Major usability findings.

Executive Summary - Major Usability Findings

Interaction feedback is inconsistent. Critical controls lack hover/focus states; tooltips overlap or are hidden; edit flows in Discussions and checkbox resets in ORA don’t behave reliably.

Spacing and alignment issues reduce clarity. Misaligned columns (Discussions), cramped icon/text clusters, uneven paddings, and oversized banners/footers disrupt visual rhythm and task flow.

Contrast and accessibility gaps persist. Light grays on light backgrounds, small icons, and weak focus rings fall short of WCAG targets, impacting readability and keyboard users.

Navigation and link integrity problems. Multiple broken links in Authoring create dead ends; long, unsectioned forms (Advanced Settings, Schedule & Details) cause scroll fatigue and disorientation.

Theming inconsistency. Open edX default feels dated and visually noisy; Indigo improves contrast and cohesion but still lacks depth cues (cards, shadows) and consistent component behaviors.

Layout stability issues. Footer position shifts on low-content pages; banners (yellow alerts) dominate above-the-fold space; tables (Gradebook/ORA) lack row emphasis.

Highest-Impact Fixes 

Introduce structural patterns: card elevation + dividers, 16–24px spacing grid, sticky primary actions (“Add a post”), accordions for long forms.

Reliability sweep: fix broken routes, tooltip z-index, “Edit” update in Discussions, ORA “Clear Filters” state reset, persistent footer anchoring.

Theme Notes

Indigo: Better contrast and brand cohesion; still needs consistent hover/focus states, depth, and refined spacing.

Open edX default: Visual identity feels dated; contrast and hierarchy weakest; recommend standardizing on Indigo as baseline.