiple goals.
Theme 5: Match between system and the real world
Rigid formats leave no room to capture the full story behind student progress.
HOW MIGHT WE…
Reimagine a digital experience that solves data collection pain points and aligns with current classroom workflows and mental models?
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT PROCESS
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT PROCESS
Describing User Needs
A central part of my role was scoping user needs into actionable design and engineering decisions. This section outlines how I approached problem framing, documented user requirements, and collaborated with engineers to bring those solutions to life.
A central part of my role was scoping user needs into actionable design and engineering decisions. This section outlines how I approached problem framing, documented user requirements, and collaborated with engineers to bring those solutions to life.
Output and Process
Tools used:
1
Use Jobs-to-Be-Done framework to understand broad unmet challenges and motivations.
Example statement: "When [collecting data on a student goals], I want to [document essential moments], so I can [feel confident my data is valuable and actionable]."
Use Jobs-to-Be-Done framework to understand broad unmet challenges and motivations.
Example statement: "When [collecting data on a student goals], I want to [document essential moments], so I can [feel confident my data is valuable and actionable]."
2
Break down the broader task into a high-level journey map
Realizing data needs to be documented
Prepare for upcoming data session
View student goal and present levels of performance
Collect data on goal
Submit goal data
View goal data
Break down the broader task into a high-level journey map
Realizing data needs to be documented
Prepare for upcoming data session
View student goal and present levels of performance
Collect data on goal
Submit goal data
View goal data
🚧
What triggers the need?
What steps do users take?
What makes each step it hard or easy?
What triggers the need?
What steps do users take?
What makes each step it hard or easy?
3
Write user stories, prioritize requirements, and use cases to define functionality
Example user story: "As a primary or secondary user, I want to attach a specific prompt to a trial, so that I can document where a student is receiving assistance."
Write user stories, prioritize requirements, and use cases to define functionality
Example user story: "As a primary or secondary user, I want to attach a specific prompt to a trial, so that I can document where a student is receiving assistance."
Requirements were prioritized by what was absolutely needed in order for MVP to function and evolved over time with engineering buy-in. Bringing engineering team into the mix early was essential for understanding feasibility risks.
Requirements were prioritized by what was absolutely needed in order for MVP to function and evolved over time with engineering buy-in. Bringing engineering team into the mix early was essential for understanding feasibility risks.
🛠️
LOOPING IN ENGINEERS
🔁
LOOPING IN ENGINEERS
🚧
LOOPING IN ENGINEERS
Matching specific use case steps:
User clicks the prompt button
The system displays a prompt hierarchy modal
The user selects type and quantity
The system displays selection
The user closes modal
The system indicates if a prompt was used
Matching specific use case steps:
User clicks the prompt button
The system displays a prompt hierarchy modal
The user selects type and quantity
The system displays selection
The user closes modal
The system indicates if a prompt was used
🚧
When handing off design requirements, I rely on clear, detailed use cases to communicate the full picture to reduce ambiguity. This approach became essential for development and QA, helping our team anticipate edge cases and capture a wide range of user interactions.
When handing off design requirements, I rely on clear, detailed use cases to communicate the full picture to reduce ambiguity. This approach became essential for development and QA, helping our team anticipate edge cases and capture a wide range of user interactions.
Product Management Retrospective
Product Management Retrospective
Product Management Retrospective
I threw myself into the role of product management. I had no experience handing off designs to engineers, no formal sprint training, and plenty of uncomfortable moments of awkward silence. I was drinking from a firehose, but I learned to work smarter. Using Linear for project management and AI to speed up documentation to write PRDs allowed me to focus more on decision making. What an interesting time to step into product.
What I would do differently:
Define success metrics earlier. Advocating for product data metrics would allow our team to better understand what kind of impact a particular feature has on the experience.
Prioritize value risk earlier. It's all about solving problems and how features translate to business results. There are several "vanity" details I became attached to without considering their fundamental value and engineering expense.
I threw myself into the role of product management. I had no experience handing off designs to engineers, no formal sprint training, and plenty of uncomfortable moments of awkward silence. I was drinking from a firehose, but I learned to work smarter. Using Linear for project management and AI to speed up documentation to write PRDs allowed me to focus more on decision making. What an interesting time to step into product.
What I would do differently:
Define success metrics earlier. Advocating for product data metrics would allow our team to better understand what kind of impact a particular feature has on the experience.
Prioritize value risk earlier. It's all about solving problems and how features translate to business results. There are several "vanity" details I became attached to without considering their fundamental value and engineering expense.
GOAL
To equip every classroom team member with the tools they need to consistently and meaningfully contribute to the data collection process.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS
1
Reduce time spent on administrative tasks
Streamline workflows so teachers work faster, stay organized, and save time.
2
Increase time to value
Give teachers immediate, easily digestible insights to submitted data sessions.
3
Paraprofessional participation
Shared responsibilities lighten the load for teacher.
4
Submitted sessions = north star metric
Submitted data collection events indicate classroom engagement and usability.
GOAL
To equip every classroom team member with the tools they need to consistently and meaningfully contribute to the data collection process.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS
1
Reduce time spent on administrative tasks
Streamline workflows so teachers work faster, stay organized, and save time.
2
Increase time to value
Give teachers immediate, easily digestible insights to submitted data sessions.
3
Paraprofessional participation
Shared responsibilities lighten the load for teacher.
4
Submitted sessions = north star metric
Submitted data collection events indicate classroom engagement and usability.
GOAL
To equip every classroom team member with the tools they need to consistently and meaningfully contribute to the data collection process.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS
1
Reduce time spent on administrative tasks
Streamline workflows so teachers work faster, stay organized, and save time.
2
Increase time to value
Give teachers immediate, easily digestible insights to submitted data sessions.
3
Paraprofessional participation
Shared responsibilities lighten the load for teacher.
4
Submitted sessions = north star metric
Submitted data collection events indicate classroom engagement and usability.
SOLUTION BREAK DOWN
SOLUTION BREAK DOWN
Standardizing Data Collection
A modern and simplified way to document student goal progress. Our platform supports asynchronous alignment, collaboration, comprehensive inputs, and instant access to progress reports.
RESULTS & IMPACT ON USERS
RESULTS & IMPACT ON USERS
Understanding What Worked
Mela Mela's key metrics indicate we're on the right track. The data below is from our first completed school district pilot (Jan - April 25').
Mela Mela's key metrics indicate we're on the right track. The data below is from our first completed school district pilot (Jan - April 25').
📈
Average of 600 goal submissions per month (20 core users), 98% paraprofessional driven
Average of 600 goal submissions per month (20 core users), 98% paraprofessional driven
📈
90% of support/feedback tickets come from paraprofessional staff indicating strong participation and sharing of duties.
90% of support/feedback tickets come from paraprofessional staff indicating strong participation and sharing of duties.
📈
We saw a 95% reduction in time spent synthesizing data = faster time to value through clearer data visibility and more consistent, data-driven communication among classroom teams
We saw a 95% reduction in time spent synthesizing data = faster time to value through clearer data visibility and more consistent, data-driven communication among classroom teams
📈
Pilot teachers report Mela Mela is saving them 30 minutes per student for each quarterly reporting period. For a teacher with 12 students on their caseload and a pay rate of $30/hour, that’s 24 hours saved annually = $720 in recovered time value per teacher, per year.
Pilot teachers report Mela Mela is saving them 30 minutes per student for each quarterly reporting period. For a teacher with 12 students on their caseload and a pay rate of $30/hour, that’s 24 hours saved annually = $720 in recovered time value per teacher, per year.
RETROSPECTIVE
Current Takeaways and Future
Special education teachers face some of the highest burnout rates of any profession and the demands aren’t changing. This case study taught me that the most impactful products are the ones that get used everyday. By supporting paraprofessionals, we built a workflow that actually got used, and made teachers’ jobs easier.
What I'll carry forward: Stepping into product management expanded my skills beyond design. Leading team sprints, managing team dynamics, and clearly communicating priorities under engineering constraints gave me a new perspective on software development. This experience strengthened my ability to drive strategy while still staying grounded in user needs. I’ll carry that blend of design and product thinking into every role I take on next.
What continues to slow us down: Selling into education is slow-burn. Especially for a bootstrapped product with a small but growing user base. We face real constraints as a team: juggling other jobs, limited engineering bandwidth, and no steady revenue stream.
This has taught me the importance of weighing risks before committing to build, and prioritizing ruthlessly. Even with the hurdles, this project has been a win. One that taught me how to fail fast and lead through ambiguity.
The Future: We’ll continue nurture our current relationships, learning from our user base and improve alongside them.
As AI becomes more accepted in education, we see opportunities to thoughtfully integrate it into Mela Mela.
Looking ahead to the 2025–26 school year, we’re focused on building tools that reduce burnout, bring teams closer together, and supporting individuals doing some of the hardest work in education.
Special education teachers face some of the highest burnout rates of any profession and the demands aren’t changing. This case study taught me that the most impactful products are the ones that get used everyday. By supporting paraprofessionals, we built a workflow that actually got used, and made teachers’ jobs easier.
What I'll carry forward: Stepping into product management expanded my skills beyond design. Leading team sprints, managing team dynamics, and clearly communicating priorities under engineering constraints gave me a new perspective on software development. This experience strengthened my ability to drive strategy while still staying grounded in user needs. I’ll carry that blend of design and product thinking into every role I take on next.
What continues to slow us down: Selling into education is slow-burn. Especially for a bootstrapped product with a small but growing user base. We face real constraints as a team: juggling other jobs, limited engineering bandwidth, and no steady revenue stream.
This has taught me the importance of weighing risks before committing to build, and prioritizing ruthlessly. Even with the hurdles, this project has been a win. One that taught me how to fail fast and lead through ambiguity.
The Future: We’ll continue nurture our current relationships, learning from our user base and improve alongside them.
As AI becomes more accepted in education, we see opportunities to thoughtfully integrate it into Mela Mela.
Looking ahead to the 2025–26 school year, we’re focused on building tools that reduce burnout, bring teams closer together, and supporting individuals doing some of the hardest work in education.