APUS Application & Orientation Redesign
PROJECT FOCUS: PRODUCT DESIGN · RESEARCH
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
The #1 provider of higher education to the U.S. military*
*Based on FY 2019 Department of Defense tuition assistance and Veterans Administration student enrollment data, as reported by Military Times, 2020.
/OVERVIEW
Introduction
APUS's Application & Orientation process was long and confusing to prospective students. The experience used a legacy system that lacked functionality, created data issues, and required constant maintenance. Ultimately, this led to user frustration and a sharp decline in enrolment. In 2021, we set out to redesign the experience to make it a user-centric, modern app that works equally well for everyone.
MY ROLE
Research, UX Design, Visual Design, Design Systems.
THE TEAM
2 designers, 1 product manager, 10+ engineers.
TIMELINE
2021-ongoing
/QUICK WINS
48% increase in completion rates, six months post-launch.
Preview of the redesigned experience
Tablet and mobile application/orientation view
Problem Statement
The Application/Orientation was a dinosaur by today's usability standards. The completion rate hovered around 40% (half of what our competitors see). Hence the experience started breaking when scaled to handle new tech requirements and complex user needs. How might we empower our diverse users easily apply for admission the way they want while making it simple, delightful, and uncomplicated to use?
/BREAKDOWN OF THE PROBLEM
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The enrolment process was disjointed and filled with redundant information that left users feeling lost and confused.
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The lack of a design system created inconsistencies in the UI and made scalability difficult.
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The lack of IA and complicated workflows turned the experience into an endless scroll through legal language.
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The absence of data integration resulted in duplicate accounts and student records. Accessibility requirements and compliance were non-existent.
Preview of the old application experience
“When students get stuck in the application, it seems like they rarely finish”
Emily F. | Student Advisor
Preview of the old orientation experience
/PROCESS
We kicked off the process with a comprehensive review of the existing experience with the product triad.
/KEY TAKEAWAYS
40%
abandoned application minutes after starting
20%
thought AMU was only for members of the U.S. Military
59%
needed assistance selecting a program
15
minutes is the application’s average completion time
63%
of visitors use a mobile device
65+
questions to apply were overwhelming to users
Student Task-Mapping
/PROCESS
Design Goals
The experience review also helped us define our focus areas for the redesign.
Personable
persona-driven design that is user-centric
Simple
Clean out the clutter, and help users easily apply
scalable
design that is easily implemented across sub-brands
/PROCESS
Product Users
are working adults, ages 25-40 pursuing a degree or continuing their education to advance their careers.
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AMU Applicant seeking an Undergrad in Exercise Science. He is employed full-time and had no military affiliation.
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AMU Applicant (and past student). She is seeking her MBA in Entrepreneurship. She is employed full-time. She has no military affiliation.
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APU Applicant. Seeking an Undergrad in Psychology. She is employed full-time. Has a sibling in the Navy. This would be her first fully online program.
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AMU Student with Undergrad in Criminal Intelligence. He is employed full-time. He is Active Duty Marine Corps. This is his first fully online program.
/PROCESS
User Needs
-
62% of prospective applicant sighted lack of personable interaction during the application process
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Ability to apply from a mobile device (upload ID, Transfer Credit, Make Payments)
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Live admission assistance through call, text, or email scored high among users
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15 minutes is the the average time it took users to complete the application, and discouraged many from applying
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The the interaction with the program/degree selection tool led to 20% drop rate
View of persona-based non-military user flow.
/PROCESS
Business Challenges
Integration to legacy systems
Disruption to the flow of the current application
Delays in the admissions process
Resource allocation for timely build/ship
3 student information systems (SIS), each requiring separate login.
/SOLUTION
Two hundred twenty students and prospects were surveyed, capturing information about the values, behaviors, and attitudes that impact why they select a university. We also interviewed eight students and six Admissions team members to capture first-hand stories about their experiences for additional insight. Here are the solutions we reached:
/SOLUTION
Increase application completion rates
We reduced the number of questions from 65 to 20 at the application stage and moved less-critical questions to become part of the orientation process. This push has cut completion time from 15 to 3 minutes.
Mobile-first, single-page experience
63% of users are accessing the site through mobile devices. To improve the experience, we took a mobile-first approach in building a single-page application interface.
Eliminate redundancies & duplicate accounts
Account creation at the start of the application will tie to a student record, creating a unified account, removing duplicate applications, and allowing a prospect to exit and return later to complete the process.
Improve data integrity and compliance
We identified friction points along the user journey and opportunities to understand the technical and business data needs. We also adopted digital accessibility (WCAG, ADA compliant).
Scale across all institutional brands
We developed design systems to keep our brands consistent throughout the application experience and other user touchpoints. We set up analytics to quickly test and optimize features.
User-centric experience
Developed Persona-driven application flows that segmented users and implemented live chat, text, and call features to address outlying friction points.
Military user persona and flow
Non-military user persona and flow
Doctoral user persona and flow
Non-Military user flow
Military user flow
Doctoral user flow
/IMPACT
Six months post-launch, here is what we’ve learned:
/RESULTS
48%
increase in completion rates
19%
increase in leads through live chat feature
65+
questions reduced to 20
8k
newly enrolled students
03
minutes average completion time
14
screens reduced to a single page
Sketches and product screens
Initial mobile wireframe sketches
First iteration of mobile application screens
Military user flow
Tablet and mobile application/orientation view
Tablet confirmation application view
mobile view of application/orientation task completion