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University of the People

Student Portal Redesign

EdTech UX · Information Architecture · Mobile-First Product Design

Redesigning the student portal for a global online university, making academic navigation simpler, clearer, and more accessible across devices.

My RoleEnd-to-End Product Designer
Timeline2019-2023
ClientUniversity of the People
University of the People is a nonprofit, fully online university serving students around the world. The Student Portal is the primary place where students manage their academic lives by accessing courses, tracking progress, completing tasks, and finding critical information.
University of the People hero product image
Overview

The redesign focused on turning a fragmented "metro of apps" into a coherent student experience. The goal was to reduce navigation friction, improve task visibility, and create a mobile-first interface that supports a global student base with varying levels of connectivity and digital fluency.

01Led the end-to-end product design lifecycle, bridging technical constraints with intuitive user experience.
02Created a clearer information architecture for critical academic flows.
03Prioritized mobile access, accessibility, and intent-based navigation.
04Designed for a global student population at scale.
Context
Why This Project Mattered

A growing global student base made portal friction more expensive.

UoPeople was operating across 200+ countries, with a strong concentration of students between ages 20 and 40 and a rapidly rising enrollment curve. That context pushed the redesign toward mobile-first clarity, faster task completion, and a product experience that could scale without adding support burden.

200+Countries & Territories

The system had to work across devices, regions, and very different usage conditions.

21,305Courses Last Term

High course volume made buried tasks and fragmented navigation materially harder to manage.

117,389Students By AY2022-T2

Enrollment growth turned interface friction into a scale problem, not just a usability problem.

Problem Space

Navigation Complexity

Scattered information across multiple sub-sites led to confusion, high cognitive load, and frequently missed academic deadlines.

Task Management Challenges

Students struggled to track assignments, discussions, and progress due to lack of a centralized dashboard or priority view.

Inadequate User Experience

Legacy system was not mobile-optimized, alienating 60%+ of the global student base who rely solely on smartphones.

Legacy student portal interface
Methodology

Research & Process

Key Design Focus Areas
  • Mobile-first for global access.
  • Accessibility WCAG compliance.
  • Simplicity through intent-based UI.
01

Discover & Define

Understanding the "Why" and "Who" through user surveys, 1:1 interviews, and pain-point analysis.

02

Ideate & Structure

Mapping flows and information architecture, personas, journey maps, and card sorting.

03

Design & Prototype

From low-fidelity wireframes to interactive high-fidelity prototypes in Figma.

04

Iterative Design

Progressed from low-fi wireframes to a cohesive hi-fi design system, validating logic with users at each stage.

Task Analysis

Mixed-methods research exposed friction across the core student journey.

Instead of looking only at screens, the analysis followed the actual path students take through the system: finding the right course, understanding what matters now, and knowing what to do next.

01

Login

Low Friction

Standard authentication was relatively straightforward and did not emerge as a core pain point.

02

Find Course

Pain Point

Students had to navigate across repeated menus and disconnected areas just to locate the current class.

03

Check Tasks

Major Friction

Assignment details, discussions, and deadlines were buried behind too many clicks and weak hierarchy.

04

Take Action

Pain Point

After submission, students often lacked a clear next step or visible confirmation that they were done.

05

Log Out

Neutral

The end of the session itself was not the issue. The friction was concentrated in the academic flow before it.

Research Insights

Student Satisfaction Survey

Average ratings (Scale 1-5, N=150)

Overall Experience
Finding Info
Task Completion
Mobile Usage
Help Access
Qualitative Themes

Information Discovery

Finding basic course information was described as "difficult" and "buried," leading to support tickets.

Task Efficiency

Students struggled to complete basic tasks efficiently because core information and actions were too fragmented.

Priority Themes For Redesign
Navigation ClaritySimplicityEase of UseVisual Hierarchy
User Persona
Emma Mitchell illustration

Dr. Emma Mitchell

Time-Constrained Student

Balances studies with part-time work and depends on fast access to assignments, materials, and deadlines during short study windows.

Needs
  • A single source of truth for academic tasks
  • Lightweight, mobile-friendly access
  • Clear deadline visibility and prioritization
Pain Points
  • Course information is scattered across sections
  • Unreliable connectivity disrupts access
  • Basic resources take too many clicks to find
Goals
  • Submit assignments on time without confusion
  • Access course materials easily from mobile devices
  • Stay organized across multiple classes and deadlines
Ahmed Al-Fayed illustration

Ahmed Al-Fayed

First-Generation Student

Relies on clear structure, visual guidance, and simple language to navigate coursework confidently in a system that often feels overwhelming.

Needs
  • Simple, easy-to-understand language
  • Strong visual hierarchy and guidance
  • Clear next steps throughout the flow
Pain Points
  • Academic terminology and instructions are unclear
  • Priorities are hard to identify
  • He is unsure what to do after completing tasks
Goals
  • Pass each academic term successfully
  • Understand assignment requirements and deadlines
  • Navigate the portal independently without external help
Maria Rodriguez illustration

Maria Rodriguez

Working Parent

Studies in short, focused sessions and needs immediate clarity on what is due, what needs attention, and what was completed.

Needs
  • A focused dashboard for today's most urgent tasks
  • Quick access to high-priority actions
  • Clear visual confirmation and status tracking
Pain Points
  • Essential information takes too many clicks to reach
  • Deadlines are buried in nested menus
  • Submission confirmation is unclear
Goals
  • Quickly identify what needs to be done today
  • Track grades and academic progress efficiently
  • Complete tasks within short time windows
Student Dashboard
01The Problem

No Centralized Overview

Students had no centralized overview. Information was scattered across apps ("metro style"), leading to missed priorities, confusion, and lower engagement especially on mobile.

The Solution

Simplified Student Dashboard

  • Centralized term status, classes, assignments, and deadlines in one view.
  • Organized features around student goals such as today's tasks.
  • Used a mobile-first layout with collapsible sections and stronger contrast.
  • Made priority actions easier to identify and complete quickly.
Impact50K+Students supported

Faster assignment access, better usability, and lower support burden across a global student base.

Simplified student dashboard
Course Access
Streamlined course access
02The Problem

Navigation Complexity

Course navigation was convoluted. Discussions, assignments, and materials required multiple clicks across different apps, causing frustration and inefficiency.

The Solution

Streamlined Course Access

  • Direct, organized entry to each course with clear hierarchy.
  • Integrated views for discussions, assignments, grades, and resources in one flow.
  • Mobile-optimized with expandable sections, search, and notifications.
  • Added accessibility features like keyboard navigation and screen reader support.
ImpactFasterTask completion

Reduced clicks and unified course workflows made core actions clearer and easier to complete.

Impact & Results
0150K+Students affected
02+25%Course completion
03-40%Time on tasks
Key Learnings
01

User-Centered Design

Redesigning with empathy significantly boosts engagement and satisfaction in educational platforms.

02

Mobile-First

Essential for global accessibility, reducing friction for diverse users with varying device capabilities.

03

Continuous Feedback

Ongoing user research, such as Hotjar integration, is key for continuous UX optimization post-launch.

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