Project Brief
As relevant information and resources are disseminated amongst various platforms for Postgraduate Taught Students (PGT), The University Graduate School approached Educational Enterprise to help bring all these services together in one 'user friendly' location or hub. Rather than being a service that is used for an introductory purpose only, the hub would also need to be the 'place to go' for PGT students throughout their time at the University, covering University obligations and themes such as Academic Support, Wellbeing, Student experience, Opportunities and Careers.
Solution
In this unique situation Educational Enterprise and the University Graduate School were both advocates of User Experience and putting the end user first. Because of this we were able to nurture a working partnership alongside a Postgraduate Taught Student (the end user) and who also doubled as the content provider, providing both content and the tone of voice that the end user wanted.
Following the Educational Enterprise, Shape Build Run design system, we created a hub within Canvas (the Universities Virtual Learning Environment) that was organised into themes allowing the student to easily find the most relevant information for themselves. Instead of duplicating already existing content we created a 'one stop shop' that instead signposted PGT students to a single source of truth that had information that PGT Students wanted.
A consistent design approach and templated design structure created an ongoing low maintenance product for the Undergraduate School whilst at the same time created an easy to use and user-friendly experience for its PGT targeted users.
The Hub has been designed with the specific needs of Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students in mind. A product that has been designed for the end user, by the end user.
Testimonial
Dr Graham Timmins
Postgraduate Director (Taught Programmes)
“Postgraduates play a key role in the University of Birmingham’s student community, making up around 40% of the University’s student population. This PGT hub now allows students of all backgrounds and pathways to postgraduate study to find the specific information, services and opportunities they need regarding their PGT.”