MSU app is the official app of Michigan State University. It allows users to keep up-to-date with the latest events, read top news stories, explore the in-depth map of campus, and review dining options.
Michigan State University App
My Role
UI/UX Designer, MSU App Team, part-time
Duration
2 Years (constant iteration - overall timeline)
Tools
Sketch, Invision, GitLab, Photoshop
01. Project Overview
How to re-design and improve features of the app to better cater to the university related needs of MSU students, staff and visitors.
02. User Studies & Key Insights
In order to better understand what key functions to add on the app, I spoke with 15 individuals about their experiences and frustrations with certain tasks while being on campus.
I gathered 5 key insights and points that the participants expressed during the interviews:
Today page: for easy access to news feed and an app dashboard.
Discover page: to search events, clubs and majors with filter options.
Maps: to access campus maps with options for bus routes, dining and parking.
MyMSU page: for students to access daily schedule and profile.
More page: for easy access to MSU resources and contact information.
Key Findings:
03. User Types & Personas
Tracy Evans, 21
Tracy is a Psychology major, in her junior year at MSU. She enjoys being a part of clubs and attending events. She stays in a dorm, and uses CATA bus service to commute on-campus. Tracy would benefit from easy access to information regarding student clubs, majors and events, class schedule and grades as well as maps and bus routes.
Junior Psychology Major, Student
To be more involved in on-campus activities.
To be punctual and be able to plan ahead.
To stay at top of her class.
Goals :
Unable to find information about campus student clubs and events.
Has to use multiple apps to stay updated with bus schedules.
Has to go to the D2L website to check her class schedule and grades.
Frustrations :
Joann Hart, 35
Joann is a single mom and her son, eldest of her two kids, is planning to start his undergrad at MSU coming fall. When she was visiting the campus with her son, for the first time, she found it difficult to find parking spots and dining halls. Joann would have benefited if the maps showed her parking lots that had open spots and places to eat on campus.
Parent, Visitor
To easily locate parking lots with open spots.
To find nearby places to eat on campus.
Goals :
Unable to find open parking spots and had to go through several of them to finally find a spot.
Had trouble looking for places to eat on campus, since she didn’t know where to find a list of all the dining places on campus with their menus and timings.
Frustrations :
David Hanson, 42
David is an Associate Professor at MSU’s Business School. He is allergic to gluten and regularly checks dining hall menus before deciding where to eat lunch. He is also having troubles finding an easy access to MSU news updates. David would benefit if he could have easy access to dining menus and university related news.
Associate Professor, Staff
To easily find daily menus with Gluten free options for on-capus dining halls.
To stay updated with all university related news .
Goals :
Has to constantly look up the website on his laptop to find gluten free dining hall menu options.
Unable to find a convenient way to get MSU news and event updates using his phone.
