Digital Teaching to Develop Soft Skills – A User-Centered Approach

Abstract: The development of soft skills, including teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, has become essential in the modern workplace. Despite this growing need, conventional teaching methods in higher education often fail to prioritize these competencies, favoring traditional lecture-based approaches. This paper addresses the gap by presenting a digital project management platform designed to enhance soft skills among university students through practical, team-based learning.Following a user-centered design process, the platform was developed using the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model, which structured its creation and evaluation. Semi-structured interviews with faculty and students informed the design of user personas, which were key in aligning the platform's functionality with users’ needs. Central to the platform is a Kanban board that facilitates project management and encourages students to apply soft skills in realistic scenarios, such as organizing tasks, collaborating with peers, and communicating effectively. Additional features support group interaction and provide educators with tools to guide and assess students’ progress.Digital teaching offers distinct benefits for skill development, including greater accessibility and flexibility for learners. By allowing self-paced learning and access from any location, the platform supports personalized experiences tailored to individual preferences. Furthermore, its interactive elements, such as gamified components and simulations, promote active learning and provide students with a safe space to practice and refine their soft skills. The digital format also allows for scalability, enabling widespread adoption and cost-effective implementation across diverse educational contexts.The platform’s usability and impact will be assessed through an eye-tracking study to observe user interaction patterns. This study will help optimize design elements and ensure the platform effectively supports learning objectives. Technically, the platform consists of a client-side application built with React and D3.js for visualizations, and a server-side component that uses Node.js and MongoDB for data management. This architecture supports a seamless and user-friendly experience, enabling students to engage meaningfully with the content.In conclusion, this paper proposes a practical strategy for integrating soft skills training into university education through digital means. By leveraging a user-centered design and modern digital tools, the platform offers a dynamic, engaging learning environment that meets the demands of both academia and the workforce. This approach not only enhances students' readiness for future employment in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world but also encourages the development of essential life skills, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical, real-world application.

Keywords: Digital Teaching, User-centered design, Webapplication

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005877

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