User-Centered/User Experience Uc/Ux Design Thinking Approach for Designing a University Information Management System

Abstract

University Management Information Systems (UMIS) are a very essential part of a school’s ecosystem. Trying to build a functional UMIS is no longer a serious issue, these days as students interact with this system to perform tasks such as course registration, school fee payment, etc., the ease at which they do these activities is extremely important, any error or confusing experience they come in contact with can make the process dreadful for these users and demotivate them. This study would be centered on designing the User Interface (UI) and improving the UX of University Management Information Systems for web-based interfaces. User-Centered Design processes and system design thinking methodology were employed to solve the problem. Questionnaires were used to obtain the users' pain points as it relates to the existing UMIS in their schools, the responses were analyzed to understand the users’ pain and issues they face with their current UMIS and then decipher the right features to create a more usable interface. User personas and wireframes were used to make sense of the data obtained from user research. Figma, a visual design and prototyping tool was used for the prototype and interface design. The newly created interfaces were subjected to user testing using a platform called Maze. Users were able to interact with the platform and then answer certain questions as it relates to the developed system. Test data was used to measure usability parameters such as efficiency, effectiveness, learnability, ease of use and simplicity. From the testing phase, the developed system has a System Usability Score (SUS) of 87, it shows that users enjoyed using the system and could navigate through a platform they are interacting with for the first time, with little to no help. it was discovered that users prefer a simpler, responsive, and more interactive interface. Also, users were able to successfully complete tasks even though it is an interface they had never interacted with before. This study would address the usability issues students face while interacting with the UMIS platform provided for them by their institutions and also proposed a responsive and user-centered design which if implemented would improve students engagement on the platform and also reduce the constant problems that may arise from using the UMIS platform.