An app for students and lecturers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Overview
Background
This project was created as a fictional case study for the 'Information Architecture' module in my Master's in Interaction Design and User Experience Design at the UOC. In this fictional scenario, the UOC aim to develop a product that enhances the online education experience for both students and professors.
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The problem
The educational model of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) is based on distance learning. Students receive a series of assignments each semester, which they complete independently from their homes. As a result, students don't interact often with each other, leading to a lack of community feeling.
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The goal
Create an app that allows students and staff of the UOC to connect with each other while also providing a functional tool for academic management.
Role
UX Design
Information Architecture
Prototyping
Tools
Adobe XD
Optimal Workshop
UXPressia
Research
Benchmarking
I began the project by analyzing two university apps to better understand design trends in an academic context. I used the Rey Juan Carlos University app and the Chester University app as references, focusing on design principles, usability heuristics, and navigation. The key aspects of the benchmarking analysis are summarised in the following chart.
Definition
Personas
The user personas were the starting point of the definition phase. In this case, the user personas had already been created by the UOC based on previous research. Throughout the entire design process, I carefully considered the characteristics, goals, and motivations of these two profiles to guide the project's direction.
Carlos
He lives in Bogota and works for an insurance company. To advance his career and deepen his knowledge, he decided to pursue a Master’s in Financial Management. However, he sometimes feels isolated and disconnected from the university community.
Laia
Laia works as a psychologist for an NGO in Barcelona. She has also recently been appointed as a consultant teacher for a module in the Psychology degree program at the UOC. While she is passionate about teaching, she is disappointed that she cannot have an on-site teaching experience. She hopes to connect with her new colleagues and build relationships within her field.
User journeys
To create the user journeys, I developed four distinct scenarios based on the characteristics of both user personas. Each scenario outlines the step-by-step interactions users have with the app as they work towards specific goals, such as creating a group to connect with other students or finding a university event to attend. After crafting these scenarios, I used UXPressia to visually represent the user paths, detailing their actions, goals, and emotions. The user journey map also included the channels used, potential issues with the app, and ideas for improvements.
Example of user journey map. In this case, the user employs the app to connect with fellow students from their Master’s program. The map illustrates the five phases of user interaction with the app: awareness, discovery, consideration, use, and loyalty.
Design
Information architecture
Before stating prototyping, I wanted to define the structure of the app's content. To accomplish this, I first made a list of all the content that should be included in the app, taking into account the key insights from the user journeys. This list included elements such as the latest news, event calendar, arts and cultural activities, groups, and chats, among others.
Card sorting
The next step was to conduct a card sorting study. Five participants sorted the 27 items from the content list into categories. After analysing their responses, I identified six main categories: News, Activities, Events, Groups, Profile, and Contact & Support.
Sketches
I started sketching some of the screens for the UOC app using pencil and paper. This approach allowed me to explore ideas quickly and iterate easily, making adjustments as needed when errors were found.
Sketches depicting some of the main screens of the app include: Login, Home, News, Events, Groups, University Activities, Profile, Contact & Support, as well as examples of an Event Page and a Group Page.
Wireframes
Using the sketches as a reference, I designed a low-fidelity prototype in Adobe XD. This prototype included the app's main screens: Home, News, Events, Groups, Activities, Profile, and Contact & Support.
Some of the screens from the low-fidelity prototype of the app: News and Chats.
High-fidelity prototype
The final step of the project was to design the app’s final interface. To do so, I adhered to the UOC branding style. Due to time constraints, I focused on designing only the screens that were integral to the user personas' paths for achieving their goals.
The solution
Throughout the project, I explored design trends in the academic sector, gained insights into the characteristics of the target audience, and defined the content and structure of the app. In this way, I was able to create a mobile app tailored specifically for the students and professors of the Open University of Catalonia.
Login and home
Events
Users can visit the Events tab to view the events calendar and search for events organised by the university. They have the option to filter events by modality (online or in-person) and by category. To foster connections among university members, a share button is included on each event page, allowing users to invite others to attend.
University activities
The app features a tab where users can view all official activities organised by the UOC. Through this tab, users can enroll in a variety of academic events, sports activities, and volunteering opportunities.
Groups
Users can also search for groups within the app. These groups allow users to connect with other students who share similar interests or are from the same region, enabling students to share and enrich their university experience with like-minded peers.
Chats
The app also enables one-on-one interactions through chats. Users can add other students and professors to their contact lists for easy communication. Additionally, students can locate and connect with their classmates via the module-specific classmates lists.
