CSUB App
The project at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) aimed to enhance the user experience of the university’s internal website, which serves high-traffic areas such as registration, transcripts, grades, advising information, and financial aid. This initiative followed the successful transition from Blackboard to CANVAS and sought to further improve the usability of the campus’s technical platforms. The approach was grounded in user-centered design, utilizing surveys and data analysis to gather student feedback and preferences. The research involved crafting and administering targeted surveys, analyzing results for actionable insights, and collaborating with faculty and marketing teams to ensure broad participation and comprehensive feedback. The outcome was a set of recommendations for upgrading the interface to be more inclusive, accessible, and user-friendly, ultimately enhancing the overall student experience.
I. Situation
The CSUB internal website, critical for various student services such as registration, transcripts, grades, and financial aid, required significant improvements to meet user needs and enhance usability. With high traffic and a diverse student population, the existing system was not meeting the desired standards of user experience.
II. Task
Our task was to research and redesign the website’s interface to improve ease of use and accessibility. This involved understanding student preferences and behaviors, creating effective surveys to gather feedback, and using the data to inform design changes that would enhance the user experience across the university’s technical platforms.
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III. Action
To address this, we first identified our target user population, focusing on college students who interact with the website daily. We designed and administered surveys to collect valuable feedback, including demographic information to ensure the responses were representative of the student body. The surveys were streamlined for simplicity and value, and incentivized with a raffle to boost participation. Data from these surveys were analyzed using Excel and SPSS to uncover significant trends and correlations. Based on this analysis, we synthesized our findings into a report that guided the development of more user-friendly interfaces. Our methodology also emphasized accessibility, ensuring compliance with AAA standards and mobile responsiveness.
IV. Results
The redesigned website interface received positive feedback from students and stakeholders, highlighting improvements in usability and accessibility. Key results included higher user satisfaction scores, more intuitive navigation, and increased engagement with the updated features. The inclusive design approach addressed the diverse needs of the student population, leading to a more effective and enjoyable user experience. This project not only improved the internal website’s functionality but also provided valuable insights and experience in UX research and design, reinforcing the importance of user-centered approaches in higher education technology.