Exploring user journeys to compare institutions

The goal of this project was to create a better study selection experience for prospective higher-education students.

As a UX Designer (and illustrator), my role in this project was to translate user research into high-fidelity wireframes and user flows.

Purposely crafted wireframe concepts were used as a tool to uncover prospective students' motives and attitudes - helping to craft an interface that supports the mindsets of high school graduates, their parents, and mature age prospective students.

UX Research

Identifying problems and opportunities

An intercept survey helped us identify the real users of the website; high school students, parents, and mature-age prospective students.

User testing with these core audience groups confirmed that there were fundamental issues in the current user flows and presentation of data; in particular for searching, browsing, and comparing tertiary institutions.

By diving deeper to understand the mindsets and attitudinal factors that exist when they research future study options, we mapped out opportunities and recommendations for future function and design.

Wireframe concepts

Uncovering user motives via wireframe testing

To address the problems and opportunities identified above, several wireframe concepts were crafted for Searching, Browsing, and Comparing tertiary institution quality.

These wireframe concepts were used as a tool in focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of prospective students; to find out what actually goes on in the minds of higher education seekers - and how to best assist them.

Wireframe testing #1

Searching for institutions

Three wireframe concepts for Searching were tested in focus groups to uncover what mindset prospective students are in when they are selecting institutions to apply for.

Do prospective students already have a handful of institutions in mind that they want to compare?
Are they set on what areas of study they want to study, and the general location of the institutions?
Do they know where to start looking, or in need of finding out which institutions offer what they are looking for?
Are they interested in discovering and extending their options to institutions that have similar offerings?

These are some of the questions that these wireframes were designed to help answer. Focus group attendees were asked to discuss which of the 3 wireframes would be most useful for them when looking to compare institutions.

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Wireframe testing #2

Browsing search results

Three wireframe concepts for Browing search results were tested in focus groups to uncover which snippet of information is useful to see when they are selecting institutions to compare.

What information helps prospective students narrow down which institutions and study areas they want to compare?
What layout helps them scan search results and spot what they are interested in?
What visual cues make it obvious what they can do next?

These are some of the questions that these wireframes were designed to help answer. Focus group attendees were asked to discuss which of the 3 wireframes would be most useful for them when picking out which institutions to compare.

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Wireframe testing #3

Comparing institutions

Three wireframe concepts for comparing institutions’ quality indicators were tested in focus groups to uncover what label would help prospective students understand what they are comparing, and how the data should be presented to best help them decide what institutions to apply for.

What graphical elements would help users compare indicators at one glance when data is similar across institutions?
What copy would help them understand what the indicators mean?
Would comparing per institution or per indicator help users more?
How can we transform data into useful information? (e.g. present a reference point such as the national average)

These are some of the questions that these wireframes were designed to help answer. Focus group attendees were asked to discuss which of the 3 wireframes would be most useful for them when comparing institutions.

Unsurprisingly, the 3 concepts received equal votes as it depended on what point in their decision making process they were making the comparison. But when asked which concept best suits their needs if they had already a shortlist of institutions in mind, all votes went to concept #1.

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Piecing it all together

By testing the various wireframes (ie. approaches) to finding and comparing study options, we were able to uncover the way prospective students actually want to engage and explore tertiary institutions.

Feedback and insights from focus groups were used to combine and refine the wireframes; formulating end-to-end user flows and visual cues that support the mindsets of high school graduates, their parents, and mature age prospective students.