Internship . University of York . 2022-23

Improving Skills Guides with the University of York

Internship . University of York . 2022-23

Improving Skills Guides with the University of York

Internship . University of York . 2022-23

Improving Skills Guides with the University of York

Overview

Overview

Overview

This project outlines a 6 week internship with the J B Morrell Library at the University of York to identify the usability and reach of the university's skills guides amongst students.

Survey and focus group data revealed that the digital product faced various challenges including outdated interfaces, inconsistencies and a lack of cohesion.

Our findings were summarised and presented as actionable items.

Roles & Responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities

Experiment Design. UX Research. Data Analysis.

Skills Guides?
What are they?

They are resources created by universities where you will find videos, interactive tutorials, workbooks and links to specific help for developing digital, information searching, and academic skills. These guides also include practical activities and advice to help people develop habits of effective, independent study.

Problem Statement

The ask was to improve student recruitment and retention by assessing the university's Skills Guides for usability, reach and effectiveness.


Our challenge was to discover how the reach of the learning services were structured and communicated clearly to be easily accessible to everyone.

Approach

Approach

🔍 Research

To begin, we went through previous studies done at the university and analysed skills guides across similar universities.


💬 Data Collection

Data was collected through a Google survey for students, a separate survey mailed to teaching staff, Instagram polls from the university's library page and by running a Focus group with a group usability test.


📊 Data Analysis and Presentation

Examining the data gave us solutions which we summarised and presented to the team at the Library.


Competitive Analysis

Conducted to study how other Russell Group universities showcased their skills guides. Colour schemes, layouts and hierarchy were assessed as well the ease of searching for information.

Skills Guides?
What are they?

They are resources created by universities where you will find videos, interactive tutorials, workbooks and links to specific help for developing digital, information searching, and academic skills. These guides also include practical activities and advice to help people develop habits of effective, independent study.

Problem Statement

The ask was to improve student recruitment and retention by assessing the university's Skills Guides for usability, reach and effectiveness.


Our challenge was to discover how the reach of the learning services were structured and communicated clearly to be easily accessible to everyone.

Approach

🔍 Research

To begin, we went through previous studies done at the university and analysed skills guides across similar universities.


💬 Data Collection

Data was collected through a Google survey for students, a separate survey mailed to teaching staff, Instagram polls from the university's library page and by running a Focus group with a group usability test.


📊 Data Analysis and Presentation

Examining the data gave us solutions which we summarised and presented to the team at the Library.

Conducted to study how other Russell Group universities showcased their skills guides. Colour schemes, layouts and hierarchy were assessed as well the ease of searching for information.

Competitive Analysis

Users & Audience

We collected data from two main user groups.

🎓 Students

Undergraduates and taught postgraduate students from various disciplines and departments.

📚 Faculty

Teaching staff from various departments across the university.

Data Analysis

The key findings have been summarised below.

🎓 Frequency of use amongst Students

  • 22% never use Skills Guides

  • 44.4% use around assignment

📊 Use case

Although most respondents had heard of the skills guides, fewer than half of all respondents on the instagram polls used the skills guides.

💻 TMI

Both students and staff agreed that there was too much information on pages which could make the skills guides overwhelming for students.

Limitations

  • Feedback largely missing from undergraduates.

  • Most of the survey respondents were recruited from the library and were likely to have been acquainted with the Skills Guide.

  • The timing of the study wasn't ideal as the internship took place during summer break

Limitations

  • Feedback largely missing from undergraduates.

  • Most of the survey respondents were recruited from the library and were likely to have been acquainted with the Skills Guide.

  • The timing of the study wasn't ideal as the internship took place during summer break

Going Forward

🎯 Short Term

Suggestions were made towards making the search bar prominent, fixing minor errors and technical issues.

🎯 Medium

Offering training to staff on the skills guides

  • Further market the skills guides to students and encourage integration into teaching 

🎯 Long Term Suggestions

Look at improving the visual layout of the skills guides

  • Modernising

  • Improving the visual balance

  • Creating more consistency

  • Look at creating new resources to fill any current gaps

Learning

During my internship, I enhanced my expertise in UX research by carrying out a project from start to finish. I realised my eagerness to take on new challenges.

The focus group was particularly valuable both as a learning experience and as a chance to moderate discussions.

Going Forward

🎯 Short Term

Suggestions were made towards making the search bar prominent, fixing minor errors and technical issues.

🎯 Medium

Offering training to staff on the skills guides

  • Further market the skills guides to students and encourage integration into teaching 

🎯 Long Term Suggestions

Look at improving the visual layout of the skills guides

  • Modernising

  • Improving the visual balance

  • Creating more consistency

  • Look at creating new resources to fill any current gaps

Learning

During my internship, I enhanced my expertise in UX research by carrying out a project from start to finish. I realised my eagerness to take on new challenges.

The focus group was particularly valuable both as a learning experience and as a chance to moderate discussions.

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© Sharon Jacob 2024