Currently, Laurier students must navigate through 72 hyperlinks, 20 dropdowns, and 36 forms on the Laurier Petitions page when attempting to submit their petition.
This information overload caused confusion for students surrounding the submission process and a risk of submissions lacking the required documentation.
My role
UX Researcher — Conducted a Competitive Analysis, Usability testing and Moderated User Interviews.
UX Designer — Translated research findings into working high fidelity prototypes.
Background
Background
Background
Background
This project would aim to streamline the process (for those who should be petitioning) to make it more intuitive and easier to navigate- while upholding the importance of academic integrity and equity. The project would also aim to streamline the process for those who should not be petitioning.
Information is overwhelming, making it hard to identify the proper form to submit a valid petition.
Hyperlinks
72+
Dropdowns
Dropdowns
Dropdowns
20+
20+
20+
Forms
40+
Days wait time
42
With all that in mind, we landed on a well defined statement.
With all that in mind, we landed on a well defined statement.
With all that in mind, we landed on a well defined statement.
With all that in mind, we landed on a well defined statement.
How might we
How might we
Improve the petitions and appeals process to simplify requests, enhance understanding, and ensure transparent status tracking.
Improve the petitions and appeals process to simplify requests, enhance understanding, and ensure transparent status tracking.
Current problems
Current problems
Current problems
Current problems
Many students find the academic petitions and appeals process complicated, unclear, and stressful.
Image
Current Petitions and Appeals website
😵💫
Students may not know where to go or where to start when filing an academic petition.
🤔
Students have to wait for up to 6 weeks before hearing back from Laurier regarding their submission.
😰
Students risk submitting petitions without all the appropriate info. (resulting in a tossed form).
Solution
Solution
Solution
Solution
Solution
A fully built & working prototype, designed within our client’s existing systems, that is 100% technically feasible at no additional cost and guarantees better results for student petition submissions.
A fully built & working prototype, designed within our client’s existing systems, that is 100% technically feasible at no additional cost and guarantees better results for student petition submissions.
Step-by-Step Page Information architecture Re-structure for Better Navigation.
Added a step by step process to give better guidance on the page
Implemented a Find my petition action for Smart Form Selection
Added the same context from our smart form questionnaire to the drop downs to reduce confusion on new terms.
Added a step by step process to give better guidance on the page
Implemented a Find my petition action for Smart Form Selection
Added the same context from our smart form questionnaire to the drop downs to reduce confusion on new terms.
Added a step by step process to give better guidance on the page
Implemented a Find my petition action for Smart Form Selection
Added the same context from our smart form questionnaire to the drop downs to reduce confusion on new terms.
Added a step by step process to give better guidance on the page
Implemented a Find my petition action for Smart Form Selection
Added the same context from our smart form questionnaire to the drop downs to reduce confusion on new terms.
Short Survey for Smart Form Selection
The survey guides students to the correct petition form based on their unique situation.
Reduces the likelihood of form selection errors and misdirected submissions.
The survey guides students to the correct petition form based on their unique situation.
Reduces the likelihood of form selection errors and misdirected submissions.
An improved email response to petition submissions with automated email status tracking
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
Conducted a competitive analysis so I can understand any best practices processes that may differ from Laurier’s petitions process.
Conducted a competitive analysis so I can understand any best practices processes that may differ from Laurier’s petitions process.
Competitors
University of Waterloo Brock University York University University of Toronto Western University Ontario Tech University University of British Columbia University of Regina Athabasca University University of California, Berkeley Harvard University Penn State University Northwestern University Court of Appeal for Ontario Parliament Canada: House of Commons Petitions RBC Complaints
University of Waterloo Brock University York University University of Toronto Western University Ontario Tech University University of British Columbia University of Regina Athabasca University University of California, Berkeley Harvard University Penn State University Northwestern University Court of Appeal for Ontario Parliament Canada: House of Commons Petitions RBC Complaints
The analysis examined how top universities and organizations implement their solutions, allowing us to identify successful strategies and adapt them to create an improved system for our university.
Key findings
Key findings
Competitors had Implementation of status trackers to ease users minds
Petition pages in other schools were not action orientated and more information thrown at their users.
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery
The client identified four key assumptions to be tested through research
The client identified four key assumptions to be tested through research
Themes uncovered
Collapse
Confusing Form Navigation
Many assumed they needed to send forms to their faculty, leading to confusion and missteps.
Zero Clarity & Assurance
Overloaded pages and unclear instructions left users uncertain about their actions.
Prolonged Wait Time
The six-week wait for petition decisions caused frustration for users who needed timely responses.
Time Consuming Completion Time
The overall process from finding the petition to submitting it was time- consuming, with users reporting that locating the petition alone could take hours.
Themes uncovered
Collapse
Confusing Form Navigation
Many assumed they needed to send forms to their faculty, leading to confusion and missteps.
Zero Clarity & Assurance
Overloaded pages and unclear instructions left users uncertain about their actions.
Prolonged Wait Time
The six-week wait for petition decisions caused frustration for users who needed timely responses.
Time Consuming Completion Time
The overall process from finding the petition to submitting it was time- consuming, with users reporting that locating the petition alone could take hours.
Themes uncovered
Collapse
Confusing Form Navigation
Many assumed they needed to send forms to their faculty, leading to confusion and missteps.
Zero Clarity & Assurance
Overloaded pages and unclear instructions left users uncertain about their actions.
Prolonged Wait Time
The six-week wait for petition decisions caused frustration for users who needed timely responses.
Time Consuming Completion Time
The overall process from finding the petition to submitting it was time- consuming, with users reporting that locating the petition alone could take hours.
Themes uncovered
Collapse
Confusing Form Navigation
Many assumed they needed to send forms to their faculty, leading to confusion and missteps.
Zero Clarity & Assurance
Overloaded pages and unclear instructions left users uncertain about their actions.
Prolonged Wait Time
The six-week wait for petition decisions caused frustration for users who needed timely responses.
Time Consuming Completion Time
The overall process from finding the petition to submitting it was time- consuming, with users reporting that locating the petition alone could take hours.
Themes uncovered
Collapse
Confusing Form Navigation
Many assumed they needed to send forms to their faculty, leading to confusion and missteps.
Zero Clarity & Assurance
Overloaded pages and unclear instructions left users uncertain about their actions.
Prolonged Wait Time
The six-week wait for petition decisions caused frustration for users who needed timely responses.
Time Consuming Completion Time
The overall process from finding the petition to submitting it was time- consuming, with users reporting that locating the petition alone could take hours.
Study Findings
Study Findings
Study Findings
Study Findings
Study Findings
Conducted a two-pronged research study by speaking to both students who had submitted a petition and those who had never submitted one
This approach allowed us to capture live user pain points and gain deep insights into the cognitive process of first-time users while identifying systemic issues faced by those familiar with the process.
This approach allowed us to capture live user pain points and gain deep insights into the cognitive process of first-time users while identifying systemic issues faced by those familiar with the process.
Usability Tests - with students who had never submitted a petition
Rate of success of current site
Participants
11
Tasks failed
32
Tasks passed
6
12
Key Findings
Key Findings
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
How to file a petition” is pretty misleading, because I would expect that to take me to a petition and after reading this I still don't know how to do it.
Severe Task Failures
High failure rates across all tasks, with users struggling to navigate and locate the correct petition form.
Dropdown menus and form labels were unclear, leading to misclick errors and incomplete submissions.
Severe Task Failures
High failure rates across all tasks, with users struggling to navigate and locate the correct petition form.
Dropdown menus and form labels were unclear, leading to misclick errors and incomplete submissions.
Severe Task Failures
High failure rates across all tasks, with users struggling to navigate and locate the correct petition form.
Dropdown menus and form labels were unclear, leading to misclick errors and incomplete submissions.
Severe Task Failures
High failure rates across all tasks, with users struggling to navigate and locate the correct petition form.
Dropdown menus and form labels were unclear, leading to misclick errors and incomplete submissions.
B. User Interviews - with students who had submitted a petition in the past
Key Findings
Key Findings
Form Navigation Issues
Many students struggled to find the correct petition form, often selecting the wrong option due to unclear labels and vague descriptions.
Users expected a centralized petition system rather than navigating multiple pages.
Lack of Transparency & Long Wait Times
Users were frustrated by the six-week wait period and expressed a lack of communication after submission.
Many students wanted real-time status updates on their petitions but had no way of tracking progress.
Perceived Success vs. Actual Success
Some users believed they had submitted petitions correctly, only to later realize they had made errors.
Confusion over where to submit petitions (home faculty vs. faculty of the course) led to delays and misrouted petitions.
Form Navigation Issues
Many students struggled to find the correct petition form, often selecting the wrong option due to unclear labels and vague descriptions.
Users expected a centralized petition system rather than navigating multiple pages.
Lack of Transparency & Long Wait Times
Users were frustrated by the six-week wait period and expressed a lack of communication after submission.
Many students wanted real-time status updates on their petitions but had no way of tracking progress.
Perceived Success vs. Actual Success
Some users believed they had submitted petitions correctly, only to later realize they had made errors.
Confusion over where to submit petitions (home faculty vs. faculty of the course) led to delays and misrouted petitions.
Summary
Quantitative and qualitative data showed high user failure rates, with themes of confusion, poor information architecture, and lack of communication which led all users to feel frustration at least once.
