Student Blueprint: Navigating College Admissions with a UX-First Approach
UX Research / Product Design / Web App
In today's world, over 3.3 million students apply to colleges every year, and there are more than 2200 four-year universities and colleges in the U.S., each with its own unique application process and requirements. This diversity can make it challenging for students to select and navigate their educational path. That's where Student Blueprint comes in – to simplify this process and assist students in applying to their desired universities through a centralized and user-friendly platform. The Student Blueprint online tool not only saves students valuable time but also streamlines the application process, a significant asset as they juggle school responsibilities, essay writing, and grade maintenance. Students gain an advantage by preparing well in advance for application dates and procedures.
Understanding the 'why' behind a product is essential, and Student Blueprint is no exception. To kickstart this project, I conducted a straightforward interview with the creators, delving deep into their goals for this product. This journey encompassed everything from general inquiries to SWOT analysis and benchmark research, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive brief that laid the foundation for our user-centered design approach.
Student Blueprint, despite appearing as a collection of "forms," is a complex platform that demanded an in-depth exploration to comprehend its full scope. After crafting the sitemap to grasp the project's extent, the next vital step was to define how users would interact with the system. Thus, we dedicated considerable time to create an extensive userflows documentation, paving the way for streamlined development.
Our strategy involved conducting interviews to understand the diverse user base encompassed by our product. Although they all share the common identity of students, each user possesses unique needs, as do their tutors. In this project, we defined the following personas to guide our design:
Jeff, 11th Grader: A user motivated by simplicity, unfamiliar with the application process.
Sherry, 10th Grader: An early starter who seeks clarity in the college application journey.
Andrea, Community College Student: With a 3.8 GPA, Andrea didn't rush into a four-year college but now aspires to attend a prestigious institution.
Karen: A devoted mother managing her two teenagers' education. Understanding these distinct user profiles ensured our product addressed a wide array of needs.
When designing a product related to education and aimed at young users, we must consider conditions that commonly affect students, such as ADHD and dyslexia. ADHD, affecting 6.1 million children, requires design solutions that accommodate difficulties in focusing, decision-making, and processing information. Dyslexia, impacting 5 to 15 percent of Americans, demands user-friendly design to overcome reading and writing challenges. By addressing these concerns, we aimed to create a seamless and inclusive experience.
A Frictionless Experience for All
Student Blueprints empower users to navigate their application processes effortlessly. The platform notifies them of updates, aids in error recovery, and provides accessibility across devices. With a strong focus on user experience, Student Blueprint not only met its goals but also exceeded them, resulting in a streamlined and user-friendly solution.
