Project

PathwayPro

During my junior year of college, a software engineering course prompted teams to brainstorm and develop innovative solutions. Our concept, PathwayPro, evolved from a classroom project into an academic planning tool to bridge the gap between academic curriculum and career planning for college students. The project was recognized as a finalist in a business pitch contest, securing $2.5k in funding. I'm excited to present the journey of designing PathwayPro, including the challenges I faced, the insights I gained, and the envisioned impact.

Jump to Final Design.
Background

Prompt

Challenge

Project Process

Research

Affinity Mapping

Info

Role

UX Designer in collaboration with software engineers

Design Timeline

3 weeks

Project Type

Concept to Development & Pitch

My journey with PathwayPro began with the frustrations I heard from fellow students. It was designed to integrate course planning with career development, providing a clear view to help students make informed decisions and achieve their aspirations. Here are key statistics I found that reflect the concerns which prompted me to brainstorm solutions:

College students struggle to make informed course selections that align with their career goals, leading to stress and inefficiency in academic planning.

How might we help students align their course choices with future career goals?

I tailored each phase of the design process to address specific aspects of the problem, from understanding user needs to refining the solution based on feedback.

User Interviews

To better understand potential users, I interviewed 20 university students and asked about their challenges with academic planning. Affinity mapping helped to uncover key insights.

Persona Development

From the insights gained through these findings, I developed user personas to represent key segments of our target audience. These personas guided the design process, ensuring that PathwayPro addressed the specific needs and challenges faced by students.

Product Structure

I broadly mapped out the app’s product structure based on insights from the Research phase. The Dashboard offers a snapshot of users’ academic progress. The Courses page allows students to manage both current and completed courses. The Skills Spotlight tool recommends relevant skills to boost career readiness and suggests potential career paths. Users can also access the Inbox for important notifications and updates from instructors.

Design Solutions

Low-fidelity wireframes

I broadly mapped out the app’s product structure based on insights from the Research phase. The Dashboard offers a snapshot of users’ academic progress. The Courses page allows students to manage both current and completed courses. The Skills Spotlight tool recommends relevant skills to boost career readiness and suggests potential career paths. Users can also access the Inbox for important notifications and updates from instructors.

Solution

PathwayPro is designed to alleviate the stress and inefficiencies in academic planning by providing a comprehensive tool that integrates course selection with career aspirations.

Student Progress Dashboard

Students can track their progress toward their academic and career goals through an intuitive dashboard.

  • This is designed to provide students with a clear, real-time overview of their academic journey. It tracks their progress toward degree completion, highlighting milestones such as completed credits and current courses. By centralizing this information, students can easily make informed decisions about their coursework. It empowers students to stay on track and align their academic achievements with their career goals, reducing the uncertainty and stress associated with academic planning.

Skills Spotlight

A skill inventory that serves as a skill management and exploration tool, designed to empower students.

  • This serves as a comprehensive skill management and exploration tool, specifically designed to bridge the gap between what students learn in their courses and the skills required in their desired careers. This personalized skill inventory tracks the development of skills as they progress through their academic journey. The feature also allows students to explore new skills that align with their career aspirations, providing recommendations based on industry trends and job market demands. By making skill development a central part of the academic planning process, the Skills Spotlight feature ensures that students graduate with not only the knowledge but also the practical skills needed to succeed in their chosen fields.

Design

Onboarding & Sign-In

The onboarding screens were designed to create a welcoming experience for students. It avoids unnecessary clutter and guides users to the next step.
A personalized greeting creates a sense of connection, making students feel valued. The simple sign-in form is efficient and streamlines the process.

Dashboard & Courses

I designed the dashboard to provide a quick overview of the user's academic progress and key metrics regarding skill development. Essential information such as credits completed, in-progress courses, and skills gained, is prominently displayed for ease of use.
The Courses screen provides a comprehensive overview of the user's enrolled courses. Course names, codes, and related skills are laid out concisely. A search feature allows students to find current courses or explore new ones quickly.

Inbox & Skills Spotlight

An inbox page was designed so students have a seamless and efficient messaging experience. There are clear visual cues, and an easy-to-follow layout aids students in connecting more with their advisors.
The Skills Spotlight feature gives students a clear menu in which they can explore their in-progress and recommended skills, along with their unique Skills Profile.

Lessons Learned

Technical Feasibility:
  • Data integration challenges: How could we streamline information across multiple academic departments with differing formats?
  • User adaptability: What if users are unfamiliar with some terms or require extensive onboarding?

Obstacles & Insights

Looking Forward

Product Features & Product Thinking:
  • Student motivation: What drives users to update their plans regularly? How can we encourage frequent use?
  • Feature overload: What if there are too many options for students, making it challenging to navigate?
Product Features & Design:
  • Personalized academic goals: Create a way for students to set and track custom academic and career goals within the app.
  • Interactive support within the app: A help feature or chatbot to answer common user questions and guide them through the setup.
  • Accessibility improvements: Increase text contrast, and add icons to enhance navigability.
  • Cross-device compatibility: Enable seamless use across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, catering to varied student preferences.
  • Enhanced visual aids: Include more visual cues for critical tasks like adding, removing, or confirming courses, reducing user errors.