Redefining Boise State’s Mobile App UX through Student Perspectives
Mobile Application x UX Research.
UX Researcher, Master of Arts Student
ROLE
As the culminating project of my Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, I conducted a user experience research project focusing on improving the Boise State Mobile App. This initiative blended user experience research, leadership practices, and marketing strategy skills within my degree to comprehensively assess the app's effectiveness and align it with student wants and needs.
BACKGROUND
Boise State lacks connection with their student population, needing more insight into understanding students experiences and their accessibility to resources. Introduced in 2021 with a 37% adoption among students, it is apparent that there is a lack of awareness of the app functionalities and a lack of meeting student needs, leaving room for growth in a unique channel.
As universities are complex, students often struggle to keep up with the tasks of being a college student leading to overwhelmed students with low success rates. A better understanding of the student experience helps Boise State develop a way to meet students where they are at, with the assistance they need at the correct time using the application. A holistic student journey understanding will inform new app functionality, integrations, and features such as push notifications to create a more positive experience for our campus.
CHALLENGE
Answer the research questions: “How can we update the existing app to better align with student’s wants and needs, therefore improving their everyday Boise State experience?” and “How can we reduce barriers to ensure access for all students, offering the best conditions and opportunities for success?”
Share student insights to improve existing features, develop new functions, and understand how a student's background contributes to success.
GOALS
After extensive project planning, I implemented a phased project plan spanning research, analysis and deliverables to communicate with stakeholders. I completed an Institutional Review Board (IRB) application and obtained approval for this research. My primary research included 4 student interviews, 2 focus group sessions and a campus survey with 13 respondents. My secondary research included a thorough competitor analysis and Google Analytics review. After my research methods were complete I conducted an analysis of the data, compiled a research findings report and developed app strategy and feature recommendations. I also created student journey maps, empathy maps and student personas based on my student interactions.
I examined features of key competitors' mobile apps within the higher education industry. I compiled my findings into a summary report to easily see standout leaders while analyzing the features and visuals of their applications.
PROCESS
I conducted 4 semi-formal interviews with a usability screen observation, focusing on student experiences and the Boise State App. My interviews lasted 1 hour with each of the four students and we discussed their experiences, priorities and responsibilities in and outside our campus. We also discussed their expectations and current uses of the app.
Some of my key findings included student background, where they are from, a brief description of their family and how they grew up in addition to their current interests in their academic pursuits. The majority of our conversation was around their various priorities and responsibilities. Most had similar feedback around the Boise State mobile app, using it occasionally but not often.
My interviews informed my final insights especially the insight that “Students are exploring career areas that help them align their passions with their skills and talents. They are interested in career exploration, networking and applicable experiences”.
USER INTERVIEWS
“Value being able to dip my toes in before I make a solid decision”
“Not trying to work about the tasks that stress me out, they pile up”
“I use it on the road when I just want to check something out [mobile app]”
I organized 1-hour focus group sessions, one with a group of 10 students, and one with a group of 5 student employees to explore holistic student experiences and mobile app expectations in a group setting. We discussed their priorities within their education, how their passions are beginning to translate into careers, and difficulties trying to do too much on a daily basis. The students completed a visualization of their student journey throughout the past year based on significant events in their lives and interactions with Boise State.
Some of my key findings included priorities and interests as students and how their career goals aligned with their future dream jobs. They shared common challenges that several students experience. My second focus group was more centered around career, passions and interests and how student employment contributed to their experiences. They had many more insights into feedback on the Mobile App.
The focus group informed my final insights especially the insight that “Students are faced with an overwhelming amount of information and very busy schedules, leading to lack of self-confidence and motivation”.
FOCUS GROUPS
““What will make me happy?””
“Find it hard to remain calm and collected most the day when so much is going on”
CAMPUS SURVEY
I surveyed 13 students through a brief Qualtrics survey to gathered student’s experience at Boise State, their opinions about the campus and expectations around the app.
Some of my key findings included top priorities and any additional responsibilities outside of school. They ranked areas of Boise State on importance and value. Their contributions to the mobile app were ease of use, knowledge of features and any difficulties they shared.
“~60-70% of students mentioned finances
~90% of students mentioned making connections and focusing on social life
~75% of students mentioned checking grades or doing well in school
~50-60% of students mentioned graduating timely or thinking about graduation
~50-60% of students mentioned applying skills to jobs/internships
~75% of students mentioned opportunities/experiences including career and new jobs”
After analyzing my data for themes and emerging insights, I developed 5 student personas with journey and empathy maps. Student persona’s helped me analyze based on different groups of students, while the empathy maps helped me define their priorities. The student journeys were more focused on the mobile app and interactions that they would need to do given their unique situations.
Boise State Student Personas
These personas focused on achieving the most common goal: a 4-year bachelor’s degree.
The unsure yet excited, traditional age freshman student
The social butterfly, traditional age sophomore student
The hardworking overwhelmed, traditional age junior student
The ambitious, experienced, traditional age senior student
The grateful working parent, nontraditional age junior student
Data Analysis
CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
After developing my research insights and app recommendations, I developed a leadership communication plan that I provided to the stakeholders. This plan outlines key steps in communication to implement a change with the mobile application and ongoing implementation. Due to the nature of Boise State’s large organizational departments working often in silos communication can be a challenge. This plan attempts to address communications steps to take to communicate the need for mobile app importance, implementation and consistency. These steps will help improve student experiences currently disadvantaged from Boise State’s lack of communication. This plan can be used as a cycle. Certain phases of this communication plan can be restarted as new iterations of the app evolve and new initiatives arise.
Understand the Value User Experience Research with Students
Communicate Student’s Expectations into the Need for Ongoing Change
Create a Strategic Vision for the Mobile Application
Form Dedicated Team to Push Initiative Across BSU Campus
Generate Buy-in with Group Brainstorm
Drive Momentum by Communicating to Executive Leadership
Communicate Strategic Vision and Change Internally
Communicate Mobile Application Externally to Student Populations
Set Measures and Share Small Successes
Maintain Momentum and Increase Student Engagement
Develop a Continual Working Group Across Campus
Students don’t see the value in the Boise State App until it directly benefits them by helping them discover or use resources.
Students view college as a time of self-discovery to develop their goals and aspirations. They do this through learning about themselves, building habits, forming valuable connections, and finding experiences that will provide them success in their futures.
Students are exploring career areas that help them align their passions with their skills and talents. They are interested in career exploration, networking and applicable experiences.
Students care about their academic success and are willing to work hard to achieve their goals.
Students are faced with an overwhelming amount of information and very busy schedules, leading to lack of self-confidence and motivation.
Students need flexibility to stay on top of schoolwork with responsibilities outside of school.
INSIGHTS
Add more features and make discovery of information easy. Address student needs and wants within the Boise State App to make it more relevant for students.
Add resources that focus on growth, self-discovery. building healthy habits, and tips for organization and balance. Foster connection and community by adding event information and creating easy communication.
Incorporate career exploration elements into the mobile app including discovery of interests, companies, what type of jobs majors translate into and networking opportunities. Incorporate handshake link to show job opportunities.
Incorporate notifications around academic milestones and check in’s with grades and GPA. Add tips for organization and ways to make more academic reflections and see progress. Explore campus opportunities like events or social gatherings
Make information in the app simple. Find strategies to motivate students, help them recognize small wins and see their progress. Foster reflection and build a sense of confidence with skills. Promote positive news stories that combat larger societal fears.
Make mobile app features inclusive for all student populations and flexible schedules. Create spaces for exploration virtually.
Feature Recommendations: Event information and discovery. Explore campus opportunities like events or social gatherings, Notifications about event info, grades, schedules and finances, Weekly highlight feature to notify students of upcoming events based on interests and major, Check statuses through the app around paperwork, finances and major acceptance, Schedule appointments across campus, Attendance Tracker. Chat feature for faculty/peers, Study habits with tips and partners, Activity and community feed, Mental health resources with health and wellness section, Hotspot map around campus, Search across app
APP RECOMMENDATIONS
I presented the findings to my stakeholders within OIT, Student Affairs and Marketing and corresponding leadership teams in addition to providing the recommendations report and change plan. I also met with my main stakeholder in OIT and communicated my insights into direct App features and recommendations. Overall my project captured a wide range of Boise State student experiences and contributed past the mobile application use case, as I influenced other decisions being made about the organization of technology.
I also presented my final culminating master of arts project to my graduate committee. Throughout this project, I learned how to apply leadership throughout a user experience project, conduct real world UX methods to answer research questions, analyze UX data and create summary reports for a UX project.
CONCLUSION
SKILLS
User Experience Research Methods of conducting semi-formal interviews, participant observations and focus groups
Google Analytics and Competitor
Data AnalysisDevelopment of Personas, Empathy Maps, and Student Journey Maps
Research Data Analysis
Change Leadership Plan Development
Write-Up and Summary of Research Insights
UX Mobile App Recommendations Presentation
Collaboration with stakeholders and other key partners
“Students view college as a time of self-discovery to develop their goals and aspirations. They do this through learning about themselves, building habits, forming valuable connections, and finding experiences that will provide them success in their futures.”
