Project Background

Our team was tasked with designing a web/mobile application that would help college students streamline their graduation process by connecting them with partnering universities to expand class availability. The goal was to provide students with access to the classes they need to graduate without having to delay their academic timeline due to limited availability.

Research

To understand the needs and behaviors of the target audience, we conducted 30 interviews with college students of all ages and levels and performed comparative and competitive analyses. We also used affinity mapping to identify key pain points and opportunities for improvement. Our research revealed that many students struggle with finding available classes to take, which can lead to delays in graduation. Students expressed that being able to find classes either online or at nearby universities would help streamline their academic progress.

Design Process

We started our design process by taking references from some of the most impactful EdTech apps on the market and studying how current university websites structure their class find pages. We also interviewed college students to identify their biggest pain points with the interfaces. Our key design decision was to create a dashboard interface that would provide students with a central place to see their current academic load, upcoming classes and assignments, and a progress bar toward

Features and Functionality

One of the main challenges we faced was balancing the design of the app with the standards of the partnering universities. We needed to keep the design neutral enough to not clash with the universities' design standards while also providing a modern and user-friendly experience for students.

Usability Testing

The web/mobile application we designed allows students to search for classes using a variety of filters, including major, school, area, and type of education (remote, in-person, hybrid).

Heading

We conducted several rounds of usability testing with college students to refine and improve the functionality and visual design of the app. We received feedback on issues such as button size and overall cluttered design, which we addressed by simplifying and standardizing the design standards.

Partnerships

To establish partnerships with universities, we focused on university systems that already use a partnership system with neighboring schools. We looked for universities with high transient student populations in areas of high population density, where there are a higher volume of universities.

Success Metrics

To measure the success of the app, we tracked user engagement with metrics such as app run time, number of members, number of members getting to graduation, number of members not getting to graduation, number of members accessing student support, and number of available financial aid opportunities.

Monetization

The monetization model for the app involved universities paying for access through their tuition, and the universities being paid by the students looking to attend classes at their specific university

Conclusion

By streamlining the graduation process and connecting students with partnering universities, we were able to provide a modern and user-friendly solution to a longstanding problem.