Optimising the Regents University Mobile App
Role:
Product Designer
Date:
2024
Timeline:
4 months
The Challenge
The Regents University mobile app had low student engagement due to outdated information, difficult navigation, and missing features. Students struggled with finding important academic and social information quickly, leading to frustration and decreased satisfaction.
Research and Insights
We conducted mixed-methods research, including:
36 questionnaires assessing app usage and satisfaction.
6 semi-structured interviews to dive deeper into student frustrations.
4 usability tests to validate proposed solutions.
Key findings:
Students needed easier access to time-sensitive information (e.g., class schedules, grades).
Postgraduate students prioritized academic information, while undergraduates wanted better social and community features.
Frequent logouts and fragmented information across platforms were major pain points.
Design Process
Following the Design Thinking process, we focused on:
Empathizing: Developing user personas (undergraduate and postgraduate students) to understand unique needs.
Defining: Prioritizing features based on impact and student needs, like quick access to schedules and notifications.
Ideating: Brainstorming solutions to create a clear, intuitive navigation system.
Prototyping: Low- and high-fidelity prototypes were created to address the app’s navigation, information architecture, and personalization features.
Introducing New Home
Key Feature 1: Home Page Overview
Text (Brief):
The Home Page was designed to give students immediate access to the most important information:
Daily schedule overview: Shows upcoming classes and events.
Editable shortcuts: Students can customize shortcuts for frequently accessed features like Academics and Notifications.
Notifications panel: Prominent display of time-sensitive updates, ensuring important alerts are seen first.
Customisable Shortcuts
Text (Brief):
We introduced customizable shortcuts to enhance personalization:
Home screen shortcuts: Students can add or remove shortcuts for their most-used features, such as Academics, Community, or Notifications.
Faster navigation: Streamlines the user experience by reducing the number of clicks required to reach frequently accessed features.
Image Suggestion:
A mockup of the home screen with customizable shortcut options, illustrating how students can personalize their dashboard.
Community & Events
Community & Events
The Community Section was designed to foster student engagement:
Event registration: Students can view upcoming events and sign up directly.
Clubs and societies: A centralized hub for joining and interacting with campus groups.
Peer connection: Displays which students are attending events to encourage participation.
Time-Sensitive Notifications
The real-time notification system ensures students stay informed:
Customizable filters: Students can prioritize academic or social updates.
Explore & Support
Explore & Support
Text (Brief):
The Explore Section provides a comprehensive search and support tool:
Search functionality: Allows students to find resources quickly, including academic support and campus services.
FAQ recommendations: Anticipates student needs with frequently asked questions.
Support categories: Organized sections for easy navigation of available help and resources.
Testing
After multiple rounds of usability testing:
100% of participants successfully completed tasks without assistance, demonstrating improved navigation.
Students reported a 60% improvement in finding relevant academic information.
The notification system was praised for its clarity and simplicity, leading to increased app engagement.
Impact
The redesigned Regents University mobile app resulted in:
A 50% increase in daily active users, with students finding the app easier to navigate.
A 30% reduction in time spent searching for academic information.
Improved satisfaction with the app's notification system, with students now receiving timely updates on classes and events.