Key Insights:
1.
Comprehensive Understanding
Students need a clear grasp of the advisory process, including detailed support for application preparation and access to thorough consultant information.
2.
Personalized Mentorship
Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable advisors are crucial. Transitioning to a C2C model with overseas student advisors can address this need.
3.
Efficient Service Flow
Users benefit from structured service processes, the ability to submit basic information in advance, and clear, timely guidance.
4.
Simplified Web Design
There's a need for intuitive and scientifically structured web information to enhance user experience.
5.
Financial Flexibility
Offering installment payment options can alleviate financial concerns and reduce the fear of application failure.
Transforming Study Abroad Guidance
Meet-ion C2C Study Abroad Mentorship Platform
Meet-ion C2C Study Abroad Mentorship Platform
Meet-ion C2C Study Abroad Mentorship Platform revolutionizes the traditional B2C model by connecting prospective study abroad applicants with current overseas students as mentors. This C2C model ensures personalized guidance and practical insights from those who have firsthand experience in navigating the study abroad process.
My Role
Product Designer
Project
Course Project
Duration
Spring 2017
3 weeks
Tools Used
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Sketch
Overview
Prompt
The idea for Meet-ion came from a pressing need identified through extensive research. While 84.85% of students seeking to study abroad opt for agencies to help with their applications, only 9.09% report satisfaction with these services. This gap highlighted significant pain points in the existing B2C consultancy model, where advisors often lack a personal understanding of the student's needs and concerns.
Design process
The Research Journey
Research Goals
Identify pain points in existing advisory services.
Understand the needs and preferences of current study abroad applicants.
Assess the current market satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement.
Evaluate the competitive landscape and identify unique value propositions.
Prospective international students are often overwhelmed by a lack of comprehensive understanding, impersonal mentorship services, and inefficient service processes during their study abroad application journey. This results in confusion, frustration, and inadequate support, ultimately affecting their ability to make informed decisions and successfully navigate the application process.
Customer Journey Map of Study Abroad Agency:
*The content is translated by the figma plugin and may be misrepresented
Pain Points and Opportunities:
*The content is translated by the figma plugin and may be misrepresented
Prototype
Information Architechture
*The content is translated by the figma plugin and may be misrepresented
High-fidelity design
1.
Centralized Home Page Navigation
The home page is designed as a user-friendly hub, providing easy access to mentor discovery, package selection, registration, and shared resources, ensuring a seamless navigation experience.
Home Page
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
Mapping the Experience:
To truly understand the pain points, I visited three agencies and conducted in-depth interviews with two current students. Based on the field research, I created a customer journey map of the experience in these agencies:
Design Decision
Q.
What is the most efficient digital platform to improve the study abroad mentorship experience?
A.
Mobile Application
The app can provide personalized mentorship by connecting students with experienced overseas advisors, ensuring tailored guidance. Additionally, it streamlines the service flow, enabling users to submit information in advance, track their progress in real-time, and receive timely support, thus making the entire application process more efficient and user-friendly.
2.
Discover Mentors and Packages
Users have two ways to find support: discover the best mentors using filters and tags, or find the right packages that suit their needs. This dual approach ensures users can easily connect with the most relevant resources.
Discover The Best Mentors
Find The Right Package
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
3.
Mentor Profile and Call Reservation
Each mentor profile includes comprehensive information such as educational background, majors, scores, and user comments. Users can easily reserve a call to assess mentor suitability.
Mentor Profile
Chat
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
4.
Application Schedule Management
The schedule page helps users manage their applications and consultations, with a timetable for courses, deadlines, and important dates, keeping them organized and on track.
Schedule
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
5.
Community Experience Sharing
A dedicated page allows users to share their application experiences, offering valuable feedback and insights to help others, fostering a supportive community.
Share Your Application Experience
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
Wireframe
*Wireframes are translated by the figma plugin and may not conform to UI principles
Design Solutions
Visual Identity
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Feedbacks From Faculty
Advantages:
“The transition from B2C model to C2C model in study abroad agencies are definitely going to be a game-changer. It addressed the critical gaps in the traditional advisory model, offering a more personalized, effective, and satisfying experience for students. Also very systematic and meticulous in the use of service design tools such as customer journey map, user flow, information architecture.”
Suggestions:
“The journey doesn't end here. Continuous user feedback and iterative improvements will be crucial in refining the service and expanding its reach. Also there are more service design tools you can use to evaluate and validate your design in a broader perspective, for example business canvas and service blueprint. Keep learning and working through a service design skillset and mindset!”
Reflection
Takeaway
This was a service design course project. I spent a lot of time conducting field study and identifying user needs. I realize that if I stay close enough to users I will ensure to stay close to the problems, and inevitably the solutions will follow. However among all the problems emerge from users, which problem to solve is actually depending on what future the designer are visioning. For example I got problems such as overwhelming and unscientific web design, noisy consultant environment, etc. But I chose to focus on personalizing mentorship and structuring service process, for my vision of breaking the monopoly scenario where the agencies charges high consulting fees, and let more experienced overseas students provide personalized help.
This was my first personal side project and it was the first time that I realized the power of designers to shift the landscape and create an unexpected experience for users.
