CSUN Advisement
For this project, I had to create an app for California University of Northridge students based on their needs. One of the significant issues that students were considering was that it was tough for them to make an appointment with CSUN’s advisers. The process takes much time, and some refuse to make an appointment. After researching and speaking with some students, I created an app that allows CSUN students to schedule appointments with advisors easily. I aimed to develop a user-friendly and straightforward app so students could easily schedule counselor appointments.
Role: UX/UI designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Illustrator
Timeline: 8 weeks
For this project, I had to create an app for California University of Northridge students based on their needs. One of the significant issues that students were considering was that it was tough for them to make an appointment with CSUN’s advisers. The process takes much time, and some refuse to make an appointment. After researching and speaking with some students, I created an app that allows CSUN students to schedule appointments with advisors easily. I aimed to develop a user-friendly and straightforward app so students could easily schedule counselor appointments.
I started my project by creating a brief problem statement and hypothesis statement. This is a crucial step in the project development process, as it helps me clearly define the problem I'm trying to solve and the hypothesis I want to test. By doing this, I can ensure that my project stays focused, effective, and efficient.
Problem Statement
CSUN students need a way to connect with advisement quickly because waiting for an email response can take too long.
Hypothesis Statement
We believe that by developing an app for CSUN students to connect with advisors, we will achieve transparent advisement and solutions. We will know this is true when the advisement center gets fewer calls and emails.
The next step was to create a survey based on the problem I was working on. I made a couple of questions and asked CSUN students to answer them. This is a highlight of the research survey.
Research: Survey Highlights
(Out of 44 students)
It is very easy to make an appointment with the advisement center:
34% Agree
34%
I’m not comfortable contacting my advisor:
45% Disagree
45%
I prefer to get advisement:
43% In-Person
​
43%
Gathering feedback from students can help us better understand their needs and pains when making an appointment with an adviser. Talking to two CSUN students can provide valuable insights for improving the process.
Personas
Tania
22 Years old, CSUN Student
"I'm busy with work and school. So I don't have time to wait for an adviser to make an appointment.”
Tania is a Junior at CSUN. She is a Biologist major. She usually makes an appointment with an academic advisor by email and can make an appointment for 2,3 days later. However, sometimes, she feels too lazy to contact advisement and searches for classes she needs to take.
Pains:
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She is always confused about what to take for next semester.
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She doesn't have time to wait for the advisor.
Need:
She needs an easier way to contact the advisor center.
Sam
24 Years Old, CSUN Student
“I set my appointment with an advisor for the next 20 days. I wish there were a way to talk to them ASAP as I have to register for my classes.”
Sam is a Senior at CSUN. He is an Art major. It usually takes about 20 days to make an appointment with an adviser (making an appointment by email). While he is waiting for the appointment, he is trying to get some info from past students or searching online about classes. He needs to get advice from an academic adviser.
Pains:
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He has a very stressful period when he wants to register for classes because he wants to talk to an advisor before taking any classes.
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He is not happy with the advisor center because it takes a long time to get advice from them.
Need:
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He needs to get advisement ASAP.
The next step was creating a storyboard, and I came up with a story about one of the CSUN students who was having trouble making appointments with an advisor. Luckily, his friends stepped in and told him about the app that I was creating. With the app, he could schedule appointments and solve his problems quickly.
Storyboard
Starting with a user flow is an excellent first step in the design process. It allows you to establish a clear path for users to follow and helps ensure that the app is intuitive and easy to use.
User Flow
To brand my app according to CSUN guidelines, I must stick to their typefaces and color palettes without any changes. Consistency is critical for brand recognition and a cohesive design.
Branding
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Having an explicit user flow while designing wireframes is always great; it helps create them much faster. Wireframes should be created based on the user flow. However, while developing the pages, it's common to make changes to ensure the end product is more user-friendly and efficient for the target audience.
Low- Fidelity
Wireframes
The high-fidelity version closely resembles the low-fidelity design I crafted, with subtle yet impactful adjustments to enhance user-friendliness.
High- Fidelity
Wireframes
After completing the high-fidelity wireframes and prototype, I contacted a couple of CSUN students to test my app and gather their feedback.
User Feedback
1
The app is pretty straightforward. However, I wish to see my upcoming appointments on the same page as I make a new appointment.
2
The app is easy to use, but I wish it had a scrolling sign on the home page so I knew I could scroll down.
3
I wished there was an option to see the list of advisors and choose them.
Next Steps
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Continue user testing.
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Add more features.
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Add more options for choosing an advisor, date & time.
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Complete all the pages.
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Add a review section.