Unite Students (Web)
Unite Students (Web)
Overview
Overview
From August 2023 through to August 2024, I worked at Unite Students, as a User Experience (UX) Industrial Placement Student, working on multiple projects, leading discovery as well as supporting design for components used on both app and the website.
From August 2023 through to August 2024, I worked at Unite Students, as a User Experience (UX) Industrial Placement Student, working on multiple projects, leading discovery as well as supporting design for components used on both app and the website.
Approach
Approach
This project focuses on my time supporting the web team. The project I will focus on here is the proposal of a new Welcome Page. Here is a walk through of that proposal. This initiative aimed to give students a new view to the current welcome pages and inform them more of the accommodation they had booked.
This project focuses on my time supporting the web team. The project I will focus on here is the proposal of a new Welcome Page. Here is a walk through of that proposal. This initiative aimed to give students a new view to the current welcome pages and inform them more of the accommodation they had booked.
Challenges
Challenges
Challenges I faced whilst on this project were working along side a more senior designer, stakeholder management, creating a workshop for stakeholders and timeline management.
Challenges I faced whilst on this project were working along side a more senior designer, stakeholder management, creating a workshop for stakeholders and timeline management.
Outcome
Outcome
The outcome of this project was that I worked with an external senior designer to create an idea for the new welcome pages for students to use before moving into their new accommodation.
The outcome of this project was that I worked with an external senior designer to create an idea for the new welcome pages for students to use before moving into their new accommodation.
Initial division of work.
Initial division of work.
On this proposal, I worked along side a designer from our external resource, Apadmi. He was called Adam Jenkinson-Graham and is an amazing Senior Designer, with an abundance of knowledge.
Adam and I had agreed that we will divide work between logged in and logged out states. Adam taking logged in and I took logged out.
On this proposal, I worked along side a designer from our external resource, Apadmi. He was called Adam Jenkinson-Graham and is an amazing Senior Designer, with an abundance of knowledge.
Adam and I had agreed that we will divide work between logged in and logged out states. Adam taking logged in and I took logged out.
Researching the current page
Researching the current page
In the discovery phase, we looked into our current welcome page and what it contained. From this we decided to formulate a small workshop to have with the designated stakeholders.
We used Miro to create the workshop.
In the discovery phase, we looked into our current welcome page and what it contained. From this we decided to formulate a small workshop to have with the designated stakeholders.
We used Miro to create the workshop.
The workshop
The workshop
Within the workshop, myself and Adam had a teams call with the content manager, web product owner from both Unite and Apadmi side, the senior web UX designer from Unite and the UX design manager from Unite. The 7 of us spent a few hours, spread across a couple days, going through this workshop to decide what the desired deliverables were, focussing on what we wanted the students who were logged in to see and also the logged out states of each segment.
After a bit of a tidy up and some finessing, this was the final outcome from the workshop, each segment being its own block on the page. We split the board into the logged in/out states and started to wireframe.
Within the workshop, myself and Adam had a teams call with the content manager, web product owner from both Unite and Apadmi side, the senior web UX designer from Unite and the UX design manager from Unite. The 7 of us spent a few hours, spread across a couple days, going through this workshop to decide what the desired deliverables were, focussing on what we wanted the students who were logged in to see and also the logged out states of each segment.
After a bit of a tidy up and some finessing, this was the final outcome from the workshop, each segment being its own block on the page. We split the board into the logged in/out states and started to wireframe.
Wireframing and development
Wireframing and development
The wireframing approach taken here was that I would use greyscale web blocks to act as the content blocks, and then fill it in with other blocks to signify specific elements.
Here is a run through of the whole wireframed page.
The wireframing approach taken here was that I would use greyscale web blocks to act as the content blocks, and then fill it in with other blocks to signify specific elements.
Here is a run through of the whole wireframed page.
Hero space for the page, when logged out the user will see an image of the property, key property information such as address, and also a book check in slot CTA.
This space is used to promote the current Unite Students application.
A checklist section to make sure the user brings all they need to. This section was initially meant to be interactive on the page, but after discussions with stakeholders, this idea was put on pause.
This page allows the user to see an average rooms floor plan. when logged in, the user will be able to see their specific floor plan, giving the customer a chance to think about how they will design their room when they begin to move in.
The events block is used to promote the events going on in their building, showing past or current events, so that they know that Unite promote social gatherings and bring a sense of community.
A pre-made FAQ block, used on other pages to answer any generic questions the customer may have
A bespoke block, used to promote the property team, making sure that the customer gets to know the team that looks after them, as well as knowing who to go to incase of an emergency
A pre-made block, providing Unite Students contact details
A gallery, showing more of the property, but they would have seen these images during the booking stage. Which is why this block is at the bottom of the page.
Feedback from the wireframing
Feedback from the wireframing
After speaking with Adam and Unite Students senior UX manager, we came to the conclusion that this was well worked and ready to go onto high fidelity wireframing, creating the content blocks, ready to show the stakeholders what we had created.
After speaking with Adam and Unite Students senior UX manager, we came to the conclusion that this was well worked and ready to go onto high fidelity wireframing, creating the content blocks, ready to show the stakeholders what we had created.
Final outcome before showing the stakeholders
Final outcome before showing the stakeholders
Now that the wireframes have been passed through the ranks and agreed upon, Adam and I started working on the UI for the project. We would call regularly, discussing the UI we had designed and compared ideas.
I had visited the Apadmi offices, up in Manchester, and discussed this with Adam. From this we had a good understanding of each others visions and created this of the back of this meeting.
Now that the wireframes have been passed through the ranks and agreed upon, Adam and I started working on the UI for the project. We would call regularly, discussing the UI we had designed and compared ideas.
I had visited the Apadmi offices, up in Manchester, and discussed this with Adam. From this we had a good understanding of each others visions and created this of the back of this meeting.
Challenges I faced after designing the final UI
Challenges I faced after designing the final UI
After designing the UI, the idea for new welcome pages was placed on pause. Due to a quick approaching deadline, we had to axe this idea for now. Placing it into the archive to focus on the more important work that is now live on the Unite Students website.
I am unable to present any further UI for this project.
You can see the new UI additions by clicking this link.
After designing the UI, the idea for new welcome pages was placed on pause. Due to a quick approaching deadline, we had to put this idea on pausef. Placing it into the archive to focus on the more important work that is now live on the Unite Students website.
Unfortunately, I am unable to present any UI for this project.
You can see the new UI additions by clicking this link.
