PRATT
Connect
PRATT
At Pratt Institute, the School of Information community is diverse and from various walks of
life. For graduate students, the primary focus is to build progressive connections for academic
and career development. In the age of information overload, it is important to streamline the
networks, build meaningful connections, and in turn facilitate the Pratt cohort. PRATT CONNECT
is focused on enhancing communication opportunities and building a cohesive networking platform
for students and alumni. PRATT CONNECT aims to simplify access to networking resources and
promote high engagement in academic and professional development.
Dec, 2023
Figma, Optimal Workshop, Canva, Miro, Milanote
We conducted semi-structured interviews to gain insights about the current networking systems at Pratt, including Pratt Handshake, email listservs, Corq, and Pratt Eangage, with a focus on peer connect, intradepartmental connect and vertical connect across the graduate classes. We concluded the problem space as below ⤵
Enhance communication opportunities
Promote high engagement in academic and professional development
Simplify access to networking resources
After conducting in-depth interviews, we gained valuable insights into the shortcomings of existing Pratt platforms. These insights highlighted the need for a more comprehensive solution that could address the diverse needs of different user base. As a result, we made the strategic decision to build Pratt Connect, a unified platform that consolidates all essential functions into a single, user-friendly interface.
By integrating features such as event listings, networking opportunities, and academic resources, Pratt Connect streamlines access to important resources and facilitates seamless communication within the Pratt community. Our approach involved meticulous attention to detail at every stage of development, from conceptualization to prototyping. We continuously refined and optimized features to enhance usability and effectiveness, ensuring that Pratt Connect meets the diverse needs of our users and provides a valuable resource for fostering connections and supporting academic and professional growth.
The initial step was to conduct comprehensive user persona research for students, alumni, and staff members. This process entailed meticulously crafting detailed profiles to capture their preferences, pain points, and aspirations. Additionally, we utilized journey mapping techniques to visualize the entire user experience journey, from their initial interaction with the platform to the accomplishment of their goals.
In the specification of requirements phase, we relied on a combination of user-centered design principles and heuristic evaluations. Through the previous user interviews and stakeholder interviews, we identified User Requirements, Usability Requirements, User Experience Requirements, and User Interface Requirements.
After conducting thorough card sorting exercises and tree testing, we proceeded with developing the information architecture for the platform, using Optimal Workshop. Card sorting enabled us to gather valuable insights into how users categorize and prioritize information intuitively. We analyzed the results meticulously, identifying common patterns and preferences among users. Subsequently, tree testing was employed to validate and refine the proposed information structure.
In particular, our attention was directed towards optimizing the 'discussion', 'event', and 'people' sections of the platform. These areas play pivotal roles in fostering engagement, knowledge sharing, and networking among users. By prioritizing these features in our wireframes and prototypes, we aimed to ensure intuitive navigation, clear information presentation, and seamless interaction for users across all devices. Through iterative testing and refinement, we fine-tuned these sections to deliver an enhanced user experience that encourages active participation and meaningful connections within the community
Finally, we developed develop task-based high-fidelity digital prototypes to present our design and gather feedback. We iterate and refine the design based on the previous test results and our group meetings.
I faced challenges during the final presentation in differentiating the design report from the presentation slides. I recognize the need for improvement, and our team gained valuable feedback through the actual presentations to the class.
Tree testing was also a hard part as I wasn't familiar with the concept initially, but with class readings and tutorials on Optimal Workshop, I successfully conducted the testing.
'Users: Personas and Goals’ by Alan Cooper is invaluable in highlighting the importance of personas, covering methodology, and their impact on design decisions. Applying them, I conducted thorough user interviews, improving my understanding of our user need.
I learned a lot about Figma during this course through practical exercises in building the product. The Figma workshop was particularly helpful in solidifying my understanding, and in teamwork, we helped with each other when facing Figma issues.
I learned about low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, recognizing their importance in iterative design and ensuring an effective development process.