Overview

In this project, I was tasked with redesigning a student registration portal to improve the user experience, making it more intuitive and accessible. The existing portal was outdated and difficult for students to navigate, often leading to frustration and a high volume of support requests. The goal of the redesign was to streamline the registration process, reduce user errors, and provide a seamless experience for students across various devices.

The UX Process

1. Research & Discovery

The first phase of the project focused on understanding the needs and pain points of the users. I conducted user interviews with current students, as well as surveys to gather data on their experiences. Key insights included:

• Difficulty in finding the right courses.
• Confusion with confusing labels and inconsistent terminology.
• Frustration with the time-consuming and multi-step registration process.

Additionally, I reviewed analytics data to identify areas where users were abandoning the registration process. This research phase was essential to inform the design direction and ensure that user needs were at the forefront.

Here’s an example of a screenshot from my case study:

2. User Personas & Journey Mapping

Based on the research, I developed user personas to represent the primary types of users for the portal: incoming students, returning students, and graduate students. These personas helped guide design decisions by focusing on their unique needs, goals, and pain points.

I also mapped the user journey to identify the touchpoints where students encountered difficulties. This helped me pinpoint key areas where improvements would have the most significant impact.

3. Wireframing & Prototyping

Using the insights from the research phase, I created wireframes and prototypes that focused on simplifying the registration process. I included:

• A clear, easy-to-understand course selection interface.
• A streamlined registration form with intuitive field labels.
• A progress tracker that showed students how far along they were in the registration process.

I created low-fidelity wireframes first to gather feedback from stakeholders before moving to higher-fidelity prototypes for user testing.

4. Usability Testing

I conducted usability testing sessions with a small group of students to gather feedback on the prototypes. The testing helped uncover issues with the initial design, including:

• Some users had trouble understanding how to modify their course selections.
• A few steps in the process were still perceived as too long or confusing.

Based on this feedback, I refined the design, making adjustments to enhance clarity and reduce cognitive load.

5. Final Design & Development

After finalizing the design, I worked closely with the development team to ensure the implementation aligned with the new user-centered design. We used a mobile-first approach to ensure the portal was accessible and functional across all devices.

The final design incorporated modern UI elements, clear visual hierarchy, and accessibility features, such as contrast adjustments and screen reader compatibility.

6. Launch & Iteration

Once the redesign was launched, I monitored analytics and conducted follow-up surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the new design. We saw a reduction in registration errors, an increase in completion rates, and positive feedback from students.

However, the project didn’t end with the launch. I continued to gather feedback and iterate on the design to ensure it met the evolving needs of students.

Conclusion

The redesign of the student registration portal successfully improved the user experience, simplifying the registration process and enhancing overall satisfaction. By applying the UX process—from research to iteration—I was able to create a more intuitive and user-friendly portal that better served students and reduced support requests.