University procedures are inherently complex due to the extensive interaction between various entities and departments. In the initial weeks of the project, we focused on gaining a deep understanding of the current state of these procedures.

I conducted workshops to map out existing processes and support our client in defining the product strategy and business objectives for this digital transformation. Through these sessions, we identified the specific procedure to digitalize, established baseline metrics, and set clear targets to achieve.

We selected the student graduation procedure, as it presented the most complex flow, involved the highest number of university departments, and was a major pain point for students. Completing this process initially took students approximately 3 to 5 months, causing significant frustration for those eager to obtain their degree.

During this phase, I observed and interviewed personnel from 11 different departments and 15 students, gathering valuable insights that informed our approach to shaping the user experience.

To conclude the initial research phase and kickstart product development, we conducted a Lean Inception workshop. This methodology combines Design Thinking and Lean Startup tools to align product teams and define the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

During Lean Inception, we facilitated 10 collaborative workshops over one week. The outcomes from this week included the product vision, business goals, user personas, user flow, product feature definitions, and the product development roadmap.

Mapping the process flow was essential for identifying current pain points, bottlenecks, and opportunities for optimization.

After outlining the issues in the existing procedure, we redesigned the process with technology at its core. With the new "to-be" flow defined, we were ready to begin the platform's UX/UI design phase.

The student graduation procedure was the first process we digitalized on the platform. From the outset, we designed with scalability in mind, knowing that over 30 additional procedures would eventually be integrated into the tool. To support the platform's scalability needs while maintaining a consistent user experience and design patterns across all processes, we developed a comprehensive design system based on Material UI. Although this required an upfront time investment, it will enable the team to significantly reduce time to production in the future.

The most significant pain point for students was the lack of information throughout the graduation procedure. During the design phase of the student experience, providing clear and timely information feedback became our primary focus. The student interface was designed to ensure users could easily track the progress of their procedure, identify the person responsible for each step, and receive immediate alerts if any issues arose.

The main goal for university staff is to efficiently complete tasks related to student procedures, allowing these processes to progress smoothly to the next step. The design of the staff interface initially focused on enabling users to quickly address their assigned tasks. However, during usability testing, we identified a major pain point: communication about issues between assignees was often unclear and inconsistent.

In response, we iterated on the design by integrating a comments tool directly into the final interface. This addition allowed staff members to communicate seamlessly about specific tasks, reducing delays and improving overall process efficiency. This iteration, driven by direct user feedback, was crucial in enhancing staff collaboration and ensuring a more streamlined experience.

The main goal for university staff is to efficiently complete tasks related to student procedures, allowing these processes to progress smoothly to the next step. The design of the staff interface initially focused on enabling users to quickly address their assigned tasks. However, during usability testing, we identified a major pain point: communication about issues between assignees was often unclear and inconsistent.

In response, we iterated on the design by integrating a comments tool directly into the final interface. This addition allowed staff members to communicate seamlessly about specific tasks, reducing delays and improving overall process efficiency. This iteration, driven by direct user feedback, was crucial in enhancing staff collaboration and ensuring a more streamlined experience.

To ensure the platform's ongoing success and impact, we recommended a set of KPIs and metrics that the university could monitor over time. These include user satisfaction scores to gauge the student and staff experience, average procedure completion time to track efficiency gains, and task completion rates by department to identify any bottlenecks that may arise as more procedures are added to the platform. Regularly reviewing these metrics will help the university assess the platform's performance, make data-driven improvements, and sustain the benefits of this digital transformation.