We’ve reached the halfway point of the quarter, and students have already received an email for 2015 Fall Quarter Enrollment from the Office of the Registrar. For some, this email will just be sent to the trash. For others, this reminder starts the process in deciding what classes to take, whom to take them with, and commences the preparation to create the optimal class schedule. We’ve decided we want to make this process as manageable as possible.
From the past surveys and interviews, we’ve gathered enough data to narrow down what factors and difficulties are prominent in creating one’s four year plan. In last week’s session, we created an affinity diagram based on past interviews with students. First, we used sticky notes to list concerns students had when making their four-year plans. Then, we grouped these concerns into different themes. By doing this, we were able to see some recurrent trends for four year planning. Our team then thought of 4 design goals we wanted to achieve when making our prototypes:
- Flexible planning: allow students to make an adjustable plan so that they have the option of planning quarter-by-quarter and year-by-year. They should be able to easily change their plan.
- Requirements: inform students on major, minor, college, and school requirements, as well as class prerequisites.
- Course offerings: enable students to know what quarters courses are normally offered.
- Classes based on needs: give students the opportunity to find classes based on their ‘needs,’ whether these are based on class easiness, student interest, or when friends take a class.
We’ve come to the consensus that a computer-based application is optimal in assisting students in making a four-year plan; now we’re out to find the ideal model. Each member has created an elementary prototype based on the listed goals. Our next step is to test these prototypes on our colleagues. We each have different interpretations on how we can reach these design goals, and we thought it would be best to test each of our prototypes individually, reconvene, and discuss what did and did not work for each of our designs. Then, we’ll decide on one design and test again.
We’re really excited about this app, and each of us is looking forward to finding the most advantageous design. An added feature we thought of involves a rocket ship that counts down a student’s journey to reaching graduation. Once they’ve completed their four-year plan, the rocket would blastoff! But just as a rocket takes a great deal of planning, so does finding the perfect design. We have a long way to go.
