Project Overview
In the summer of 2017, I worked at Kent State University’s College of Communication and Information (CCI) as a design intern with IdeaBase team.
In order to better reflect the college’s cohesive global initiative, CCI decided to develop a new CCI Global (current name CCI Explore) website that combines elements of the Study Abroad website with new, globally-focused content.
Duration: 5 months
Role: Interviews, information architecture, site mapping, competitive analysis, content inventory, sketching, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing
Tools: University-approved Drupal content management syste and design templates
Team: Director of IdeaBase, ux designer, project manager, business manager, front-end developer, designer/intern (Nassiba–me), CCI team-copywriters
Research
We went through content with the CCI team, content inventory of existing Study Abroad, and Global information on the CCI websites to determine what content exists, needs provided, and needs to be thrown out.
We conducted a competitive analysis of 5 key competitor websites (based on client feedback) to understand industry best practices.
We also interviewed students and parents to comprise the primary audience.
The following audiences were found during a discovery session. Knowing and understanding our audiences help us prioritize things like navigation, user journey, content, voice & tone and design decisions.
Top 3 activities that are supported by the website
We found many important topics that users look for in the website through user interviews and testing. Following activities are the top 3 areas that met the client and user goals.
Communicate the meaning and value of being globally engaged and how CCI has embraced global initiatives
• Real life student photography
• Brief overview of the program
• Real facts/numbers
• Global partners
• Student views
• Motivational section
Allow students and their families to access information about studying abroad with CCI so that they feel better informed about their options throughout their academic studies
• How programs fits into their academic roadmap
• Preparing for study abroad (currency conversion)
• Things to know and culture changes
• Frequently asked questions
• Process/timeline (finding a class, schedule…)
• Tuition, scholarships, financial aid
Present dynamic perspectives, insights & news about global experiences from students to help illustrate the benefits and reach of global programs through:
• Short video and photo stories
• Student perspectives and testimonials
• Global work examples (what students are doing in
international course study beyond just travel experiences)
Link to CCI Explore website: https://www.kent.edu/cci/explore
What have I learned from this project?
Since the university had its brand and web templates, there was not much visual design work. However, I was involved in all project phases, from stakeholder interviews, business goals, competitive research, content inventory, mockups, and user testings. The work process allowed me to learn and improve my UX design skills. Initial user interviews and stakeholder interviews are essential to set and plan what the website should do.
What could have been improved? We could have hired a professional photographer and taken high-quality photos for the new website.