User Interface Design Patterns Impact on Usability and User Satisfaction in Massive Open Online Courses

Strategic Insights

Nov 3, 2025 — 1 min read

A new study explores the influence of user interface design patterns on usability, cognitive load, and user satisfaction for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on small-screen devices. The research, conducted by scientists at the National Textile University, involved 232 university students who participated in an experiment using prototypes of three popular MOOC platforms: Coursera, Udemy, and edX. The results indicate that Coursera's aesthetic design, including color scheme and content organization, was perceived as the most visually appealing, while Udemy received higher ratings for its typography. Coursera outperformed the other platforms in terms of navigation, customization features, and feedback mechanisms.

Key Takeaways:

232 university students participated in the experiment to assess the impact of user interface design patterns on usability, cognitive load, and user satisfaction.
Coursera's aesthetic design was rated as the most visually appealing, while Udemy received higher ratings for its typography.
Coursera outperformed Udemy and edX in terms of navigation, customization features, and feedback mechanisms.
The results suggest that thoughtful user interface design can enhance usability and reduce cognitive effort in mobile learning applications.
Authors Tahir Farooq, C. M. Nadeem Faisal, Javier De Andres, Zafar Saeed, Sajid Anwer, and Toqeer Mahmood contributed to this research.
The study highlights the importance of user interface design in enhancing user experience and satisfaction in MOOCs.

Statistics:

232 university students participated in the experiment.
3 MOOC platforms were used in the study: Coursera, Udemy, and edX.
Coursera's aesthetic design received the highest ratings in terms of visual appeal (rating not specified).
Udemy received higher ratings for its typography (rating not specified).
Coursera outperformed Udemy and edX in terms of navigation, customization features, and feedback mechanisms.

Sources:

NewsRx. Research from National Textile University in the Area of Information and Data Architecture Described (Improving Perception of Usability Through User Interface Design Patterns to Optimize Information Architecture for Cognitive Benefits and User Satisfaction in Massive Open Online Courses).
IEEE Access. Improving Perception of Usability Through User Interface Design Patterns to Optimize Information Architecture for Cognitive Benefits and User Satisfaction in Massive Open Online Courses. 2025,13():176259-176275. (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/servlet/opac?punumber=6287639).