Improving Viva-Mundo platform, your new study abroad portal
OVERVIEW
The purpose of this case study is to address the challenge of developing a user-friendly platform for international students seeking to study abroad. The primary goal is to create an intuitive and engaging experience that caters to the unique needs and preferences of the target audience.
ROLE & RESPONSABILITIES
Product Designer
User Research, Visual Design, Prototyping, Testing
Timeline
June – August 2020
INTRODUCTION
Viva-Mundo.com is a content-based platform that helps educational institutions, agencies, governments and service providers connect with students planning to study internationally .
On the platform we can find articles in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Vietnamese with the aim of reaching potential students all over the world. The website’s content has topics relevant to students looking to study abroad, destinations, visa processes, entry to university as well as online webinars to answer questions.
The platform’s proposal is very relevant as every year millions of young people seek to be accepted into universities and achieve their dream of studying internationally. A study report published by ICEF , states that more than three-quarters (77%) of international students who responded to the 2019 QS International Student Survey said that the most useful source of information for them when researching an institution abroad is the websites on the internet.
Unfortunately, in times of pandemic, universities found themselves unable to recruit students for this year, so they have been relying on online platforms to attract these potential freshmen for the following year. ICEF in another research stated Most international students still want to study abroad, but there is a strong preference for in-person instruction over online content delivery methods.
Current Problems
However, it was possible to notice that engagement and access to the website has been very low. Probably because they do not meet users’ expectations and needs. Some other factors that generate problems for Viva-Mundo.com are:
- Users stay on the page for less than 38 seconds.
- The number of registrations for weekly webinars are also very low.
- The current interface aims to list the clients (universities) that paid to be at the top of the page
- The content of the articles is often very long and does not list topics for quick search
- The mobile version has an infinite scroll and a wealth of content
Defining the problem
How might we redesign a platform that meets the needs of students looking to study abroad?
RESEARCH
Goals
• Identify what information students most seek about studying abroad
• Investigate what are the biggest doubts users have about the subject
• Understand the main motivation for seeking an international university
• Find out where and why users are leaving your current website
Methodology
For this project, four research methodologies were used. Firstly, with Desk Research, analyzing data already existing in Google Analytics. After this, in order to confirm the audience presented in Desk Research and investigate the pain that users feel in not finding the information they need about studying abroad, a Quantitative Questionnaire was carried out with 10 questions via Survey Monkey, aiming for a minimum sample of 44 answers. The research was disseminated basically via Social Networks. Finally, a Qualitative Interview was carried out along with a Moderated Usability Test on the current website with 4 users, to understand where they were looking about studying abroad, what their experiences were and how they see the Viva Mundo website.
Key Findings
Desk Research
Using Google Analytics it was possible to analyze some interesting data such as:
- The site has 93k monthly views
- 90% comes from organic search
- Average duration within the website is 38s
- On average it takes more than 14 seconds to load the page
- Users use their Android cell phone more via Chrome
- Brazil is the country with the most accesses, reaching 26%
- Ages between 18 and 34 years old
- Largest female audience with 60%
- The most accessed pages are about Toefl, IELTS, what is an MBA, master’s degree and doctorate
- 90% are new users on the site
- 80% of users leave the website on the same page they entered
Survey
The quantitative survey obtained 55 responses. In the questionnaire the main questions were: age group, why are you interested in studying abroad, what level of study are you looking for, countries of interest, what are your biggest doubts, where do you usually look for the subject, what device do you use and if they have heard of it? from Viva Mundo.
In general, respondents reported that their interest in studying abroad is related to improving their English, getting to know and experiencing another culture and wanting better job opportunities. Most of them use their cell phones for research, but the use of destop has become inferior.
Regarding the question of where they search on the subject, most of the time Google was mentioned, but other respondents commented that they currently use social networks such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook for this purpose. Others also mentioned it directly on the websites of exchange agencies and universities themselves. Possible competitors such as Partiu Intercâmbio, Estudar Fora and Edufind Me were also mentioned.
Identifying & prioritising pain points
However, analysing the results of all methodologies applied, it was possible to confirm the hypotheses that the current Viva Mundo website does not meet what its target audience needs. The site’s content is overwhelming, making it slow when browsing. The layout did not please the interviewees, who had difficulties and frustrations in the usability test. The ideal would be to create the Mobile First website as the results showed that it was the most used device. The website’s categories could be based on the subjects that users have the most questions about and the most searched countries. Furthermore, it is extremely important that the experience of other exchange students is reported as it is a highly requested factor.
Final Insights
• Language Barrier: Users struggle with language-related challenges, including navigating websites in English.
• Financial Concerns: Clear and transparent information about costs, scholarships, and financial aid is crucial.
• Cultural Adaptation: Students expressed concerns about cultural adaptation and sought resources for guidance.
• Streamlined Application Process: Users emphasized the need for a simplified and efficient application process
PERSONAS
Renata Oliveira
Renata is a very competent and studious young woman. She graduated from UFES (Federal University of Espírito Santo) and has a postgraduate degree in interior design. She works in an architecture studio in Vitória where she lives alone, her parents live in the countryside.
User Stories
When I look for an article about the costs of living abroad I would like to find estimated values so that I can organize myself financially.
SITE MAP
SKETCHES
I sketched multiple user flows to visualize ideas quickly. My focus at this stage was to diverge first, and converge later. Here are some early sketches of the homepage.
EARLY DESIGNS
A sneak peek into my early wireframes, mid-fidelity designs and drafts. The designs have went through at least 30 iterations per screen. It is due to several reasons: Change in business direction, a pandemic, shift in product roadmap or simply to improve the user experience.
usability test
To validate our designs or test prototypes, we did guerrilla testing with real users. Before the pandemic, we did this in-person. Now, our customer interviews are done remotely.
I’ve tested the prototype with 5 people in a controlled testing environment.
Requested the users the following tasks:
- Open the Viva-Mundo website and alook for information about studying in the country you would like
- Find the next webinar that interests you
- Sign up for the Newsletter to receive more news
brand & design system
FINAL DESIGN
Contact me! I’d love to chat about new opportunities or anything design related!