iSchool Alumni Website
Hackathon project to redesign the UMD School of Information’s Alumni Network Webpage. Goals included making the website more engaging, accessible, and personalized.
Team: Aishwarya Shettigar, Sarah Flores, Boma Tende, Dongyeon Seo
Awards: Makeathon 2021, 1st Place
Overview
Prompt: Redesign the iSchool Alumni Network webpage to increase interest and alumni membership after students graduate.
Core Issues with Current Website
Heuristic Evaluation: Why Is the Current Site Failing?
Weak Call to Action
Lack of visual appeal and too text-heavy
Useful information is located at the bottom (eg. “Reasons to Join”)
Overall website structure is disorganized
Interviews with iSchool Alumni & Students
I conducted very short, informal interviews (~15 minutes) with 2 recent graduates and 1 current student to determine their perspective on the alumni website. These helped determine the foundational wants/needs of the website’s primary audience.
“If I am in a rush, I want to see what the site is about. The website is too wordy and I don’t want to read all of the text.”
— Recent Graduate
“I want to connect with other alumni. I’m looking for networking opportunities as I search for full-time employment.”
— Recent Graduate
“‘Stay Fearless’ doesn’t mean too much to me. I would like to see clear explanations on what the membership offers.”
— Current Student
Identifying Audiences
Recent Graduates
These students benefit most from joining the Alumni Network, and are the target audience of the website.
5+ Year Graduates
A secondary audience to consider because these alumni can potentially donate or come back to teach.
Current & Prospective Students
Already likely to be browsing the site and will be incentivized to attend if the webpage is inspiring and engaging.
Initial Sketches
Each team member sketched out features for the website, inspired by our interviewee desires and features used by other universities’ alumni pages. I created the Interactive Map, Alumni Spotlights, and Web Hero features.
Lo-fi Prototype
Virtual Post-It Note Activity that uses the Initial Sketches to experiment with section placement. Digital version of a paper prototype created in Figma.
Hi-Fi Prototypes
In our final designs, I created the main webpage that serves as a central hub for all alumni-related information. Additionally, each team member created 3 linked sites to highlight alumni achievements, how to get involved, and how to attend events.
Linked Webpages
Stay Connected & Class Notes
Alumni Association
Alumni Spotlights
Project Takeaways
What We Learned
Prioritize the audience’s needs
Understanding the layout and structure for usability
Creating strong yet simple visual appeal
Different ways to work as a team
Future Methods and Features to Implement
Alternative text for all images to aid accessibility
Responsive Design for access on mobile/tablet devices
User Testing to determine if the site is accessible, enjoyable, and effective at incentivizing alumni to join the Alumni Network