CONVERGE SF
UX Project Modernizing SFSU - Career Center Platform for Mentorship and Career Development
01
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Brief
According to Fall 2021 data of SFSU’s Institutional research, it shows 26 thousand enrolled students. These students come from different walks of life.
Interviewing first-generation students has allowed me to collect insights into their struggles with mentoring and overall student life experience. For most of the data, 10 out of 10 students do not have experience in finding the right mentorship not until attending higher education.
The idea of promoting the CSLD program across other platforms, innovating outdated media across SFSU’s interconnected information systems, and releasing infographics will increase student engagement and productivity through its offered services. The idea of centralizing available tools such as Gator Connect, Big Interview, Handshake, and Vmock, will help bring value to its core features, connecting with alumni getting to know mentors, proper career insights, and workshop updates
Overview
I designed an added feature on an existing academic platform at SFSU, wherein users can easily navigate the CSLD office and allow users to interact with the right mentorship, career advising, related programs, and tools to better assist them with their academic and future careers. The feature is an onboarding experience for users to partake in and potentially resolve the low engagement that the office is experiencing.
Role
Independent Lead UX Designer, Researcher, and User Interface Designer
Responsibilities
User research, visual design, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, photography, and video editing.
Tools
Figma | Adobe CC | Miro | Canva | Qualtrics | Forms
Outcome
This case study was presented as part of a capstone project with a community partner at San Francisco State University - Career Services and Leadership Development Office (CSLD)
Background of the project
CSLD is promoting leadership and career services. With only 1270 active participants of students and alumni through Gator Connect and over 60-70% interested mentors of the President’s Leadership Program, the career center requires an engaging and robust digital platform to help onboard students and alumni stay engaged with the student life and career growth opportunities. The department is currently in a position with low student engagement due to the current pandemic; lack of student outreach and promoting services were the primary concerns.
According to Fall 2021 data of SFSU’s Institutional research, it shows 26 thousand enrolled students from different walks of life, so the idea of promoting its program across other platforms, innovating outdated media across SFSU’s interconnected information systems, and releasing infographics will increase student engagement and productivity through its offered services. The idea of centralizing Handshake and GatorConnect will bring value to its core features, connecting with alumni getting to know mentors, and workshop updates.
The Problem
CSLD is continuously growing and further needs an innovative approach to promoting an inclusive and diverse student body, that can lead themselves into a better career strategy.
The Goals
To design graphics and digital solutions that can encourage students, especially first-generation, in gaining insights over employability, build-essential leadership, and educate them on the US career culture.
02
Understanding the user
User Research
Personas
Problem Statements
User Journey Maps
Research Process
User research
I conducted user surveys with 123 participants from the President’s Leadership Fellow Program (PLFP), 17 participants from Gator Leadership Circle (GLC), 21 participants outside of PLFP/GLC, and user interviews with 10 first-generation students. Learning about their college life experience and familiarity with internal tools will help them with their future careers. I received different stories about how important mentorship is to them for their education and direction in their careers life. I also learned that student experience with career centers is surprisingly low while they are on campus.
There is an interest in learning about the Career Services and Leadership Development Office. However, students are not familiar with the tools available to assist them in the areas they need help in terms of career exploration, job readiness skills, and networking skills.
There is a strong demand on career development and bridging students with the mentorship program will help them excel in this areas.
When members of PLFP were asked which topic they want to receive mentoring:
User Insights
Common themes during interview
It is observed that 2 out 10 participants have formal mentorship that they meet once a month. This means it will be beneficial that our tools can provide them with the right help for mentoring.
3 out of the 10 interviewees suggested more presence for the office or the tools so they can use them alongside their studies.
10 out of the 10 interviewees were knowledgeable about the mentorship but not able to acquire a consistent network of people that matches their needs.
It is observed that 10 out 10 participants did not know about Career Center or CSLD office. This means that it will be useful to students to have more visibility of the office throughout university's platforms.
“If the career center can be integrated with the existing academic tools, it would be easy for me to navigate career-related opportunities and the office itself. I think CSLD should be promoting available tools, I often use external tools that are widely used in my industry.”
AFFINITY MAPPING
To identify user pain points, I moved through affinity mapping to sort out common issues and categorize how user act, thinks, say, and feel for navigating the career center.
Pain Points
VISIBILITY
Most students do not know about the internal tools that they can use for career development and mentorship.
COMMUNICATION
Available tools are not being used by thousands of students at SFState.
ONBOARDING
Participants do not know the tools' purpose and require more relevant information for them.
WAYFINDING
With plenty of resources across the university platforms, CSLD is nowhere near the tools students use while their studying.
How might we?
How might we design for the accessibility of CSLD tools and promote visibility that will increase engagement with the office?
Hypothesis
If students can easily navigate CSLD on existing SFSU platforms such as iLearn, Gateway, and on physical campus boards, this will help them consider joining the organization or partake in the mentorship and career development program.
Ideation
I decided to solve this problem by addressing each pain point with the necessary solution and feasibility in mind. In this session
Solution
The solution features a graphic print and a digital approach.
Digital Product Solution
Designing for an onboarding experience so students can hop into the office initiatives wherein users can easily participate in the CSLD programs and take advantage of the tools, such as Gator Connect, Handshake, Big Interview, and Vmock.
Print Solution
I decided to create a series of poster layouts and on-site inspections of where the office could potentially place the print.
Solution Features
Easy onboarding users
Series of information walking them through step-by-step experience for the application.
Allowing users to sign in with different socials and student accounts.
Adding profile set up to improve personal branding.
Engaging Mentorship culture
By allowing users to have schedule availability to mentor or be a mentee on certain days.
In-app communication experience. Allowing users to communicate by chat, video, and call.
Navigable user experience
User search filters for better results and common interests.
Users are able to converge with a possible mentor and potentially mentor other users.
Tools and services
All in one service for students to learn and engage with the Gator community.
Promoting tools will level up users’ networking skills, job readiness, and career exploration.
Essential information for events and programs.
Why CONVERGE SF?
The branding itself reflects the connective experience of students with leading industry professionals of SFSU. The digital app experience will help provide a robust mentorship culture and career readiness skills that goes beyond the academic involvement. This innovative solution will help promote the essential tools that San Francisco State University invested on so that students and alumni can build a stronger community on campus and in their career life.
Creating Rafael, as the user persona
AGE: 25
Education: Computer Science Major
Hometown: Oakland,CA
Family: Single
Occupation: IT Intern
“As a first-gen student, I want to rely on career platforms available at SFSU so that I can participate in workshops for career building and be able to get a mentor.”
In his junior year at SF State, Rafael is 25 years of age. He is studying Computer Science and is the first to attend college in his family, he is not comfortable discussing a corporate job with his family members because of his lack of experience. He wants to prepare for his future so he can influence his siblings to pursue higher education and drive this avenue for his and his family’s growth.
Aspiration:
User plans for a career after graduation.
Rafael wanted to learn campus tools for career exploration.
The user wants to extend his career knowledge beyond his academics.
Frustration:
The user does not know the tools available to him.
Rafael has no mentee experience.
The user felt disconnected during the remote learning experience at SF State due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Problem Statement
Rafael is an incoming college graduate who needs a tool to connect with early-career mentors because he needs guidance and support to help land the right job.
03
Starting the Design
Paper Wireframes
Digital Wireframes
Low-fidelity Prototype
Usability Studies
Low fidelity prototype
Planning the wireframe and flows of the onboarding experience. Early testing experience for users to expand interaction and design needs.
Low Fidelity Prototype
Usability Studies
As part of launching the product, usability studies were done virtually with the 25 board members. Emphasizing QR code sign-up and onboarding students with the right program in CSLD.
In this phase, visual and interaction design were the main components of testing.
04
Refining the design
Mockups
High-fidelity Prototype
Accessibility
High Fidelity Prototype
Early stages of the prototype, I decided to do another round of A/B testing. Allowing users to choose from sets of the prototype feels more natural when using the application.
Usability Testing
It was observed that 5 out of 5 students can see this app work for the onboarding experience if the screens were consistent. A redesign for some screens will be a solution.
It was observed that 4 out of 5 students prefer the consistency of the top navigation gradient from poster to the mobile application.
It was observed that 1 out of 5 students had difficulty with the poster logo and suggested changing the logo's color tone with the backdrop.
Themes
Insights
Based on the theme that the onboarding experience needs to be consistent with the theme, keeping the top navigation bar would be ideal for the remaining screens.
Based on the theme, user experience flow will require more user testing to make a flesh-out prototype to test interactivity.
Based on the theme that readability was a concern with the poster, redesigning the choice of color or type weight will be ideal for this area.
Mockups
Log In Screen
Allowing flexibility for users to sign up with existing social media platforms or campus login.
Typical Profile Screen
General view of profile, user professional and education background.
Three-Step Onboarding Screen
Simplified onboarding for users as great introductory to the platform.
Calendar Screen
General view of profile’s availability setup.
Typical Profile Recommendation Screen
Follow and save potential mentor with like interest.
Typical Program Screen
General overview of fellowship available in CSLD office.
Typical Messaging system Screen
Chat service open to mentor and mentee.
Video Conference Screen
In-house video conferencing with a mentor.
Community and Partner feedback
Leadership Board Members & Community Feedback
Presenting the poster design in a way that reflects or responds to calling out students to join or utilize the office. Making the slogan language integral to the poster should reflect the entire student body. - Ellen Christensen, MFA in Graphic Design, Rhode Island School of Design
This project is approved to be presented to the Board and the Directors of CSLD. It presents your leadership initiative for the office and helping us reshape college experience. - Benjamin Safer, M.A. Psychology. Former leadership success and Career Advisor at SFSU-CSLD
When presenting these design ideas, make a compelling story and reflect on your persona which is the first-gen student of SFSU. - Devika Patel, MS. Design Director at The Better Labs
Experts Feedback
The vibrant poster reflects the SFSU colors, and it is eye-catching for students if this is to be actually printed. - Design Community
I can see this app working and functional app promoting the mentorship culture and connecting back with student alumni. - Design Community
To design graphics and digital solutions that can encourage students' employability, build-essential leadership, and furnish knowledge to them about the career culture. - Viacheslav Chernov, Board Member
Maintaining a connection with relationships we create on and of campus are crucial and this project will help keep those bonds created. - Ana Guerrero, Board Member
This project will greatly elevate the user experience of the available tools provided by the Career Services department. I believe the improvement can bring in more students to start using these tools. - Ariana Flores, Board Member
I love that you’re combining your capstone research project with your culminating board project and I appreciate the emphasis on networking because that’s something that has become increasingly difficult during the pandemic and zoom-work/school/etc. - Samer Dabit, Board Member
Community growth and development play a major part in personal and professional development. Strengthening the community and providing outreach can help students in leadership development and career success. -Ashwin Arul, Board Member
I think this will help elevate LD by bridging the gap between students and alums while demonstrating how necessary a mentorship aspect within the University is. -Mikayla Paz, Board Member
I think this will allow for future development down the road by hearing the student’s feedback will help find more ways to adapt and continue providing for students so that they may always have a place to go to and develop their leadership skills with so much more. - Sumeyah Norai, Board Member
Reflection
The conversation among the community partner has enabled an open solution for People's Grove, handling the existing mentorship platform Gator Connect. The app is the current means of networking/social media for SFSU students and alumni.
Implementing a similar feature after conducting the UX study. I opened this discussion with my community partner Benjamin Safer and partnered with the leadership advisory board for recommendations. We synthesize the current traffic and conduct UX data analysis on the importance of filtering user interests. This feature proposal enables connections through that liked interest. For example, what users want to be mentored in and what area they can mentor, also adding hobbies and other interests to match with the right people.
While this project was proposed to the community partner, implementation of the application was beyond the budget condition of the University; This case study remained open research for the future designers and tech side of SFSU to consider.