Jiani Huang

Acdemix focus on providing personalized course recommendations and search services for students. We help students find the most suitable courses for them. Getting input from other students and professors to provide the most valuable information to help students succeed in their academic journey.

Key Achievements

/ 1

Conducted interviews with over 100 University of Utah students to gather feedback on the registration system, identify demands for new features, and understand the most important features and critical issues in the current system.

/ 2

Designed the initial user interface for Acdemix, focusing on creating an intuitive and user-friendly experience. Collaborated closely with developers to ensure the successful delivery of the first edition, aligning the design with technical requirements.

/ 3

Collaborated closely with developers to ensure the successful delivery of the first edition, aligning the design with technical requirements. Collected feedback from test users, analyzed their input, and implemented multiple iterations to enhance usability and address user needs effectively.

Problem & Goals

Problem

Course Selection Uncertainty

Students face uncertainty in course selection, struggling to find classes that match their:

Academic needs and preferences
Personal lifestyle and schedule
Learning style and difficulty level

The current registration system is:

Disorganized and complex
Lacking accurate course descriptions
Missing student feedback integration
Time-consuming to navigate

Goals

Data-Driven Platform

Academix aims to create a comprehensive solution by:

Building an intelligent course matching system
Providing detailed course information
Integrating student feedback and experiences
Streamlining the registration process

Key objectives:

Enhance course selection accuracy
Improve student satisfaction
Reduce registration complexity
Create a supportive academic community

User Personas

Alex Zhang

Undergraduate Student, 20

I wish I had better insights about courses before registering. Past students' experiences would really help me make better choices.

Maya Patel

Senior Student, 22

As a senior, I want to share my course experiences to help other students make better choices.

Dr. Sarah Martinez

Professor, 45

I need to understand how my courses are perceived by students to improve the learning experience.

Competitors

University of Utah

💪 Strengths

Integrated with school system
Direct access to accurate information
Manual assistance available

🎯 Areas for Improvement

Disordered information format
No real-time feedback system
Complex navigation process

Coursicle

💪 Strengths

Simple, well-organized design
Efficient information access
User-friendly interface

🎯 Areas for Improvement

No evaluation features
Slow information updates
Limited functionality

Rate My Professors

💪 Strengths

Large review database
Real-time tracking
Extensive user feedback

🎯 Areas for Improvement

Outdated design
Limited to evaluations
Insufficient course info

Pain Points

User Interviews

Navigation & Feedback

The current layout presents challenges in navigating seamlessly between various components and features. For instance, when transitioning from the class page to the registration section, users encountered difficulties discerning whether the class registration and enrollment were successful.

Catalog Complexity

Users faced challenges in comprehending the various class catalogs, particularly finding it difficult to distinguish between different catalogs under General Education courses. The distinctions are intricate and not easily memorized.

Search Experience

Users frequently encounter challenges when searching for specific classes, especially when confronted with courses for which they haven't met the prerequisites. Exploring alternative algorithms is imperative.

Content Clarity

Users face difficulty discerning the specific reasons to register for a class, struggling to identify points of interest and comprehend the actual content. This echoes a recurring challenge from the old-school registration system.

What's Our Solutions

Layout

Enhanced Navigation

We've revamped the page layouts, implementing distinct indicators for various components. Notably, we've incorporated a condensed version of registered classes to enhance the clarity of the registration process.

Catalog

Simplified Organization

We've introduced explanations for different catalogs and supplemented them with example classes. We've strategically relocated catalog names to a less prominent position and emphasized graduation requirements for improved clarity.

Smart Filtering

We've enhanced user experience by defaulting to hide unqualified classes from search results. Additionally, we've introduced a ranking system that organizes classes based on both past interest and current grade.

Content

Rich Information

We've implemented a tag system showcasing keywords from student comments and featuring top-rated reviews. Additionally, we've enriched the course introduction with a concise overview and accessible syllabus.

Features

Recommendation

According to the data input by the user, we will customize their recommendation page based on their major, daily routine, and preferences, finding the most suitable courses for them, enable students growth more professional.

Searching

We have developed several features in the search function. Students can use filters to select courses based on their preferences. The searching system is also smart enough to recommend courses that are similar to the ones they are looking for.

User Profile

In the history section of the user profile page, students can add or edit the courses they have already taken. This allows them to better track their registered courses and receive more explicit course recommendations.

User Feedback

We have implemented a feedback system that allows students to provide feedback on the courses they have taken. This feedback is used to improve the course recommendation system and make it more accurate.

How will the Academix benefits student?

Integrate the degree audit with the course selection function, allowing students to view their entire degree audit while selecting courses. This reduces unnecessary web page navigation for students when fulfilling their course selection requirements.

Provide students with the ability to evaluate courses and incorporate a feature allowing them to access historical student evaluations. This assists students in obtaining additional information beyond the brief course outlines provided by the school.

What risks do we face?

With a substantial user base, there's no necessity for supplementary advertising efforts. This ensures the delivery of more precise and immediate information.

Integrated directly with the school system, students can use their student accounts directly for course enrollment. If the course enrollment and evaluation features are further improved, students are highly likely to refrain from using third-party software.