Field Testing the Phonics Checks Application in Classrooms

Between Aug 1st and Aug 5th 2025 the UX/UI team at the Ministry of Education had the opportunity to step out of the office and into the classroom. We visited two primary schools in Wellington to conduct in-person user testing for the Phonics Check application — a digital tool designed to support teachers in assessing new entrant learners’ phonics learning. 

Background

Phonics Checks is a web application that allows teachers to administer phonics checks, record results, and see student assessment insights. It is the digital solution to the current paper-based model that was introduced in January 2025. The web-based application will offer a more streamlined way to track learners’ progress, with checks conducted at 20 and 40 weeks after a child starts school. New entrants are assessed on how well they can identify and pronounce simple letter combinations and results are used to identify areas of improvement in their phonics learning.

Building the prototype

To bring this vision to life, we created an interactive prototype that captured key user journeys as well as the look and feel of the user interface. This was shaped through multiple rounds of iteration, guided by feedback from programme SMEs and stakeholders. Teachers from across Aotearoa volunteered to test the prototype (both online and in person), giving us valuable insights into usability, functionality, and design. This allowed us to identify any key features or missing functionality to refine the design further to meet user needs.

Why test in-person?

• More nuanced feedback and direct observation of user behaviour; makes it easier to observe emotional reactions, body language, facial expressions.

• Helps clarify user expectations and reduce confusion for prototypes involving complex interactions, audio playback, or dynamic content.

• Allows us to observe the participant using the application in the real-world context/environment.

• Reduces technical barriers (compared to remote testing via Teams)

• Allows us to build rapport with teachers and get them involved in the early stages of product development. This helps to build trust with the product if we give end-users the opportunity to influence the user experience .

  Visiting schools gave us the opportunity to observe the physical environments where phonics checks are conducted with learners, and also allowed teachers to show how they incorporate phonics checks into their day. This provides insight around context and setting, which is important to know when designing a product that’s fit for purpose.
  

How we test:

• Introduce the user test participant to the application and any background/context.

• Explain the testing process and what we expect in terms of feedback.

• Allow the user to explore the prototype through simple user journey whilst prompted with tasks and questions.

• The user will provide feedback on what they like or dislike about the application/user flows, any confusion or pain points that come up, and any functionality that they would like to see designed differently.
  
  Key insights:

• Phonics checks are often done in classrooms and spaces that are familiar to students in their day-to-day.

• Teachers are time-poor and often complete multiple checks in a row, needing to move quickly between checks.

• Neurodivergent students often require a modified testing set up. Testing environments were adapted for neurodivergent students, often conducted in quieter, distraction-free spaces.

Having these insights allows us to design the application around the users’ needs. For example, as efficiency was an important factor for teachers when conducting the checks, we introduced new features that cut down time and mental load when administering checks. Anything that could be automated by the system (rather than having the users manually input the information) is a plus.

What the users had to say:

"The digital application looks great, I really like, it be easier to do and it’ll be useful.”

“Whilst teachers are doing the phonics checks, the results are not all getting uploaded at the moment because of the process. So this [digital solution] will make it way more achievable for everybody.”

“At the moment I’m taking all the results and entering it manually so it’s great that each teacher can have their own login and enter test results on their own. It gives them that ownership”

“Very excited for this! It looks amazing."

Next steps

The field tests were a success and the teachers involved were excited to be part of the user testing. It’s important to have user input during the early stages of product development to ensure that the end product will be something they are comfortable and excited to use. The Phonics Checks application is currently in development and is aiming to launch in Term 1 2026.

Going forward, the UX/UI team is working on creating a School Insight Portfolios plan to make on-site user testing a regular practice in our UX design process. Because great product design starts with listening, observing, and co-creating with the people who will use it.