Research and Idea Development
After initial brainstorming and working collaboratively to divide research tasks. I composed and issued a survey to students to understand how they access DUSA's support services and their awareness of the advice on offer. Questions were also supplied to two interviewees who investigated how current DUSA staff members feel about the support they are able to provide. Overall, the research was analysed through interview transcription and SWAT analysis of DUSA to indicated areas needing improvement:
• DUSA's short staffed
• Not equipped to handle the high demand for support.
• Always offer external support and follow up to make sure students are satisfied with support.
• DUSA want more promotional advertising of the support on offer, ensuring it’s more accessible and known to students.
• Not equipped to handle the high demand for support.
• Always offer external support and follow up to make sure students are satisfied with support.
• DUSA want more promotional advertising of the support on offer, ensuring it’s more accessible and known to students.
• The majority of students didn‘t know DUSA had a webpage dedicated to student well being.
• 88% have not used DUSA’s website to access support services.
• None of the students surveyed were aware of recent initiatives including the introduction of a 'Snug' calm space.
• 70% of students felt DUSA should have better advertising of their services through Instagram and Campus Posters.
• The majority of students feel as though a digital app would provide better access to support.
• 88% have not used DUSA’s website to access support services.
• None of the students surveyed were aware of recent initiatives including the introduction of a 'Snug' calm space.
• 70% of students felt DUSA should have better advertising of their services through Instagram and Campus Posters.
• The majority of students feel as though a digital app would provide better access to support.
Led a collaborative workshop with peers to devise the app structure and main components which would provide easy access to support for students.
Key App Frames
Initial app ideas and features included:
• Live chat
• Help Board
• Mood Tracker
• "My Goals"- set personal targets and DUSA will provide suitable advice.
• List of societies and links to their social media to help meet new people.
• Events at DUSA, ability to see if others are interested in the same events and buy tickets in the app.
• Help Board
• Mood Tracker
• "My Goals"- set personal targets and DUSA will provide suitable advice.
• List of societies and links to their social media to help meet new people.
• Events at DUSA, ability to see if others are interested in the same events and buy tickets in the app.
This would drive traffic to DUSA run societies and events increasing their revenue. It would also art as a one-stop hub for all students to be directed to necessary support.
Benefits to the app include:
• Reduced time and strain put on staff to provide support to a large number of students.
• Improved student wellbeing across local Universities, reach and support more students.
• Create a more welcoming environment for students to access support, less intimidating to approach due to anonymous service.
• DUSA can promote their own events and sell tickets through the app.
• DUSA can create revenue by advertising local businesses and events through the app.
• The app is a more straightforward way of accessing wellbeing events such as advice sessions, focus groups and online wellbeing workshops. This will reduce strain on staff due to overwhelming numbers of students requiring information.
• Reduced time and strain put on staff to provide support to a large number of students.
• Improved student wellbeing across local Universities, reach and support more students.
• Create a more welcoming environment for students to access support, less intimidating to approach due to anonymous service.
• DUSA can promote their own events and sell tickets through the app.
• DUSA can create revenue by advertising local businesses and events through the app.
• The app is a more straightforward way of accessing wellbeing events such as advice sessions, focus groups and online wellbeing workshops. This will reduce strain on staff due to overwhelming numbers of students requiring information.
Video Walk Through & Advertising
Personas & User Journey Map
Three personas were created to highlight the insights identified during our research and to illustrate the pain points student's often encounter when looking for support at University.
The centre persona, Declan was taken forward and an outline of his potential experience of downloading the app and attending a DUSA wellbeing event advertised on it was documented through a user journey map visualising the positive outcomes that may arise due to improved access to support.
Business Model Canvas
The business model canvas above highlights the improvements the app could have on DUSA as a business, despite initial investment, the app could utilise student skills during further development and the project could be run alongside the Universities of Dundee or Abertay as a live coursework brief. The potential benefits emphasise the need for improved access to support to ease staff stress, demand on services and to help more students long term.