A step-by-step walkthrough for students using Design Tension Studio in class. Each step explains what you see, what to press, and why it is designed that way.
What am I doing here? You receive one instructional design case, and
your job is to uncover the tensions around it. The same case looks
different through four lenses — **teacher · student · edtech ·
administration**. Ask a question and five AI agents answer at once; you
watch where they agree and where they collide, then pick the single
most important tension and defend your choice with evidence. Every node
wears an origin badge:AI(an agent),Me(you),Peer(a classmate),
Brief(the original case).
Step 1 · Getting in
Open https://swarm-id-en.pages.dev. The landing page introduces the tool in three steps, with the sign-in card right below.
- First time? Tap "First time here? Join with a course code" under the
card and enter your email, a password, and the course code from your instructor.
- Already enrolled? Just email and password.
Use it like an app on iPad: open the site in Safari, tap the
share button (⬆️) → "Add to Home Screen". You get a home-screen icon
and a full-screen app that launches instantly even on flaky wifi.
Step 2 · Your first visit
Four short welcome slides explain what the tool is, what the four lenses are, and what to do today — in under a minute. The last slide offers a guided tour that points out each part of the screen.
Skipping is fine — the "Show Tutorial" button at the top reopens it anytime.
Step 3 · Continue from Home
You start on the Home screen. If a case is in progress, one tap on "Continue" takes you straight back to the map. Keep one thing in mind: tensions don't resolve neatly — the goal is to pick the one that matters most and build your reasoning on evidence.
Step 4 · Follow "What to do now"
Above the map sits the What to do now banner with five steps — open a case → read issues by tapping nodes → switch lenses → ask or add a node → write your reflection. Steps check off automatically as you actually do them, and the next step is always highlighted. Collapse it with the button on the right if you want it out of the way.
Step 5 · Reading the map
One node is one issue. Tap (or hover) a node to read it. On iPad the tooltip stays pinned until you tap the background.
- Colors: purple = instructional signals, red = constraint friction,
green = evidence
- Dashed lines between stakeholders: their issues interlock — one side's
decision becomes the other side's burden
- Badges: who created the node (
AI/Me/Peer/Brief)
If the screen feels tight, the "Focus map" button collapses both side panels.
Step 6 · Switch lenses
The lens buttons under the map (Teacher · Student · Edtech · Administration) re-read the same case from that position. Highlighted nodes change, and so do the key issues in the side panel. Read through at least two lenses — tensions stay invisible from a single side.
Step 7 · Ask and get answered
Type a question into the Ask composer and send it — first, a one-tap prediction appears: "will they agree or split?" Stake your intuition. Then five stakeholder agents answer simultaneously, and after the round the activity feed tells you whether your prediction held. Responses join the map as new nodes, and when agents disagree, a red edge marks the spot — exactly where a discussion is worth having.
The Activity panel on the right records meaningful events only: round completed, disagreement detected, your node added, peer activity. Check there to see how your actions changed the map.
Step 8 · Add your own nodes and notes
Tap the ⊕ icon on the left to open the add-node panel. Add a concern you think the original case is missing, as a short title. Your node joins the map with a Me badge, and the AI links related issues to it.
With a node selected you can also leave notes — visible to you only, or shared with the class.
Step 9 · View as a list
If the map feels overwhelming, the "List" button shows the same issues as a list — search, then sort by lens · type · name · origin. Tapping a row selects that node. Map and list are two views of the same content.
Step 10 · Compare with class view
Switch the map layer to "Class view" to see the issues your classmates added — issues raised by several people are grouped with a count. "Compare view" separates what only you saw (your unique contribution) from what only the team saw (your blind spots).
When a classmate has the same case open, a "viewing now" indicator appears and their nodes land on your map in real time.
Step 11 · Submit your reflection
Finish in the Report view. The issues and evidence you found are summarized there; answer the reflection prompt and submit it to your instructor. One standard for a good reflection: did you pick the single most important tension and explain your choice with evidence from the map?
Step 12 · Sharpen with swarm feedback, submit as one page
After drafting your reflection, press "Get swarm feedback" — five lenses read your draft and push back with challenges. They never hand you answers; they point at the tensions your argument missed. The studio also checks whether you cited map nodes as evidence. Revise to answer the challenges, then submit.
The "One-page export" button bundles your nodes, notes, reflection, and the critiques you received into a single printable page for submission.
Quick answers
- The screen feels busy → stay in the default "Simple" mode; "Detailed"
is for when you need the process data. "Focus map" also helps.
- Dark/light mode → the ☀/☾ button at the top right.
- Did my work save? → if it appeared in the Activity panel, it saved.
Nodes, notes, and reflections live in your account and follow you across devices.
- I want the tutorial again → "Show Tutorial" at the top.