EZ Advise
Designing a Mobile App to simplify Academic Advising for Students
Client:
EZ Advise
Role:
UX Researcher
UX Designer
About the Company
EZ Advise is an innovative platform designed to streamline the academic advising process for students and institutions. Focused on simplifying appointment scheduling, enhancing communication, and providing tools for academic organization, EZ Advise empowers students to take control of their academic journey. EZ Advise is committed to improving the student experience by fostering accessibility, efficiency, and engagement in academic support services.
Problem Statement
College students often struggle to schedule appointments with their academic advisors, resulting in missed opportunities for academic guidance and support. The current process is inefficient, confusing, and time-consuming, leading to frustration and delays in academic progress.
There is a need for an app that can simplify the appointment scheduling process, making it easier for students to connect with their advisors and receive the guidance they need to succeed academically.
Project Approach
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User Research & Contextual Inquiry
Key Insights from Survey
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Students struggle with navigating outdated systems for booking appointments.
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Many desire additional features like peer group study sessions, note-sharing tools, and deadline reminders.
Business Goals
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Improve student satisfaction by simplifying the advising process.
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Enhance academic outcomes through better access to resources.
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Increase engagement by integrating features like study groups and notifications.
Primary Target
University students (full-time and part-time) seeking streamlined access to academic advisors.
Key Features
User Persona
Journey Map
Low Fidelity Diagrams
User Testing
Total Scenarios Tested: 7
Average Sucess Rate: 76.19%
Average Time to complete tasks: 3.2 mins
Insights from Metrics:
The prototype performed well in scenarios related to signing in and viewing deadlines
Scheduling appointments and study group features need improvement in navigation and functionality
User Recommendations:
Simplify the scheduling process by reducing redundant step, i.e., selecting date and time multiple times.
Add the function to go back to previous screen to improve navigation cues for features like "Select Professor" and "Study Group."
Heuristic Evaluation
We used Neilsen's Ten Usability Heuristics to identify usability issues.
Design Impact
The addition of features like integrated calendars, study group formation, and note-taking tools encouraged students to interact with the platform beyond just scheduling.
Users appreciated the professor rating feature, which helped them select advisors based on peer reviews.
Personal Learnings
The Value of User Feedback
I learned how critical it is to involve users early and often in the design process. Through user testing and contextual inquiries, I gained insights into real-world challenges that shaped the final solution, reinforcing the importance of designing with empathy.
Iterative Design is Key
This project highlighted the importance of iterative testing and refinement. Each round of usability testing revealed new areas for improvement, such as simplifying navigation and adding error prevention mechanisms, which ultimately enhanced the user experience.
Balancing Simplicity and Functionality
I realized the challenge of balancing simplicity with feature richness. While users appreciated a minimalist design, they also valued advanced features like calendar integration and advisor ratings, teaching me how to prioritize functionality without overwhelming users.
Consistency is Key
Working on this project reinforced the importance of maintaining consistent UI elements across an app. Even minor inconsistencies in dropdowns versus tiles impacted usability, showing me how small details can make a big difference in creating a polished product.