When we talk about education and technology, the conversation almost always leans toward more. More features. More data. More AI. But what I hear from educators, again and again, is something else entirely.
They don’t want more. They want less—less hassle, less confusion, less noise between them and their students.
This isn’t anti-tech. It’s about building tools that respect the rhythm and realities of modern classrooms.
The Gap Between Builders and Users
One of the quiet truths about product development in edtech is this: most tools are designed for the person approving the budget, not the person using it every day.
It shows.
You see it in bloated interfaces. In feature sets that try to do everything. In platforms that take longer to set up than the entire term they’re meant to support.
Good technology fades into the background. It shouldn’t remind you it’s there at every step.
What Teachers Actually Say
In conversations I’ve had with teachers, trainers, and academic coordinators—both in the UK and beyond—the feedback is refreshingly clear:
- “I just want to upload materials without four extra clicks.”
- “If it takes more time to grade than doing it manually, I won’t use it.”
- “I don’t need analytics—I need to know who’s falling behind.”
These are not exotic requests. They’re reminders that software is supposed to serve a process, not replace it.
The Value of Simplicity
One of the most underrated metrics in digital product design is how quietly something works. Does it solve a problem without needing a tutorial? Does it reduce admin overhead or just repackage it?
I believe the most powerful edtech tools are the ones that feel almost invisible—because they just work.
No lag. No guesswork. No drama.
Building with Empathy
In my current work, I often challenge the team with one question:
What would this look like if the user had 10 minutes, spotty Wi-Fi, and no IT support?
Because that’s not a hypothetical. That’s reality for many educators—especially those working with limited budgets or in stretched institutions.
If a product isn’t useful in that environment, it’s not really useful.
Looking Ahead
There’s a lot of talk about the future of education. I’m excited by much of it—AI tutors, intelligent assessments, immersive learning. But unless we fix the friction at the core, none of that will scale where it matters most.
The next wave of edtech won’t be defined by how much it can do. It’ll be defined by how little it gets in the way.