UoPX SPARK
Tackling the intricacies of internal corrective actions in a large organization like the University of Phoenix isn't always a walk in the park. With a wide array of users – from managers to HR personnel, directors, and regular employees – how do you create a unified platform that serves up just what each of them needs? And in the midst of all this complexity, how does the organization ensure smooth sailing when it comes to creating, managing, and keeping tabs on corrective actions?
Client
The University of Phoenix
Duration
January - March 2024
Role
Lead UI/UX Designer, UX Researcher
Industry
Education
Kicking It Off
University of Phoenix has long prioritized student experiences, but their commitment extends beyond the classroom. They approached my team with a vision to overhaul their internal corrective actions system, then known as ROCS. Teaming up with their talented developers, we aimed to transform it into a user-friendly platform, hence the rebranding to SPARK, ensuring a more positive user experience.
The task of fully developing the new system within a tight timeframe loomed large. To assess the project's scope, University of Phoenix tasked us with engaging stakeholders to define processes and identify UX improvement areas. Our resulting project requirements provided a roadmap for the development team, complemented by our design of high-fidelity UI elements. These included essential screens, components, and prototypes, facilitating seamless development and aiding in the presentation of proposed updates to University of Phoenix stakeholders and executives.
Thinking It Through
We dove right into the deep end by chatting with stakeholders all across the organization. The goal? To figure out what's in the game plan and what's off-limits. Since this project had fingers in many pies within the organization, it meant circling back with each team multiple times. We wanted to grasp the nitty-gritty of their core actions and processes, pinpointing where we could shine a light on improvements. From these conversations, we pieced together user flows to map out the happiest of paths we could prototype, while also keeping an eye on those sneaky edge cases that needed attention in our designs.
These user flows became our North Star throughout the entire project, guiding our decisions and keeping us on track. When it was time to wrap up this phase, we didn't skimp on the details – our final deliverable was a comprehensive set of requirements for every key screen. We left no stone unturned, documenting every bit of functionality and quirk that needed a nod in our UI.
Crafting An Experience That Delights
As I shifted gears into the design phase, my first move was transforming our hand-drawn wireframes into medium fidelity prototypes. We kicked off our regular meetings with the people who mattered most – the stakeholders – seeking their feedback to refine and enhance our work. This feedback loop became our sanity check throughout the entire design journey. Once we were confident that everyone was thrilled with the core experience, we leveled up to craft high-fidelity designs.
Since the development team would be taking the reins down the road without our direct involvement, it was crucial to pave their path to long-term success during the design phase. For us, this meant going all in on building and meticulously documenting prototypes for each key user journey. We even threw in user personas for good measure, making our demos and presentations a no-brainer to connect with. Once we nailed down the prototypes we created template designs for every key screen, making sure the development team had a comprehensive roadmap for each and every component. This was our chance to sprinkle in those delightful little moments throughout the design, adding that extra SPARK to the project.
As I wrapped up the project, we did it with complete confidence. I knew the stakeholders were onboard and that we'd left our collaborating team in a fantastic position to carry the project forward.