What Went Wrong...
Examining the missteps of various software products across industries reveals common pitfalls that can derail even the most promising innovations. From inadequate market research and poor user experience design to insufficient testing and failure to adapt to technological advancements, these challenges underscore the importance of thorough planning and execution. The following section outlines specific cases, offering insights into how these factors contributed to their downfall and the lessons that can be gleaned to inform future endeavors.
Available Lessons:
200
Coursera Specializations (Early Rollout)
EdTech
Coursera
The initial specialization programs lacked cohesive learning pathways, leading to low course completions.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Poor user experience in connecting courses for skill mastery
Weak program structure and unclear outcomes
SIGNALS MISSED
Low course completion rates and user feedback
Confusion about program progression
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Aligning courses into clear, incremental learning paths
Testing program designs with learners before scaling
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Design, Marketing, Customer Success
Udacity Nanodegree Plus
EdTech
Udacity
A premium offering that promised job placement guarantees fell short as students failed to secure employment.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Overpromised outcomes without strong employer partnerships
Poor alignment between course content and job market needs
SIGNALS MISSED
Feedback indicating course material gaps for employability
Low student placement rates flagged early
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Building stronger ties with hiring partners before scaling
Aligning course design with employer requirements
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Marketing, Operations, Customer Success
Amplify Tablet Platform
EdTech
Amplify
A tablet-based software solution for classrooms failed due to technical problems and hardware malfunctions, leading to school dissatisfaction.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Hardware-software compatibility issues
Poor support for troubleshooting in classrooms
SIGNALS MISSED
User complaints during pilot programs
Technical breakdowns reported in real-world classroom use
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Testing product performance under classroom conditions
Investing in responsive customer support systems
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Operations, Customer Success
Smart Sparrow Adaptive Learning Platform
EdTech
Smart Sparrow
The platform struggled with scalability and failed to differentiate itself from competitors like Khan Academy and Coursera.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Poor backend scalability for large deployments
Limited user acquisition and retention strategies
SIGNALS MISSED
Customer churn during large institutional pilots
Slow growth in user adoption metrics
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Improving backend infrastructure for larger deployments
Developing competitive features with clear differentiation
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales
Edmodo LMS
EdTech
Edmodo
Despite early success, the platform failed to evolve its business model and product features, leading to a decline in users.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Slow feature updates in response to competition
Lack of clear monetization strategy
SIGNALS MISSED
Declining user engagement over time
Educator frustration over lack of new features
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Developing a sustainable business model
Innovating with regular feature updates aligned to user needs
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Marketing, Sales, Design, CEO
MyLab & Mastering (Early Versions)
EdTech
Pearson
The initial versions of Pearson’s learning platforms were riddled with bugs, login failures, and usability challenges.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Technical instability and poor scalability
Inadequate onboarding for educators
SIGNALS MISSED
High support tickets related to login and functionality issues
Teachers reporting difficulty integrating with curricula
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Extensive QA testing before scaling
User-driven design improvements for classroom integration
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, QA, Customer Success, Operations