Cal Poly Mobile
Cal Poly Mobile
Cal Poly Mobile
Cal Poly Mobile
Mobile App Redesign
Mobile App Redesign
Mobile App Redesign
Mobile App Redesign
Overview
Cal Poly Mobile is a redesign of Cal Poly's existing mobile software experience for students.
Cal Poly's online Student Center is the main way students can access important resources including grades, scheduling, classes, and upcoming events. During the 2020 Academic Year, Cal Poly moved all of its courses online due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With this increased reliance on remote learning, Cal Poly's mobile student experience needs to improve in order to provide a better digital space for students to manage their academic careers virtually.
Overview
Cal Poly Mobile is a redesign of Cal Poly's existing mobile software experience for students.
Cal Poly's online Student Center is the main way students can access important resources including grades, scheduling, classes, and upcoming events. During the 2020 Academic Year, Cal Poly moved all of its courses online due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With this increased reliance on remote learning, Cal Poly's mobile student experience needs to improve in order to provide a better digital space for students to manage their academic careers virtually.
Overview
Cal Poly Mobile is a redesign of Cal Poly's existing mobile software experience for students.
Cal Poly's online Student Center is the main way students can access important resources including grades, scheduling, classes, and upcoming events. During the 2020 Academic Year, Cal Poly moved all of its courses online due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With this increased reliance on remote learning, Cal Poly's mobile student experience needs to improve in order to provide a better digital space for students to manage their academic careers virtually.
Tech Stack
Figma
Design Tool
Tech Stack
Figma
Design Tool
Tech Stack
Figma
Design Tool
Tech Stack
Figma
Design Tool
Created
Created
Created
2020
Process
For this project, our team set out to identify the problems facing users to create a better mobile experience for Cal Poly students.
Problem Statement
The Cal Poly App was designed to complement in-person learning for college students, allowing for a single place to view all Cal Poly student-related resources. However, it does not provide access to key student resources and fails to accommodate for online learning, causing students to feel less organized and unable to keep track of Cal Poly resources.
User Research
To conduct our research, we reviewed the official Cal Poly iOS App as well as other apps made for Cal Poly students. For our competitive analysis, we examined apps from other major universities made for their respective student bodies. We explored apps made for students at UC Berkeley, University of Washington, and Michigan State University.
Based on the research, we found that non-students were able to access local resources, such as maps, workout sessions, and campus resources. Even without accessing the student-only sections, we were able to gain insight into how other university apps provide quick and convenient access to tools for their students.
Next, we explored the Cal Poly app. Many of the services provided by other college campus apps were either not provided or mediocre in look and feel. Much of the app looks very old and does not provide intuitive navigation for the user. The app contains images as its tabs, where users click and get redirected to a web browser. The browser panel appears in the app and takes up about half the screen, making it look extremely clunky.
Issues with Existing Solution
When navigating the current Cal Poly app, users are met with a redundant home and menu system. While there are large image buttons that can be used to access key resources, there are duplicate links shown as text buttons in the menu. During our initial contextual inquiries, we found that students were confused as to where they could sign-in to the app.
Once logged in, users mentioned finding it difficult to find important bits of information throughout the web pages. Participants also noted that they were unable to access their actual class materials or grades on Canvas. With a streamlined Student Center portion of the app, students would be able to gain peace of mind and a much better experience managing all things Cal Poly.
Users experienced many issues with the existing design. Users were able to navigate to the ‘Fitness Classes’ section, but were then redirected to a webpage that is not found.
For this project, our team set out to identify the problems facing users to create a better mobile experience for Cal Poly students.
Problem Statement
The Cal Poly App was designed to complement in-person learning for college students, allowing for a single place to view all Cal Poly student-related resources. However, it does not provide access to key student resources and fails to accommodate for online learning, causing students to feel less organized and unable to keep track of Cal Poly resources.
User Research
To conduct our research, we reviewed the official Cal Poly iOS App as well as other apps made for Cal Poly students. For our competitive analysis, we examined apps from other major universities made for their respective student bodies. We explored apps made for students at UC Berkeley, University of Washington, and Michigan State University.
Based on the research, we found that non-students were able to access local resources, such as maps, workout sessions, and campus resources. Even without accessing the student-only sections, we were able to gain insight into how other university apps provide quick and convenient access to tools for their students.
Next, we explored the Cal Poly app. Many of the services provided by other college campus apps were either not provided or mediocre in look and feel. Much of the app looks very old and does not provide intuitive navigation for the user. The app contains images as its tabs, where users click and get redirected to a web browser. The browser panel appears in the app and takes up about half the screen, making it look extremely clunky.
Issues with Existing Solution
When navigating the current Cal Poly app, users are met with a redundant home and menu system. While there are large image buttons that can be used to access key resources, there are duplicate links shown as text buttons in the menu. During our initial contextual inquiries, we found that students were confused as to where they could sign-in to the app.
Once logged in, users mentioned finding it difficult to find important bits of information throughout the web pages. Participants also noted that they were unable to access their actual class materials or grades on Canvas. With a streamlined Student Center portion of the app, students would be able to gain peace of mind and a much better experience managing all things Cal Poly.
Users experienced many issues with the existing design. Users were able to navigate to the ‘Fitness Classes’ section, but were then redirected to a webpage that is not found.
For this project, our team set out to identify the problems facing users to create a better mobile experience for Cal Poly students.
Problem Statement
The Cal Poly App was designed to complement in-person learning for college students, allowing for a single place to view all Cal Poly student-related resources. However, it does not provide access to key student resources and fails to accommodate for online learning, causing students to feel less organized and unable to keep track of Cal Poly resources.
User Research
To conduct our research, we reviewed the official Cal Poly iOS App as well as other apps made for Cal Poly students. For our competitive analysis, we examined apps from other major universities made for their respective student bodies. We explored apps made for students at UC Berkeley, University of Washington, and Michigan State University.
Based on the research, we found that non-students were able to access local resources, such as maps, workout sessions, and campus resources. Even without accessing the student-only sections, we were able to gain insight into how other university apps provide quick and convenient access to tools for their students.
Next, we explored the Cal Poly app. Many of the services provided by other college campus apps were either not provided or mediocre in look and feel. Much of the app looks very old and does not provide intuitive navigation for the user. The app contains images as its tabs, where users click and get redirected to a web browser. The browser panel appears in the app and takes up about half the screen, making it look extremely clunky.
Issues with Existing Solution
When navigating the current Cal Poly app, users are met with a redundant home and menu system. While there are large image buttons that can be used to access key resources, there are duplicate links shown as text buttons in the menu. During our initial contextual inquiries, we found that students were confused as to where they could sign-in to the app.
Once logged in, users mentioned finding it difficult to find important bits of information throughout the web pages. Participants also noted that they were unable to access their actual class materials or grades on Canvas. With a streamlined Student Center portion of the app, students would be able to gain peace of mind and a much better experience managing all things Cal Poly.
Users experienced many issues with the existing design. Users were able to navigate to the ‘Fitness Classes’ section, but were then redirected to a webpage that is not found.
Contextual Inquiries
Our contextual inquiries were conducted with the use of Zoom Meetings. We ideated some example user journeys that should be typical for a student using their university app, and included these tasks in our contextual inquiries.
While conducting the inquiries, we observed users completing tasks using the software.
Contextual Inquiry Tasks
1 Login to the ‘Cal Poly App’
2 Check your current schedule
3 Check your current Canvas classes
4 Check your current grades
5 Access resources for Coronavirus Testing
6 Access resources for finding your way around campus
7 Find a fitness class to take
Insights Gained
Users had a hard time finding where to login in to the app because it was not very clear where to do so.
The users could not access any of their canvas pages for their classes because there were no links on the website they could use.
Users could only check grades of previous classes, but they could not check on any of their current classes.
There was a map to use, but the user interface associated with the map was very basic and did not look like it belonged on a modern mobile app.
There was no access to any of the ASI services because there was a 404 error whenever a link was clicked.
Getting logged out of your account happens frequently and the app does not remember the user.
Design Decisions
After brainstorming solutions, we created wireframes and sketches to bring all of the important elements of the Student Center together. We tweaked the design and made revisions before creating our prototype app using Figma.
We designed the app prototype for the Student Center portion of the Cal Poly app. We focused on designing solutions based on ease of use for completing common student tasks. The five areas within the Student Center that we focused on were Home, Academics, Events, Finances, and Personal. The Home page offers a landing page for the student to quickly view relevant information and more easily find what they are looking for.
Contextual Inquiries
Our contextual inquiries were conducted with the use of Zoom Meetings. We ideated some example user journeys that should be typical for a student using their university app, and included these tasks in our contextual inquiries.
While conducting the inquiries, we observed users completing tasks using the software.
Contextual Inquiry Tasks
1 Login to the ‘Cal Poly App’
2 Check your current schedule
3 Check your current Canvas classes
4 Check your current grades
5 Access resources for Coronavirus Testing
6 Access resources for finding your way around campus
7 Find a fitness class to take
Insights Gained
Users had a hard time finding where to login in to the app because it was not very clear where to do so.
The users could not access any of their canvas pages for their classes because there were no links on the website they could use.
Users could only check grades of previous classes, but they could not check on any of their current classes.
There was a map to use, but the user interface associated with the map was very basic and did not look like it belonged on a modern mobile app.
There was no access to any of the ASI services because there was a 404 error whenever a link was clicked.
Getting logged out of your account happens frequently and the app does not remember the user.
Design Decisions
After brainstorming solutions, we created wireframes and sketches to bring all of the important elements of the Student Center together. We tweaked the design and made revisions before creating our prototype app using Figma.
We designed the app prototype for the Student Center portion of the Cal Poly app. We focused on designing solutions based on ease of use for completing common student tasks. The five areas within the Student Center that we focused on were Home, Academics, Events, Finances, and Personal. The Home page offers a landing page for the student to quickly view relevant information and more easily find what they are looking for.
Contextual Inquiries
Our contextual inquiries were conducted with the use of Zoom Meetings. We ideated some example user journeys that should be typical for a student using their university app, and included these tasks in our contextual inquiries.
While conducting the inquiries, we observed users completing tasks using the software.
Contextual Inquiry Tasks
1 Login to the ‘Cal Poly App’
2 Check your current schedule
3 Check your current Canvas classes
4 Check your current grades
5 Access resources for Coronavirus Testing
6 Access resources for finding your way around campus
7 Find a fitness class to take
Insights Gained
Users had a hard time finding where to login in to the app because it was not very clear where to do so.
The users could not access any of their canvas pages for their classes because there were no links on the website they could use.
Users could only check grades of previous classes, but they could not check on any of their current classes.
There was a map to use, but the user interface associated with the map was very basic and did not look like it belonged on a modern mobile app.
There was no access to any of the ASI services because there was a 404 error whenever a link was clicked.
Getting logged out of your account happens frequently and the app does not remember the user.
Design Decisions
After brainstorming solutions, we created wireframes and sketches to bring all of the important elements of the Student Center together. We tweaked the design and made revisions before creating our prototype app using Figma.
We designed the app prototype for the Student Center portion of the Cal Poly app. We focused on designing solutions based on ease of use for completing common student tasks. The five areas within the Student Center that we focused on were Home, Academics, Events, Finances, and Personal. The Home page offers a landing page for the student to quickly view relevant information and more easily find what they are looking for.
Changes Made (Based on User Feedback)
After analyzing our user feedback, we made some changes to the design of the prototype.
We changed the “View Previous Quarters” button because some users had difficulty finding it. We added a new button at the bottom that is much larger than before. We also added a GPA button, where users can see their Grade Point Average.
We changed the Events tab because users had a difficult time adding Events to their calendar. As shown in the picture to the right, we added plus icons, along with visual queues for adding events.
For the ‘Finances’ section of the prototype, we added a ‘Full Payment History’ option. While conducting our tests, users seemed to like the idea of a single page to view recent payments and charges due. Expanding on this, we included a link to a full payment history so students can more easily manage all of their Cal Poly finances in one location.
In the ‘Personal’ section, we found that users were able to quickly find the information they needed and enjoyed the card layout. For clarity, the ‘Holds’ button was adjusted to ‘Account Holds’, and the ‘Contacts’ label was changed to read ‘My Contacts’.
On the homepage of the prototype, users seemed to enjoy quick access to essential student services like Canvas and Degree Progress. We also changed the background color of the app to comply with Cal Poly’s design standards, using the ‘Stadium Gold’ color as our primary for the revised prototype.
Conclusion
Overall, students that tested our solution seemed to really enjoy our vision for a new Cal Poly app. Users generally enjoyed the idea of having one centralized app containing all of the functions that every Cal Poly student needs. The current app and mobile web experience simply lacks the necessary design that could make it useful.
After discovering the problem space, we gained a better understanding of how students use Cal Poly’s mobile software. Gaining these insights, we created a new vision for a Cal Poly app and continue to test and iterate this prototype. With our design, users can easily access many different resources and thrive as Cal Poly Mustangs for years to come.
Changes Made (Based on User Feedback)
After analyzing our user feedback, we made some changes to the design of the prototype.
We changed the “View Previous Quarters” button because some users had difficulty finding it. We added a new button at the bottom that is much larger than before. We also added a GPA button, where users can see their Grade Point Average.
We changed the Events tab because users had a difficult time adding Events to their calendar. As shown in the picture to the right, we added plus icons, along with visual queues for adding events.
For the ‘Finances’ section of the prototype, we added a ‘Full Payment History’ option. While conducting our tests, users seemed to like the idea of a single page to view recent payments and charges due. Expanding on this, we included a link to a full payment history so students can more easily manage all of their Cal Poly finances in one location.
In the ‘Personal’ section, we found that users were able to quickly find the information they needed and enjoyed the card layout. For clarity, the ‘Holds’ button was adjusted to ‘Account Holds’, and the ‘Contacts’ label was changed to read ‘My Contacts’.
On the homepage of the prototype, users seemed to enjoy quick access to essential student services like Canvas and Degree Progress. We also changed the background color of the app to comply with Cal Poly’s design standards, using the ‘Stadium Gold’ color as our primary for the revised prototype.
Conclusion
Overall, students that tested our solution seemed to really enjoy our vision for a new Cal Poly app. Users generally enjoyed the idea of having one centralized app containing all of the functions that every Cal Poly student needs. The current app and mobile web experience simply lacks the necessary design that could make it useful.
After discovering the problem space, we gained a better understanding of how students use Cal Poly’s mobile software. Gaining these insights, we created a new vision for a Cal Poly app and continue to test and iterate this prototype. With our design, users can easily access many different resources and thrive as Cal Poly Mustangs for years to come.
Changes Made (Based on User Feedback)
After analyzing our user feedback, we made some changes to the design of the prototype.
We changed the “View Previous Quarters” button because some users had difficulty finding it. We added a new button at the bottom that is much larger than before. We also added a GPA button, where users can see their Grade Point Average.
We changed the Events tab because users had a difficult time adding Events to their calendar. As shown in the picture to the right, we added plus icons, along with visual queues for adding events.
For the ‘Finances’ section of the prototype, we added a ‘Full Payment History’ option. While conducting our tests, users seemed to like the idea of a single page to view recent payments and charges due. Expanding on this, we included a link to a full payment history so students can more easily manage all of their Cal Poly finances in one location.
In the ‘Personal’ section, we found that users were able to quickly find the information they needed and enjoyed the card layout. For clarity, the ‘Holds’ button was adjusted to ‘Account Holds’, and the ‘Contacts’ label was changed to read ‘My Contacts’.
On the homepage of the prototype, users seemed to enjoy quick access to essential student services like Canvas and Degree Progress. We also changed the background color of the app to comply with Cal Poly’s design standards, using the ‘Stadium Gold’ color as our primary for the revised prototype.
Conclusion
Overall, students that tested our solution seemed to really enjoy our vision for a new Cal Poly app. Users generally enjoyed the idea of having one centralized app containing all of the functions that every Cal Poly student needs. The current app and mobile web experience simply lacks the necessary design that could make it useful.
After discovering the problem space, we gained a better understanding of how students use Cal Poly’s mobile software. Gaining these insights, we created a new vision for a Cal Poly app and continue to test and iterate this prototype. With our design, users can easily access many different resources and thrive as Cal Poly Mustangs for years to come.
Zanny Laucius © 2024
Zanny Laucius © 2024
Zanny Laucius © 2024
