Embedded Files
Customer-led continuous improvement to address user needs and pain points and reduce admin strain.
The context
The Student Hub is the portal where Open Universities Australia students can perform administrative tasks, such as checking their grades and progress, enrolling in new subjects, and accessing statements.
After its first development, the Student Hub did not receive much attention, leading to various problems for students, including:
Student Hub dashboard in 2022: difficult to navigate and perform the most common tasks.
Difficulty of navigation to complete the most common tasks
Overwhelming amount of information on the Dashboard
Difficulty in understanding their progress
Difficulty in choosing their next subject
These issues led to students reaching out to the advisory team (contact centre) or raising cases, thus straining the internal admin.
The objective
Our objective was to increase the percentage of students who self-serve to complete their tasks.
Ultimately we wanted to increase the value provided by the Student Hub, resulting in more engagement, satisfaction, and less reliance on phone or chat as a method to complete their Jobs To Be Done.
My role
We worked as a Trio, an Agile collaborative model where a UX designer, product manager, and engineer work together from the start of a project to ensure alignment of desirability, viability, and feasibility. I led and conducted the discovery and design work.
The approach
Continuous discovery sessions allowed me to get constant feedback and input from students
The opportunity tree helped prioritise opportunities by mapping out their impact and relevance to our objectives. Its flexible structure allowed for continuous adjustment as new insights emerged.
I implemented a 'Continuous Discovery' program, regularly engaging the product team in customer learning and discovery activities rather than treating discovery as a one-time phase.
Weekly student interviews and internal stakeholder interviews (analytics, admin, portfolio, advisors) allowed me and the team to continuously gather insights and identify the main issues, such as the inability to see how many subjects remain to complete the degree, choose the Major, and navigate the portal.
The interviews were semi-structured, with specific themes to explore, but ultimately student-led. This approach allowed students to discuss the most pressing issues for them.
Interviews were supplemented with comments from NPS surveys, feedback from Student Advisors and admin teams, and analytics and Fullstory recordings. The insights enabled the creation of an Opportunity Solution Tree, which helped us map out customer needs, opportunities to meet those needs, and potential solutions.
The structured tree format ensured that we explored a wide range of opportunities and considered various solutions before deciding on the best course of action in an iterative manner. It also allowed for continuous iteration. As new insights were generated, opportunities were added, removed, or re-prioritised, making the discovery process adaptable and responsive to change.
The dashboard: before and after
Student Hub dashboard in 2022: It was challenging to navigate and perform the most common tasks.
Student Hub - Remaining subjects tab in 2022: overwhelming and difficult to understand and plan.
Student Hub Dashboard in 2023: addressed navigation, access of info on passed subjects, and introduced a progress tracker.
Student Hub - Remaining subjects tab in 2023: subjects are grouped by streams, thus simplifying the view and providing guidance on subject planning.
Homepage redesign
The Student Hub homepage redesign started with a co-creation design jam.
I employed ideation techniques such as "book cover" to help think outside the box
I then started sketching on a whiteboard ...
... and paper, before moving to Figma
I designed mobile-first. Forty per cent of the Student Hub users visit the platform on mobile.
Quick feedback from students helped us choose the best option, featuring a side menu for quick and easy navigation.
The idea of 'pending tasks' was well received as it proactively nudges students, as well as a simplified dashboard.
The outcome
Notable improvements were:
Revision of the Information Architecture to improve navigation
Easy access to the information about the subjects they've taken and the remaining subjects.
Introduction of a 'progress bar' to provide students with a visual representation of their progress towards their study goal.
Grouping of the remaining subjects according to study streams for easier planning
Capture of the major, minor and any specialisation
Complete redesign of the Student Hub homepage customised according to the audience (prospects, new students, continuing students)
Simplification of the Dashboard, providing a snapshot of the student's current situation.
Introduction of new services, such as pending tasks, promo banners, and content blocks tailored to the audience.
These improvements led to an increased satisfaction score and a reduction in calls.
New Student Hub homepage for a new Single Subject student. Desktop (left) and mobile (right). Emphasis on JTBD and anticipating their needs. Confidence to start is key to study success. The role of advisors is given prominence.
New Student Hub homepage for a continuing Degree Admitted student. Desktop (left) and mobile (right). Emphasis on JTBD and anticipating their needs. Study progress keeps the students engaged.
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