COM621 Solent Alumni Programme System: UX Strategy Analysis and Prototype

Coursework Assessment Submission

Module Name: UX Strategy

Module Code: COM621

Module Leader: Dr Anthony Basiel

Assessment Submission Date:

Student Number:

UX Strategy

Contents

Part 1 Introduction to System (1K words) 2

1.0 Introduction. 2

1.1 Current SUAA UX Design and Business Model 2

1.2 Academic and Market Research. 3

1.3 Analysis. 3

1.4 Summary. 3

2.0 Essay 2 (1K words) 3

2.1 User research. 3

2.2 User Journey. 3

2.3 Summary. 3

Add web link to (max 5 min) video of User Journey analysis. 3

3.0 Essay 3 (1K words) 3

3.1 Prototype - Add web link to prototype sample. 3

3.2 Usability Testing. 3

3.3 Summary. 3

4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations. 3

5.0 References. 3

Assessment Appendix. 5

Learning Outcomes: Self-Assessment (LOs mapped for each of the 3 sections. Evidence all 5 are addressed.) 10

Ethics Policy. 11

Part 1 Introduction to System (1K words)

1.0 Introduction

[ Add LO Number(s) for each section they are addressed ]
What is the context?

Who are the users?

What is the system?

What is the problem?

Why is it important?

Who should benefit from it?

What impact does technology have on that context?

What is the feature list comparison of existing systems?

1.1 Current SUAA UX Design and Business Model

[ Add ]

1.2 Academic and Market Research

[ Add ]

1.3 Analysis

[ Add ]

1.4 Summary

[ Add ]

2.0 Essay 2 (1K words)

2.1 User research

2.2 User Journey

2.3 Summary

Add web link to (max 5 min) video of User Journey analysis.

3.0 Essay 3 (1K words)

3.1 Prototype - Add web link to prototype sample.

3.2 Usability Testing

3.3 Summary

4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations

5.0 References

Assessment Appendix

Assessment Details

Assessment Task

DESIGN BRIEF AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

This project aims to research and analyse the UX Strategy for the Solent University Alumni Association (SUAA). A project Gantt chart will be needed to produce a work plan for the 3 K word final report. Weekly progress will be shared in each class session and online. Students will do a case study analysis of the Solent University Alumni Association current website https://www.solent.ac.uk/alumni and related services / resources. The main university contacts are Mike Toy (SUAA manager) and Mark Humphrys (Marketing Manager). Please coordinate your communication with these staff members so we dont send too many individual emails. Their support time is limited as our clients.

This is a summary of the overall assessment tasks:

1. A market research study will be done with at least 1 other university similar to SU.

1. Conduct a review of the Solent University mission, vision, value etc.

statements in light of corporate social responsibility to identify any gaps.

2. Critically compare this to at least 1 comparable UK university.

2. Critically compare this website to at least 1 other UK university alumni

website. NOTE: figures and tables can be put in the report appendix to save

on word count.

2. Review the SUAA website (https://www.solent.ac.uk/alumni ) for UX strategy

including the services and resources offered.

3. The data collected and analysed will help inform some recommended changes to

the resources e.g. UX designs.

4. All ethical guidelines for research and NDA (non-disclosure agreements) or data

protection policies will be followed. e.g. consent forms for current Computing

students will be used to get primary data on the current website and resources,

compared to the student's recommendations.

5. COM621 students will compile short interview questions for Mike and Mark as part of the business and website review process to submit as a group (not individuals).

5. Any surveys or interviews will done with current students (prospective alumni), not

with SO graduates due to data privacy regulations.

7. A 3K word summary report will be provided based on last year's assessment to

provide consistency as detailed below.

NB: Recommendations will not be implemented. A summary presentation video will

be made from student submissions.

The project will be broken into four distinctive parts, which are explained below.

The project will be broken into four distinctive parts, which are explained below.

Part 1 Introduction to System

Deliverable 1000 Words

Part 1 will be the assimilation of relevant information about the functionality of the system and requirements for the interface based on the type of user and frequency of use and clearly defined business goals. This section aims at what stockholders/shareholders want? An introduction should be provided to introduce your team idea, what solution it solves using context analysis or based on gain and pain model.

Introduction should provide answers to the following questions:

What is the context?

Who are the users?

What is the system?

What is the problem?

Why is it important?

Who should benefit from it?

What impact does technology have on that context?

What is the feature list comparison of existing systems?

Part 2 User Research Analysis

Deliverable 1000 Words

In UX, it is important to understand who the users are and what are their needs. In order to do that you should utilise a variety of UX methods, minimum required:

• Contextual Interviews- Enable you to observe users in their natural environment, giving you a better understanding of the way users work.

• Surveys- A series of questions asked to multiple users of your idea.

You should produce a valid list of user groups (Demographics, Geographic, Psychographic and behavioural) attributes table. You must also produce a list of user needs in a form of a table.

Part 3 User Journey

Deliverable Poster /Video

At this point, as per part 1 and part 2, you should have two essential UX outcomes available, User Research findings in a form user needs and objectives and a clearly defined business goal. In this section, you are required to produce a fully detailed user journey including all the following elements

• User Persona (Minimum 2 persona representing two typical user groups)

• User Scenario (Minimum 2)

• User Goals

• Flow of Tasks/Information/Screens/IXDs/Contents/Information Architecture

• Empathy Mapping

• Usability Metrics

Part 4 Prototype

Deliverable prototype

Part 4 will be the production of a prototype. You are required to produce the prototype interface using an appropriate prototyping tool. Each team member is responsible for ensuring that their design area is prototyped. Populate your interface prototype with example data sufficient to demonstrate the prototypes functionality.

• https://gomockingbird.com/home.htm

• https://www.fluidui.com/

• http://www.foreui.com/

• https://www.uxpin.com/

• http://www.hotgloo.com/

• https://moqups.com/

• http://www.justinmind.com/

You will be required to demonstrate your software prototype in your normal Tutorial, times to be advised during class by the unit tutor. Please make sure that your prototype is accessible online. Make sure that when you chose the prototyping tool to consider whether it could be exported and extracted for SOL submission. Alternatively, a web link of the prototype needs to be valid for at least 90 days.

Part 5 Usability Testing

Deliverable 1000 Words

Part five will be the usability testing. As part of your interface implementation process, you will have to test your interface. Your will be responsible for what UX or Usability testing you carrying out, and accordingly, design the test and have it approved by your tutor. You should recruit participants to test the project, with predefined demographical criteria, you will be responsible to bring them to the lab and test your interface. Data analysis of this part should inform the final design, and this should be documented in 1000 words report supported with heat maps and gaze plots.

Usability testing metrics:

• Layout: Inability to detect something users need to find; Aesthetic problems; Unnecessary Information.

• Terminology: Unable to understand the terminology.

• Feedback: User does not receive relevant feedback or it is inconsistent with what the user expects.

• Comprehension: Inability to understand the instructions given to users on the site.

• Data Entry: Problems with entering information.

• Navigation: Problems with finding users way around the test site/system/software.

Assessment criteria

Learning Outcomes: Self-Assessment

(LOs mapped for each of the 3 sections. Evidence all 5 are addressed.)

What you will be able to do after the module: Use the key words of the LOs.

Ethics Policy

The work being carried out by students must be in compliance with the Ethics Policy. Where there is an ethical issue, as specified within the Ethics Policy, then students will need an ethics release or an ethical approval prior to the start of the project.

• The Ethics Policy is contained within Section 2S of the Academic Handbook:

https://staff.solent.ac.uk/official-documents/quality-management/academic-handbook/2s-solent-university-ethics-policy.pdf

• The British Education Research Association (BERA) research guidelines are useful for your surveys and interviews.

• For commercial research, you may want to use a free online NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) such as: https://legaltemplates.net/form/non-disclosure-agreement/

I have read and applied the appropriate ethics guidelines for this assessment.