A RBC Summer Hack project, to enhance the student
co-op experience.
UX Designer
UX Researcher
UI Designer
Me
Alishan
Aazim
Daphne
Sanchay
May - Oct 2018
We envisioned Dash as a one-stop solution for current co-op students to access the multitude of resources available to them through RBC. It is a web-based application which allows students the ability to amalgamate the multitude of programs and toolsets in a single platform. The application would not only allow students to gain a greater sense of efficiency but will allow them to make meaningful interactions and introductions based on their individual passions
To build an engaging web-application which allows existing co-op students to fully utilize the resources available to them, whilst engaging with the organization in a meaningful way.
Students at RBC are looking to make the most of their co-op experience. However, with the sheer number of internal tools, people, and events that are available, it is difficult and overwhelming to stay on top of these things. This leads to co-op students missing opportunities and not being able to make most of their experience.
The screener was designed for the sole purpose of getting a general understanding of student's pain points and to gain a relative understanding of the student experience at RBC. The screener was designed so that it may be able to provide a holistic sense of a student’s level of comfort with the programs & initiatives that RBC put into place to enhance the student experience. The information gathered from the screener may later be delved into through the use of the interview process for further understanding. Furthermore, the screener allows for an analytical quantitative assessment of the individuals participating by categorizing them through various personality & preferential traits.
To gain insights into the student’s experience within the co-op initiatives & programs put in place by RBC.
To be able to discern prime candidates to target within the interview process, as to get a better understanding of their individual experiences and pain points in regards to existing RBC initiatives.
Having a sample size of 70 candidates allows the surveyor to choose from a diverse set of individuals and helps prevent a skewed data source.
It is essential that key individuals which should be further assessed are identified through the screening process. The interview process allows for further understanding of the individuals' relative experience from both their personal experiences and their relative insights.
Through the course of five interviews, I was able to achieve a diverse set of valuable insights into the student experience at RBC. Moreover, within the interview process, I came to the realization that a significant number of RBC co-op’s felt overwhelmed by the existing number of programs, initiatives put in place & feel they are unable to derive the maximum potential from these platforms.
Students mostly felt that they were unable to fully engage within the entirety of the experience RBC has to offer as many unique & interesting events/programs were scattered across a multitude of platforms thus causing them to be either missed or simply inaccessible.
A key factor which was consistent across all interviewees was the fact they felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of applications and platforms and felt that it was very difficult to actively participate and manage various interfaces as several opportunities and events were missed as a result.
Students felt that though RBC has valuable programs & events in place, the channels of communications in which they are promoted lack both the outreach & relevance to the individual.
The phrases ‘one stop shop’ & ‘combined interface’ were shared amongst students as they expressed a desire for the various platforms & programs to be accessible through one page so that they may engage with the many opportunities & experiences RBC has to offer.
Students felt there were far too many platforms to manage and the various programs & events were scattered across the multiple platforms. Which led to diminished student engagement due to lack of time & accessibility.
The inability to be able to connect with individuals based on shared interests in a dynamic and simple manner.
Students felt bogged down in emails and navigating multiple platforms as they wished to be informed about events & activities they are interested about. So that they may decide where to go based on their busy schedules and immerse themselves in opportunities in which they feel truly engaged.
Students found great value in being informed of events that they felt were relevant to their skill sets and interests.
A key factor being the “Value”, as students felt that they were overwhelmed by the number of platforms and felt a single platform which captured their interests & goals would enhance their work terms in a meaningful way.
To be aware of engaging initiatives & programs taking place across the organization.
Students felt that the existing platforms were ineffective to interact with individuals they may effectively relate to. However, felt that connections made based on shared interests would not only be more rewarding but engaging as well.
Students greatly valued the concept of an amalgamated platform as it enriches their work term experience as opposed to spending countless hours scouring for information which would otherwise be at their fingertips in an engaging manner.
To create an engaging web application which allows students to engage with the organization in a meaningful manner.
For students to be aware of various groups & events throughout the organization.
To introduce students to individuals with whom they can build rewarding & memorable relationships with.
To help students feel truly immersed with the organization as a whole and for them to feel engaged and motivated to learn about other aspects of the bank.
How might we make create an immersive & interactive experience which keeps students informed in an engaging manner?
How might we help develop an experience which highlights personal traits for each individual?
How might we enable students to find and network with experienced individuals within the bank based on interests?
How might we instill a sense of community, for students to wish to interact with one another and for them to feel more engaged within the RBC community?
Based on the interviews I developed two personas. I referred to them throughout the entire development process. So that the user's needs were at the forefront of all decisions made from both a functionality & design perspective.
Through the Affinity Mapping Exercise, I was able to conduct with my team of developers. We were able to discern & categorize various functionalities amongst the widgets & create the architecture of our web-application which would go on to become Dash!
At the beginning of my design process, I created wireframes so that the entire team may have a visual representation of the various elements present throughout the application. In doing so, the team was able to come together to find elements which would not only address the pain points of our users but discovering how to do so in an engaging manner. Through the wireframes, we were able to not only establish the necessary elements within each of the widgets but were able to establish the information hierarchy as well.
Using Adobe XD I was able to create low fidelity interfaces which we tested amongst various groups of students & teams across RBC. In order to assess their relative comfort and perception of the functionalities of the various widgets.
The widgets were designed to help students achieve a personalized experience in which they could make the most of their experience as co-op students.
Once I had designed the wireframes, I worked alongside my team of developers using scripting languages such as Angular & Node JS, in order to develop an interface which would go onto becoming Dash. Over a span of 6 weeks, we were able to come together as a team in creating a functional product, in which my role was to ensure that all elements and components across the interface enabled users to navigate through the various widgets with relative ease. Furthermore, I was able to design and script the welcome & login screens which were truly enriching and developmental experiences.
Being part of the Summer Hack experience has been an incredible learning opportunity as I was able to work alongside a brilliant group of individuals working together to build a platform which was meant for students by students.
Having the opportunity to work alongside a team of developers was an enlightening experience, as a team, we were able to bring together varying skill sets and were able to develop an application working with various teams across the organization.
We as a team were able to create a platform which felt personalized and relevant to students, so that they may be able to maximize the potential of the resources available to them at RBC.
Throughout the design & development process, there were many issues that arose as our team had never tackled a project with the scope of Dash. We were fortunate to collaborate with various teams across RBC such as the Connect team alongside whom we were able to create an interface which catered to the individual student. Whilst enabling them to not only access multiple functionalities but acted as a conduit to inform them of the many initiatives across the organization enriching their experience as co-op's whilst at RBC.
All in all, being part of Dash has been an excellent opportunity for me to not only grow my existing skill sets but to engage with brilliant individuals in a team environment which was an experience that I not only valued but have cherished as well.