🎯 Unisol: Simplifying University Exploration for Students and Counselors
🎯 Unisol: Simplifying University Exploration for Students and Counselors
🎯 Unisol: Simplifying University Exploration for Students and Counselors
🚀 Introduction
Unisol is a SaaS platform designed to simplify the complex process of exploring and applying to universities. By connecting international students, counselors, and universities, Unisol aims to:
✅ Save 40% of time spent on applications
✅ Reduce 20% of manpower needs
👩💻 Role: UX Designer
📋 Deliverables: Customer Interviews, User Surveys, User Flows, Prototypes, Final Designs, Usability Tests
🚀 Introduction
Unisol is a SaaS platform designed to simplify the complex process of exploring and applying to universities. By connecting international students, counselors, and universities, Unisol aims to:
✅ Save 40% of time spent on applications
✅ Reduce 20% of manpower needs
👩💻 Role: UX Designer
📋 Deliverables: Customer Interviews, User Surveys, User Flows, Prototypes, Final Designs, Usability Tests
🚀 Introduction
Unisol is a SaaS platform designed to simplify the complex process of exploring and applying to universities. By connecting international students, counselors, and universities, Unisol aims to:
✅ Save 40% of time spent on applications
✅ Reduce 20% of manpower needs
👩💻 Role: UX Designer
📋 Deliverables: Customer Interviews, User Surveys, User Flows, Prototypes, Final Designs, Usability Tests
🔍 The Problem
🔍 The Problem
🔍 The Problem
University exploration should be exciting — but for many students, it felt overwhelming.
👩🎓 Students' Pain Points:
❗ Scattered information across multiple websites
❗ Missed deadlines and tracking issues
❗ Limited support post-application
💼 Counselors' Pain Points:
❗ Manual tracking methods
❗ Struggles following up with students
❗ Limited visibility on university updates
💡 Insight: Both groups needed a centralized, guided platform to simplify decision-making and improve application tracking.
University exploration should be exciting — but for many students, it felt overwhelming.
👩🎓 Students' Pain Points:
❗ Scattered information across multiple websites
❗ Missed deadlines and tracking issues
❗ Limited support post-application
💼 Counselors' Pain Points:
❗ Manual tracking methods
❗ Struggles following up with students
❗ Limited visibility on university updates
💡 Insight: Both groups needed a centralized, guided platform to simplify decision-making and improve application tracking.
University exploration should be exciting — but for many students, it felt overwhelming.
👩🎓 Students' Pain Points:
❗ Scattered information across multiple websites
❗ Missed deadlines and tracking issues
❗ Limited support post-application
💼 Counselors' Pain Points:
❗ Manual tracking methods
❗ Struggles following up with students
❗ Limited visibility on university updates
💡 Insight: Both groups needed a centralized, guided platform to simplify decision-making and improve application tracking.
🧠 Digging into Real Stories
🧠 Digging into Real Stories
🧠 Digging into Real Stories
I kicked off the project by connecting with real users through:
👥 10+ Interviews with students and counselors
📋 50+ Survey Responses to explore pain points
I kicked off the project by connecting with real users through:
👥 10+ Interviews with students and counselors
📋 50+ Survey Responses to explore pain points
I kicked off the project by connecting with real users through:
👥 10+ Interviews with students and counselors
📋 50+ Survey Responses to explore pain points
📊 Survey Results — Identifying Trends at Scale
📊 Survey Results — Identifying Trends at Scale
📊 Survey Results — Identifying Trends at Scale
A survey of 50+ participants revealed:
A survey of 50+ participants revealed:
Survey Insights: What Buyers & Vendors Really Think
To validate my assumptions, I designed a 10-question survey targeting construction project managers, procurement officers, and vendors.
👥 User Interviews: The Stories behind the data
👥 User Interviews: The Stories behind the data
👥 User Interviews: The Stories behind the data
I conducted 10 remote interviews via Microsoft Teams:
5 international students struggling with university exploration
5 counselors managing student applications manually
💬 I structured my questions across three phases to capture the full journey:
I conducted 10 remote interviews via Microsoft Teams:
5 international students struggling with university exploration
5 counselors managing student applications manually
💬 I structured my questions across three phases to capture the full journey:
I conducted 10 remote interviews via Microsoft Teams:
5 international students struggling with university exploration
5 counselors managing student applications manually
💬 I structured my questions across three phases to capture the full journey:
📅 Before Applying
"Where do you start when researching universities?"
"What information do you struggle to find?"
✅ Insight: Students spent excessive time gathering fragmented information from multiple websites.
📅 Before Applying
"Where do you start when researching universities?"
"What information do you struggle to find?"
✅ Insight: Students spent excessive time gathering fragmented information from multiple websites.
📅 Before Applying
"Where do you start when researching universities?"
"What information do you struggle to find?"
✅ Insight: Students spent excessive time gathering fragmented information from multiple websites.
✍️ While Applying
"How do you track deadlines and requirements?"
"Have you ever missed a deadline?"
✅ Insight: Students relied heavily on manual notes, increasing the risk of errors.
📩 After Applying
"What’s your biggest frustration after submitting applications?"
"How do you track university responses?"
✅ Insight: Students felt lost after submission, with limited guidance on what to expect next.
✍️ While Applying
"How do you track deadlines and requirements?"
"Have you ever missed a deadline?"
✅ Insight: Students relied heavily on manual notes, increasing the risk of errors.
✍️ While Applying
"How do you track deadlines and requirements?"
"Have you ever missed a deadline?"
✅ Insight: Students relied heavily on manual notes, increasing the risk of errors.
📩 After Applying
"What’s your biggest frustration after submitting applications?"
"How do you track university responses?"
✅ Insight: Students felt lost after submission, with limited guidance on what to expect next.
📩 After Applying
"What’s your biggest frustration after submitting applications?"
"How do you track university responses?"
✅ Insight: Students felt lost after submission, with limited guidance on what to expect next.
🧩 Affinity Mapping — Converting Insights into Actionable
🧩 Affinity Mapping — Converting Insights into Actionable
🧩 Affinity Mapping — Converting Insights into Actionable
I organized my interview and survey insights into key themes using an Affinity Map, grouped by the three core phases of the application journey.
I organized my interview and survey insights into key themes using an Affinity Map, grouped by the three core phases of the application journey.
I organized my interview and survey insights into key themes using an Affinity Map, grouped by the three core phases of the application journey.
👥 Personas — Humanizing the Problem
👥 Personas — Humanizing the Problem
👥 Personas — Humanizing the Problem
To design a solution that truly resonates, I needed to understand the people facing these challenges — their motivations, frustrations, and aspirations.
To design a solution that truly resonates, I needed to understand the people facing these challenges — their motivations, frustrations, and aspirations.
To design a solution that truly resonates, I needed to understand the people facing these challenges — their motivations, frustrations, and aspirations.
Thomas Bale – The Savvy Project Manager
Thomas oversees multiple projects across the UK. He’s detail-oriented but frustrated by outdated procurement methods.
Goals:
✔️ Efficient material search
✔️ Secure better deals
✔️ Reliable payment options
Pain Points:
❗ Difficult product comparisons
❗ Time-consuming communication
❗ Manual order tracking
Alex Shelby – The Digital Vendor
Alex has years of experience in construction sales but struggles to convert inquiries into actual sales.
Goals:
✔️ Connect with serious buyers
✔️ Secure upfront payments
✔️ Improve product visibility
Pain Points:
❗ Struggles with fake inquiries
❗ Finds online selling inefficient
❗ Difficulty tracking orders
Alisha Dixon — The Lost Student
Background: Indian architect seeking a Master’s degree in the UK.
Goals:
✅ Discover universities that align with her budget
✅ Find scholarships and accommodation
✅ Track her application progress easily
Frustrations:
❗ Overwhelmed by scattered information
❗ Frustrated by biased counselor advice
❗ Missed deadlines in the past
Alisha Dixon — The Lost Student
Background: Indian architect seeking a Master’s degree in the UK.
Goals:
✅ Discover universities that align with her budget
✅ Find scholarships and accommodation
✅ Track her application progress easily
Frustrations:
❗ Overwhelmed by scattered information
❗ Frustrated by biased counselor advice
❗ Missed deadlines in the past
Jack Morris — The Overwhelmed Counselor
Background: CEO of a UK-based counseling firm managing multiple student applications.
Goals:
✅ Manage student applications efficiently
✅ Improve follow-up communication with universities
✅ Maximize successful student placements
Frustrations:
❗ Spends hours tracking applications manually
❗ Misses student deadlines
❗ Struggles to provide timely updates
Jack Morris — The Overwhelmed Counselor
Background: CEO of a UK-based counseling firm managing multiple student applications.
Goals:
✅ Manage student applications efficiently
✅ Improve follow-up communication with universities
✅ Maximize successful student placements
Frustrations:
❗ Spends hours tracking applications manually
❗ Misses student deadlines
❗ Struggles to provide timely updates
💬 Customer Journey Maps — Mapping the Experience
💬 Customer Journey Maps — Mapping the Experience
💬 Customer Journey Maps — Mapping the Experience
I created a Customer Journey Map based on interview insights, highlighting key pain points across three stages — Before, While, and After Applying — which guided solutions like Comparison Cards, a Visual Tracker, and Real-Time Updates.
I created a Customer Journey Map based on interview insights, highlighting key pain points across three stages — Before, While, and After Applying — which guided solutions like Comparison Cards, a Visual Tracker, and Real-Time Updates.
I created a Customer Journey Map based on interview insights, highlighting key pain points across three stages — Before, While, and After Applying — which guided solutions like Comparison Cards, a Visual Tracker, and Real-Time Updates.
💡 Turning Problems into Solutions: Ideation Process
💡 Turning Problems into Solutions: Ideation Process
💡 Turning Problems into Solutions: Ideation Process
For ideation, I explored multiple techniques:
🧠 Brainwriting to generate diverse ideas collaboratively.
🎯 Crazy 8s for rapid concept sketching.
✅ NUF Test (Novelty, Usefulness, Feasibility) to prioritize impactful ideas.
🔎 Competitive Analysis to identify gaps and opportunities in existing platforms.
This structured approach ensured my solutions were innovative, practical, and aligned with user needs.
For ideation, I explored multiple techniques:
🧠 Brainwriting to generate diverse ideas collaboratively.
🎯 Crazy 8s for rapid concept sketching.
✅ NUF Test (Novelty, Usefulness, Feasibility) to prioritize impactful ideas.
🔎 Competitive Analysis to identify gaps and opportunities in existing platforms.
This structured approach ensured my solutions were innovative, practical, and aligned with user needs.
For ideation, I explored multiple techniques:
🧠 Brainwriting to generate diverse ideas collaboratively.
🎯 Crazy 8s for rapid concept sketching.
✅ NUF Test (Novelty, Usefulness, Feasibility) to prioritize impactful ideas.
🔎 Competitive Analysis to identify gaps and opportunities in existing platforms.
This structured approach ensured my solutions were innovative, practical, and aligned with user needs.
Brain Writing
Brain Writing
Crazy 8
Crazy 8
NUF
NUF
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
🖌️ Translating Ideas into Actionable Designs
🖌️ Translating Ideas into Actionable Designs
🖌️ Translating Ideas into Actionable Designs
I built a site map, created low-fi wireframes, and developed dual interfaces for students and counselors, refining them into mid-fi prototypes in Figma based on user insights.
I built a site map, created low-fi wireframes, and developed dual interfaces for students and counselors, refining them into mid-fi prototypes in Figma based on user insights.
I built a site map, created low-fi wireframes, and developed dual interfaces for students and counselors, refining them into mid-fi prototypes in Figma based on user insights.
Site Map
Site Map
Mid-fi Prototype
Mid-fi Prototype
📐 From Concept to Concrete Designs
📐 From Concept to Concrete Designs
📐 From Concept to Concrete Designs
🔍 Insights from Testing: Refining the Design
🔍 Insights from Testing: Refining the Design
🔍 Insights from Testing: Refining the Design
🧪 Testing & Iteration
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with both students and counselors to refine the designs.
🔎 Key Feedback & Improvements:
✔️ Added clear stages in the process flow to help students track their progress.
✔️ Improved the color scheme to enhance visual clarity and reduce confusion.
✔️ Reduced redundant CTA buttons to simplify navigation and improve focus.
These changes enhanced the platform's usability, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive experience.
🧪 Testing & Iteration
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with both students and counselors to refine the designs.
🔎 Key Feedback & Improvements:
✔️ Added clear stages in the process flow to help students track their progress.
✔️ Improved the color scheme to enhance visual clarity and reduce confusion.
✔️ Reduced redundant CTA buttons to simplify navigation and improve focus.
These changes enhanced the platform's usability, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive experience.
🧪 Testing & Iteration
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with both students and counselors to refine the designs.
🔎 Key Feedback & Improvements:
✔️ Added clear stages in the process flow to help students track their progress.
✔️ Improved the color scheme to enhance visual clarity and reduce confusion.
✔️ Reduced redundant CTA buttons to simplify navigation and improve focus.
These changes enhanced the platform's usability, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive experience.
🎯 Key Learnings as a UX Designer
🎯 Key Learnings as a UX Designer
🎯 Key Learnings as a UX Designer
✔️ User insights shaped critical design decisions.
✔️ Early usability testing caan improve adoption rates.
✔️ Balancing user needs with business goals ensured impactful solutions.
✔️ User insights shaped critical design decisions.
✔️ Early usability testing caan improve adoption rates.
✔️ Balancing user needs with business goals ensured impactful solutions.
✔️ User insights shaped critical design decisions.
✔️ Early usability testing caan improve adoption rates.
✔️ Balancing user needs with business goals ensured impactful solutions.
