Deep Adalja

UX Research

Client

MyUT Team, Sejal Shah

Duration

5 Months

Role

UX Researcher

Team

Deep Adalja

Product Designer

DA

Deep Adalja

Product Designer

DA

Deep Adalja

Product Designer

DA

Jenny

Product Designer

J

Jenny

Product Designer

J

Jenny

Product Designer

J

Melissa

Product Designer

M

Melissa

Product Designer

M

Melissa

Product Designer

M

Wanting Wang

Product Designer

WW

Wanting Wang

Product Designer

WW

Wanting Wang

Product Designer

WW

Methods

Competitive Analysis, Heuristic Evaluation, Screeners, Interviews

Tools

Figma, FigJam, Google Forms

MyUT Website

Overview

Client Kick-off

Timeline

SWOT Analysis

User Survey

Heuristic Evaluation

Task Analysis

SUS Analysis

Design Recomendations

Takeaways

MyUT Website Overview

The University of Texas offers a centralized online portal called MyUT. This comprehensive resource serves as the primary source of information for all students, addressing a wide range of inquiries and streamlining access to essential services.

Client Kickoff

Current Situation

MyUT aims to be a comprehensive student hub, but usage is low.

Goal

Transform MyUT into the essential resource it was designed to be.

Action Plan

Analyze mobile app usage to understand student needs and develop improvement recommendations.

Analyze mobile app usage to understand student needs and develop improvement recommendations.

From Seed to Success

The project timeline guided our usability evaluation, ensuring milestones and deadlines were met for effective team coordination.

Heuristic Evaluation

Identified Design problems on mobile web version

Competitive Analysis

Identified Competitors and Performed SWOT Analysis

Task Analysis

Identified 6 Tasks that involved UX issues

Screeners

Define ideal participant characteristics and actively seek those who meet the qualifications.

Testing

Carries out Usability testing with selected participants remotely

Analysis

Collected quantitative and qualitative data and analyzed information

Seed

Succeed

Heuristic Evaluation

Identified Design problems on mobile web version

Competitive Analysis

Identified Competitors and Performed SWOT Analysis

Task Analysis

Identified 6 Tasks that involved UX issues

Screeners

Define ideal participant characteristics and actively seek those who meet the qualifications.

Testing

Carries out Usability testing with selected participants remotely

Analysis

Collected quantitative and qualitative data and analyzed information

Seed

Succeed

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis was conducted to guide informed decisions and strategies, helping us improve the project's success.

Direct Competitors

Website Link

Strength

1. Consistent icons across platforms enhance user recognition and recall. 2. The top screen section highlights current events, promoting student engagement. 3. Users can request new services, and all students get free access to Microsoft 365.

Weakness

1. Some icons require a double sign in process 2. Not customization 3. No app available

Opportunity

1. Can advertise the site during student events to increase traffic 2. Can successfully integrate new features as requested by current and former students which increase use 3. Develop App for mobile use

Threat

1. MyUH self service is an older portal that is still in use

AccessUH

myNTU

Modo Labs

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Some icons require a double sign in process 2. Not customization 3. No app available

Opportunity

Threat

1. MyUH self service is an older portal that is still in use

AccessUH

myNTU

Modo Labs

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Some icons require a double sign in process 2. Not customization 3. No app available

Opportunity

Threat

1. MyUH self service is an older portal that is still in use

AccessUH

myNTU

Modo Labs

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Some icons require a double sign in process 2. Not customization 3. No app available

Opportunity

Threat

1. MyUH self service is an older portal that is still in use

AccessUH

myNTU

Modo Labs

In-Direct Competitors

Website Link

Strength

1. A secure, data-encrypted platform allows students to connect, with an open discussion board for questions. 2. The platform fosters a friendly, free environment for official interest group chats and student interaction.

Weakness

1. Invite only, hard to access on their own. 2. Every chat has their own rules and regulations that user must follow or get risked being banned

Opportunity

1. Advertise the UT official discord page during student events 2. Cooperate with student portal website to increase the use

Threat

1. Other competitors. Reddit for instance, does not require an invite-only system

Discord

Notion

G Maps

G Drive

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Invite only, hard to access on their own. 2. Every chat has their own rules and regulations that user must follow or get risked being banned

Opportunity

1. Advertise the UT official discord page during student events 2. Cooperate with student portal website to increase the use

Threat

1. Other competitors. Reddit for instance, does not require an invite-only system

Discord

Notion

G Maps

G Drive

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Invite only, hard to access on their own. 2. Every chat has their own rules and regulations that user must follow or get risked being banned

Opportunity

1. Advertise the UT official discord page during student events 2. Cooperate with student portal website to increase the use

Threat

1. Other competitors. Reddit for instance, does not require an invite-only system

Discord

Notion

G Maps

G Drive

Website Link

Strength

Weakness

1. Invite only, hard to access on their own. 2. Every chat has their own rules and regulations that user must follow or get risked being banned

Opportunity

1. Advertise the UT official discord page during student events 2. Cooperate with student portal website to increase the use

Threat

1. Other competitors. Reddit for instance, does not require an invite-only system

Discord

Notion

G Maps

G Drive

User Survey

A user survey was conducted to gather feedback on user needs, preferences, and experiences. Analyzing the results helped identify improvement areas and informed data-driven decisions. This process guided us in enhancing the overall user experience.

Frequency of Use

8 Responses

Never

Once a Week

Once a Month

2 (10%)

12 (60%)

6 (30%)

Frequency of Use

8 Responses

Never

Once a Week

Once a Month

2 (10%)

12 (60%)

6 (30%)

Frequency of Use

8 Responses

Never

Once a Week

Once a Month

2 (10%)

12 (60%)

6 (30%)

Frequency of Use

8 Responses

Never

Once a Week

Once a Month

2 (10%)

12 (60%)

6 (30%)

Heuristic Evaluation

Heuristic evaluation helped identify usability issues by applying established usability principles. This assessment provided actionable insights for design improvements. The findings guided our recommendations, resulting in a more user-friendly product.

User Control & Freedom

Violation

There are two horizontal scrolls in a single page. I tried to scroll horizontally then both the navbar and the page both scrolled at the same time. I was having difficulty scrolling.

Violation

There are two horizontal scrolls in a single page. I tried to scroll horizontally then both the navbar and the page both scrolled at the same time. I was having difficulty scrolling.

Violation

There are two horizontal scrolls in a single page. I tried to scroll horizontally then both the navbar and the page both scrolled at the same time. I was having difficulty scrolling.

Violation

There are two horizontal scrolls in a single page. I tried to scroll horizontally then both the navbar and the page both scrolled at the same time. I was having difficulty scrolling.

Recommendations

There should an arrow on both sides of the link bar which will differentiate both the scrolls.

Recommendations

There should an arrow on both sides of the link bar which will differentiate both the scrolls.

Recommendations

There should an arrow on both sides of the link bar which will differentiate both the scrolls.

Recommendations

There should an arrow on both sides of the link bar which will differentiate both the scrolls.

Violation

When clicking the hamburger menu, there is no button to go back to the main page. The user is not offered an easily accessible or visible form of exiting the page hence limiting the users freedom to escape the situation.

Violation

Recommendations

There should be a return button to take the user back. Which could be an (x) or a (<--)preferably in the top right corner.

Recommendations

There should be a return button to take the user back. Which could be an (x) or a (<--)preferably in the top right corner.

Recommendations

There should be a return button to take the user back. Which could be an (x) or a (<--)preferably in the top right corner.

Recommendations

There should be a return button to take the user back. Which could be an (x) or a (<--)preferably in the top right corner.

Consistency & Standard

Violation

The top-right icon is unclear for first-time users due to ineffective color and placement, and the missing icon bar in the mobile version creates inconsistency, leading to user confusion.

Violation

The top-right icon is unclear for first-time users due to ineffective color and placement, and the missing icon bar in the mobile version creates inconsistency, leading to user confusion.

Violation

The top-right icon is unclear for first-time users due to ineffective color and placement, and the missing icon bar in the mobile version creates inconsistency, leading to user confusion.

Violation

The top-right icon is unclear for first-time users due to ineffective color and placement, and the missing icon bar in the mobile version creates inconsistency, leading to user confusion.

Recommendations

Recommend adding labels to each icon for clearer function identification, adjusting size, color, and weight for better visibility. The school logo should be placed far right, with icons positioned to the left of it for improved layout and consistency.

Recommendations

Violation

Clicking the infographics, the top one does not have a link to external pages, while the others do. However, the links are not functional.

Violation

Clicking the infographics, the top one does not have a link to external pages, while the others do. However, the links are not functional.

Violation

Clicking the infographics, the top one does not have a link to external pages, while the others do. However, the links are not functional.

Violation

Clicking the infographics, the top one does not have a link to external pages, while the others do. However, the links are not functional.

Recommendations

Either remove these non-functional infographics, which may mislead users into thinking they are interactive, or replace them with an icon indicating they lead to an external link, similar to the one next to “Grad Student Mentoring - Students.”

Recommendations

Flexibility & Efficiency of Use

Violation

In the mobile version, only half of the website is visible, with the second half hidden and accessible only through inconspicuous light grey dots blending into the bottom tab. This causes user confusion, as they are unaware of the "hidden page," making the mobile version difficult to use and ineffective.

Violation

When the user goes on the mobile version of the website they are only presented with half of the website and are unaware of the second half. The other half of the website is hidden from view and can only be accessed by 2 light grey dots on the bottom of the page that blends in with the bottom tab. This causes confusion for the user as they are unaware of the “hidden page”. This makes the mobile version hard to use and ineffective.

Violation

Recommendations

Recommendation would be to replace the light grey dots with a larger bright orange toggle. To make it more obvious to users at first glance.

Recommendations

Recommendation would be to replace the light grey dots with a larger bright orange toggle. To make it more obvious to users at first glance.

Recommendations

Recommendation would be to replace the light grey dots with a larger bright orange toggle. To make it more obvious to users at first glance.

Recommendations

Recommendation would be to replace the light grey dots with a larger bright orange toggle. To make it more obvious to users at first glance.

Task Analysis

Task Analysis allowed us to break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.

By understanding the user's journey and identifying potential pain points, we were able to optimize the product's design and make it more intuitive and efficient for users.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Scenario: Using MyUT homepage find your first course that shows up on the homepage. Can you find your syllabus for that first course without leaving the page?

Obervation

Some users were unaware of the horizontal scroll, and conflicting layouts based on updated iOS versions led to confusion, with users thinking the system was glitching or attributing errors to themselves. The horizontal scroll also conflicted with accessing the secondary page.

Recommendations

Vertical dropdowns menu would be efficient as its best to design with a vertical screen in mind.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Scenario: Using MyUT homepage find your first course that shows up on the homepage. Can you find your syllabus for that first course without leaving the page?

Obervation

Recommendations

Vertical dropdowns menu would be efficient as its best to design with a vertical screen in mind.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Scenario: Using MyUT homepage find your first course that shows up on the homepage. Can you find your syllabus for that first course without leaving the page?

Obervation

Recommendations

Vertical dropdowns menu would be efficient as its best to design with a vertical screen in mind.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

Scenario: Using MyUT homepage find your first course that shows up on the homepage. Can you find your syllabus for that first course without leaving the page?

Obervation

Recommendations

Vertical dropdowns menu would be efficient as its best to design with a vertical screen in mind.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

Task 5

Task 6

SUS Analysis

SUS Analysis was conducted to measure the overall user satisfaction with the product or service.

The SUS score provided a quantitative measure of the product's usability and user experience.

By analyzing the SUS score, we were able to compare the product's performance to industry benchmarks and identify areas for improvement.

Design Recommendations

Design Recommendations were provided to guide the product's development and improve its usability.

These recommendations were based on the insights gained from our usability evaluation, including user feedback, heuristic evaluations, and task analysis.

Condensed Text

Prioritize essential functions, remove redundant links, replace grey dots with a bright orange toggle, and add icons, quick search, and user history for easier navigation.

Hamburger Menu

Prioritize essential functions, remove redundant links, replace grey dots with a bright orange toggle, add icons, quick search, and user history for easier navigation, conceal detailed info in expandable tabs, and include a close button in the hamburger menu for better control and intuitive navigation.

Avoid horizontal scrolling in mobile version

To address challenges with the horizontal navigation bar, we can create a dropdown menu or organize all information on a single page to avoid scrolling, and integrate the switching page information into a unified vertical homepage for better usability.

Ensure Consistency

Uniformity in how devices display information can enhance clarity and user experience.

Reduce redundant process

The broken links, repetitive information and re-login process failed to help users find information on MyUT website efficiently. It is imperative to prioritize user convenience and streamline the browsing experience to save their time.

My Takeaways

Usability evaluation highlighted the importance of conducting thorough user research and testing

Double-check the layout promptly

During testing, some participants failed to complete the task due to layout inconsistencies and unknown system errors. It's important to immediately verify if it's a system issue after testing.

Be flexible to the unexpected result

Results may not always align with initial expectations, highlighting the importance of recognizing that participants may take different paths to complete tasks, illustrating the complexity of user experiences.

Don’t split the tasks into many steps

It's important to simplify tasks for clarity. In Task 4, the lengthy question caused confusion, so we learned to break it down into a single, achievable action rather than multiple steps.

Disney Threads

Engage in polls, quizzes, and challenges. Share creations, connect with fans. Foster community, build lasting connections, enhance Disney Thread's fandom.

User Engagement

Visual Design

Disney Threads

Engage in polls, quizzes, and challenges. Share creations, connect with fans. Foster community, build lasting connections, enhance Disney Thread's fandom.

User Engagement

Visual Design

Disney Threads

Engage in polls, quizzes, and challenges. Share creations, connect with fans. Foster community, build lasting connections, enhance Disney Thread's fandom.

User Engagement

Visual Design

Disney Threads

Engage in polls, quizzes, and challenges. Share creations, connect with fans. Foster community, build lasting connections, enhance Disney Thread's fandom.

User Engagement

Visual Design

Texas ERC

This project revamps the TexasERC website with a user-centered 3-column layout, addressing key pain points to improve accessibility, simplify navigation, and enhance the overall user experience.

Web Design & Development

SEO

Texas ERC

This project revamps the TexasERC website with a user-centered 3-column layout, addressing key pain points to improve accessibility, simplify navigation, and enhance the overall user experience.

Web Design & Development

SEO

Texas ERC

This project revamps the TexasERC website with a user-centered 3-column layout, addressing key pain points to improve accessibility, simplify navigation, and enhance the overall user experience.

Web Design & Development

SEO

Texas ERC

This project revamps the TexasERC website with a user-centered 3-column layout, addressing key pain points to improve accessibility, simplify navigation, and enhance the overall user experience.

Web Design & Development

SEO