Logo of AdviseManager. An emblem with a graduation cap and an abstract mountain with flowing lines, surrounded by branches, with the phrases "Empowering Students" and "Streamlining Advising Process".

AdviseManager - Advising Document Management

Project Type: UX Research and Design

Team Lead: Mildred Idabor

Role: Research and UI/UX Design

Collaborators: Janae Hester (UX Designer), Dr. Joshua Nwokeji (UX Researcher)

Duration: 6 Months

A comprehensive academic advising management system designed to revolutionize the student-advisor interaction. From streamlining scheduling and form submissions to empowering users with personalized notifications and efficient meeting note management, AdviseManager encapsulates user-centric design principles. This project showcases proficiency in conceptualizing, designing, and iterating user-friendly digital solutions that enhance the academic experience, ensuring seamless navigation and optimal functionality for both students and advisors.

  • Currently, many universities and colleges use paper-based approaches to manage and track advising forms and processes, this is cumbersome, time-consuming, costly, and inefficient. This project aims to design, prototype, and test a document management system that will be useful, usable, and meet user needs. However, at the moment, the user experience (UX) design team does not have insight into user behavior, needs, preferences, pain points, and motivations for the proposed advising document management systems (ADMS). More so, the design team lacks an in-depth understanding of the overall advising process and user requirements to be incorporated into the design of the proposed ADMS.

  • To overcome the inefficiencies of current paper-based advising processes, our project proposes the development of an Advising Document Management System (ADMS). This solution aims to empower students by offering a user-friendly interface for accessing and managing advising documents, while also streamlining the advising process for advisors through centralized document management and automated administrative tasks. To ensure the ADMS is user-centric, the project will conduct comprehensive research to understand user behavior, needs, and preferences. Additionally, a detailed analysis of the existing advising process will be integrated into the system's design, ensuring a seamless transition to a digital platform that enhances overall efficiency and effectiveness in student-advisor interactions.

  • Phase I: Research

    In the research phase, thorough investigations into user behaviors, needs, and pain points laid the foundation for AdviseManager's development. Surveys, interviews, and usability tests provided crucial insights, informing a user-centric approach that became integral to the project's success.

    Phase II: Design

    The design phase transformed insights from the research into tangible solutions. Wireframes and prototypes were meticulously crafted, incorporating user feedback to ensure the Advising Document Management System (ADMS) not only met but exceeded user expectations. This phase marked the translation of ideas into a visually intuitive and functionally robust digital platform.

After defining our research goals and user research questions, we thoroughly analyzed stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive approach. This laid the foundation for our research plan, supported by a Gantt Chart developed using the Delphi method. The systematic screening and recruitment of participants, facilitated by carefully prepared screening questions, was followed by a meticulous survey design aimed at efficient data gathering.

With informed consent secured, the survey was distributed, successfully recruiting 20 participants, a crucial milestone. These participants contributed valuable insights through User Interviews, Workshops, Card Sorting, and Concept Validation, deepening our understanding.

Phase I - Research

Major Learnings

    • Availability of all forms at a glance, and Sign and submit these forms through the Advising System

    • An option to turn on High-priority notifications/alerts/reminders and turn off low-priority notifications /alerts/ reminders -

    • Form tracker to record or track the status of advising forms

    • Fewer clicks per task (to get information needed or fill out forms)

    • Easy appointment scheduling

    • Adaptive and Responsive

    • Document Handling

    • Control and customization – Users want the ability to control and customize their notification and reminder preferences and privacy settings

    • Users want to complete tasks and form submissions online and be able to schedule appointments without any face-to-face interaction

    • Paper-based forms (Frustrated with printing, signing, scanning, and submitting)

    • Unnecessary notifications and alerts

    • High usage of emails, making it difficult to track and manage advising forms

    • High number of clicks i.e., too many clicks to get the information or fill forms you need right away

    • Slow load and response time, especially applications that slow down at peak times

    • Instant messaging feature

    • Form manager, tracker & status updates

    • Advisor Review after each advising activity (summary of advising recommendation/feedback, Advising Traceability)

    • Sign & submit forms in a timely & orderly manner

    • Easy appointment scheduling option

    • Notifications and reminders

    • Form tracking and status updates

    • Advising traceability

    • Employment Portal

    • Messaging system

    • Information Center

    • Ability to track academic progress

    • Recommendations for appointments

    • Access to advisors' areas of specialty

    • Change of authentication process

    • Ability to sign and submit forms

    • A feature that would allow users to easily track their academic progress, grades, and degree requirements, alongside suggestions and clear routing for academic careers and all touch points within the system

    • Notification Customization

    • Paperless Document Handling

    • Form tracker and status updates

    • Integrate an instant messaging feature that would enable quick and direct communication between users in the system

    • Design a visually appealing and user-friendly interface that would be responsive across various devices and screen sizes.

    • An in-house way to schedule meetings rather than outsourcing to a different system or tab.

A stakeholder map diagram for AdviseManager showing three tiers: core team, involved, and informed. The core team includes UX Designer, Project Manager, Requirements Analysts, and Soft Engineer. The involved group contains students, VP Student Experience, Student Government, Associate VP Advising, and IT Services. The informed group features Deans, University President, Director of Advising Center, IT Services, Professors, Advisors, Faculty Senate, and Marketing Team. Color coding indicates stakeholder engagement levels.

Stakeholder Map

An infographic displaying various steps in a research process, including user interview, concept validation, workshop, competitive analysis, and card sorting, with defined bullet points for each step.

Research Methods Utilized

Phase II - Design

In the design phase, the insights gathered from user interviews, workshops, card sorting, and concept validation were carefully analyzed to inform the creation of wireframes and prototypes, ensuring the Advising Document Management System (ADMS) aligned seamlessly with user needs and preferences. The iterative design process was a crucial step in refining the user experience and maximizing the system's effectiveness.

  1. Sketches

We started with initial sketches to facilitate the conceptualization and visualization of the Advising Document Management System (ADMS) interface, laying the groundwork for subsequent design iterations

Hand-drawn sketch of a main dashboard layout for a college management app. Includes sections for charts, academic info, to-do list, forms, health, peer advising, and additional areas for meetings, appointments, and a general information center.
Hand-drawn website mockup sketch titled 'DASHBOARD' with sections for academic advising, deadlines, student requirements, and a footer, including notes about features and organization.
A hand-drawn sketch of a computer screen displaying a meeting notes window with options to view, edit, and delete, and a calendar or schedule at the bottom.
A hand-drawn sketch of an onboarding screen for an advisor manager app, showing login options and form fields for institution and role.
Hand-drawn sketch of an academic dashboard with sections for course registration, academic grading, meetings and appointments, FAQs, forms and resources, plus a scheduling feature for meetings and advisor contacts.
Hand-drawn diagram showing the process of getting an OP|OPI form signed by an advisor. Three circles labeled 'You,' 'Advisor,' and 'Complete' are connected with arrows, with the first circle containing a check mark, and the second circle containing an exclamation mark.

2. Wireframes

We transitioned from initial sketches to the development of wireframes, providing a more refined and structured representation of the Advising Document Management System (ADMS) interface. These wireframes serve as a blueprint for the design, allowing for a detailed visualization of the system's layout, functionality, and user interactions.

We explored various design iterations for specific screens, notably the dashboard, before moving on to a concept validation phase. This involved testing multiple versions with four teams, each comprising 4 to 5 students, to gather feedback and insights on the most effective and user-friendly interface for the Advising Document Management System (ADMS).

Concept 1 (Dashboard & To-Do Frames)

Screenshot of the AdviseManager dashboard showing tabs like Overview, TO-DO, Advising, Forms/Requests, FAQs. It includes sections for Your Academic Advisor with contact info, chat with your advisor indicating online status, upcoming appointments, appointment information, and advisor chat. The sidebar has menu options for Dashboard, Academics, Campus + Community, Employee, Billing, and Contact Us.
Student dashboard with GPA score, progress indicator showing 67% and labeled 'Good Standing', and announcements for men's basketball game between Temple University and Drexel University.
Screenshot of the AdviceManager dashboard showing sections for academic progress, form tracker, announcements, and action items with notifications, all on a gray and blue interface.

Concept 2 (Dashboard Frames)

Screenshot of a student management dashboard, showing notifications, GPA, student requirements, and academic tracker with signed form confirmation.
Screenshot of a dashboard interface titled "Actions To-Do," displaying four action cards labeled 'Register for Spring Quarter,' 'Health Insurance,' 'Financial Hold,' and 'Advisory Meeting,' each with a brief description and a "More Info" link. The left sidebar contains navigation options for Dashboard, Academics, Campus + Community, Employee, Billing, and Contact Us, along with settings and notifications at the top.

Concept 3 (Dashboard Frames)

Screenshot of a digital dashboard in AdviseManager showing academic progress, action items like messages, schedule appointments, deadlines, FAQs, student requirements including actions to-do, holds, and announcements.
Webpage dashboard for AdviseManager with navigation menu including Dashboard, Academics, Career, Finance, Health & Wellbeing, Meetings, Peer Advising; six main sections with placeholder icons labeled Academics, Career & Jobs, Finance, Forms & Documents, Health & Wellbeing, Peer Advising; footer with company information and policies.
School dashboard showing student requirements with 7 actions to do, 1 hold, and 2 announcements. Sections for messages, schedule, deadlines, FAQs, and registration info for Spring 2023.

Concept 4 (Dashboard Frames)

Screenshot of a dashboard interface for AdviseManager, with sections for announcements, form tracker, and to-do list, featuring navigation links on the left for Dashboard, Academics, Campus + Community, Employee, Billing, and Contact Us, and a top menu with tabs for Dashboard, Academics, Career, Finance, Health & Wellbeing, Meetings, Peer Advising.
Screenshot of the 'AdviseManager' online portal showing the 'Academics' section with navigation menu options including Dashboard, Career, Finance, Health & Wellbeing, Meetings, Peer Advising, and categories such as Course Registration, Academic Standing, Meetings & Appointments, FAQs, and Forms & Paperwork.

Academics Frame (same design concept for Finance, Health & Wellbeing and Peer Advising)

Screenshot of the AdviseManager online platform's meeting scheduling page, displaying a meeting with Dr. Joshua Nwokeji, including fields for ID, name, major, date and time, venue, topic, email, recommendations, and action items.

Meetings Frame

Screenshot of a student advising dashboard showing options for connecting with an academic advisor, upcoming appointments, appointment scheduling, and chat features.

Scheduling Frames

Screenshot of an online appointment scheduling and chat interface titled AdviseManager for Figma. Features include a sidebar with user profile, settings, notifications, and menu options for Dashboard, Academics, Campus & Community, Employee, Billing, and Contact Us. The main panel shows appointment information, with options for in-person or virtual meetings, and fields for scheduling and reason for appointment. A teammate chat section is present with a conversation and a red 'End Chat' button.

3. High Fidelity/Final Prototype

In the final design process, we iterated on the wireframes to generate a refined and cohesive representation of the Advising Document Management System interface. Transitioning from wireframes to the development of the final prototype, we meticulously incorporated user feedback gathered during concept validation testing. This iterative approach ensured that the system not only met the initial design objectives but also aligned seamlessly with user expectations and needs. The final prototype stands as a culmination of user-centered design principles, presenting a functional and intuitive solution for streamlined advising document management.

We implemented our designs for two institutions: Drexel University, PA, and Gannon University, PA. The designs for both institutions adopt the same layout, with color variations based on the institution's specific color scheme.

Conclusion

Through a comprehensive design process and insightful user feedback, we successfully developed AdviseManager as a platform dedicated to addressing the intricate needs of student advising with a strong emphasis on usability and efficiency. As we proudly present AdviseManager, we also look forward to re-analyzing and further refining the system to ensure it evolves seamlessly and in tandem with the dynamic landscape of user needs and expectations.

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