UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE STUDENTS PORTAL
UX/UI Project
Project Overview
The University of the People Students Portal acts as the primary hub, enabling students to access and oversee vital academic information. The previous portal presented hurdles, necessitating students to navigate various applications for pertinent data and tasks. To tackle this, a new dashboard was meticulously crafted, granting students a seamless journey to swiftly access up-to-date details and perform essential actions.
Role
Lead UX/UI Designer
Year
Apr 2021 to Nov 2021
Problem
The existing Students Portal at the University of the People presents a convoluted system, requiring students to navigate across several applications to access and manage their course information. This results in a fragmented user experience and the possibility of confusion.
The Goal
Craft a seamless and user-friendly Students Portal, centralizing essential course information for University of the People students. This facilitates effortless access and management of studies, ultimately elevating the learning journey.
My Role
I spearheaded the project’s design and user testing, overseeing the entire process.
Responsibility
Engaged in interviews, devised paper and digital wireframes, developed low and high-fidelity prototypes, executed usability studies, ensured accessibility compliance, and iterated designs accordingly.
Understanding the User
User Survey Questions
The survey inquiries aimed to garner insights regarding students’ interactions with the old portal, their information access preferences, and pain points. Key questions encompassed:
Key Takeaways
- A majority of participants expressed dissatisfaction with the existing Students Portal.
- Users face difficulties locating and retrieving their course-related information.
- Accomplishing study-related tasks poses challenges for numerous users.
- The general user experience of the current portal received low ratings.
- Users emphasized the necessity for upgraded navigation and enriched functionalities in a new portal.
- Clearness, simplicity, and user-friendliness emerged as prime focal points for an improved Students Portal.
User Research: Pain Points
1.
Navigation Complexity
Challenges arise when attempting to locate and access pertinent information within the Students Portal, resulting in frustration and reduced efficiency.
2.
Task Management Challenges
Difficulties are encountered while trying to accomplish crucial study-related tasks and actions, causing disruptions and productivity setbacks..
3.
Inadequate User Experience:
The existing Students Portal offers an unsatisfactory overall user experience, leading to diminished user satisfaction and engagement.
User Persona
Problem Statment
EEmma Mitchell, a bustling university student, demands a Students Portal that seamlessly aligns with her need for effortless access to crucial information, streamlined task handling, and an intuitive user experience. In the absence of these enhancements, Emma’s academic journey and overall contentment face potential impediments, potentially compromising her productivity and accomplishments.
User Journey Map
Facilitate students’ seamless interaction and navigation through the University of the People Students Portal, cultivating a productive and favorable learning encounter.
Starting the Design
Digital wireframe
Transitioning from paper to digital wireframes clarified how the redesign could alleviate user challenges and enhance the user experience.
Strategically prioritizing button placements and visual elements on the home page played a pivotal role in my approach.
User Research: Pain Points
Final Design
Intial designs offered limited customization, yet post usability studies, I refined the design for effortless user website navigation.
The Previous Portal
A metro of University apps, where students must enter each one to find information and take action.
The New Dashboard
Empowering students to view their current information and take the necessary actions with ease.
Applications Bar
Applications have been relocated to the side, forming the applications bar. The bar can also be minimized for convenience.
Side Drawer
Useful apps that the student can use.
Calendar – The student can see exams, paying dates, term ends etc.
Notifications – Massages from the University.
Requests – Requests from the University.
Social Media – Social channels of the University – Yammer. Facebook, Linkedin.
Header
At the top, a personalized message from the advisor greets the student, followed by four commonly used applications below.
The Current Term
The information the students need about the current term and each course.
Accessibility considerations
1.
Provided access to users who are vision impaired through adding alt text to images for screen readers.
2.
Used icons to help make navigation easier.
3.
Used high color contrast in the design.
Going Forward
Impact
The new dashboard aimed to enhance the overall student experience by providing a user-friendly interface, consolidated information, and streamlined processes. The expected impact included improved efficiency, increased student engagement, and reduced frustration.
What I learned
Redesigning the Students Portal of the University of the People with a user-centered approach, incorporating an intuitive dashboard, and addressing key pain points, the overall user experience can be greatly improved, leading to enhanced student engagement and satisfaction.
Next Steps
1.
Conduct ongoing user research to determine any new areas of need.
2.
Integrate user behavior measurement tools (such as HotJar) to constantly identify UX optimization opportunities.
Let’s Connect!
Thank you for your time reviewing my work on the University of the People Portal!
If you’d like to get in touch, my contact information is provided below.
Tel
+972-54-5502209
idanshadi@gmail.com