Scholarship Application for Teachers
Role: UX/UI Designer
Duration: April - July 2023
An online application portal that gives scholarships to those who need them most.
Our client, dedicated to supporting early childhood education teachers through scholarship initiatives, faced a considerable challenge in the form of an antiquated and inefficient application process. An alarming statistic revealed that a mere 25% of applicants who embarked on the application journey successfully completed it. In response, our team embarked on a transformative journey to reimagine the online scholarship application portal, introducing an innovative and user-centric design that rectified the inefficiencies inherent in the previous system.
A better way to apply.
Original Application
The initial application extended a daunting 14 pages in a continuous scroll format, providing no options for pausing or saving progress. Compounding this challenge, document uploads were required, placing applicants in a predicament where, if they lacked the necessary documents during their initial attempt, they were forced to restart the application process later when the documents became available. As a result, only 25% of applicants persevered to complete the application.
New Application
To rectify these issues, a user-centered approach was adopted, breaking down the application into manageable segments. Employing mobile-first design principles, a single-column layout for forms was implemented. This ensured that applicants were always aware of their progress and allowed them to pause and resume the process. Below is a comparison of the employment status section of the application on both desktop and mobile platforms.
Track, Manage, Message.
Applicant
Applicants can now log in to the portal, enabling them to track their submissions and effortlessly modify personal, employment, and household details. Additionally, they can directly communicate with their caseworkers, providing increased post-application value.
Administrator & Caseworkers
Administrators have access to a streamlined application management system, including table views with effective filtering capabilities. Caseworkers can easily manage their assigned applicants, with the ability to view complete applications and associated documents. A built-in messaging system allows for efficient communication with applicants, and messages can be conveniently exported, simplifying the task of managing scholarships.
Results
The revamped application portal achieved remarkable success for our client, a triumph substantiated by comprehensive metrics analysis. Through a combination of pre-and post-implementation usability studies, user surveys, and the insightful utilization of Google Analytics, we unearthed invaluable insights into the project's triumphant journey.
Application completion rates surged from 25% to over 80%, indicating a substantial increase in user engagement.
Application review time for administrators was reduced by a notable 30%, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
User satisfaction significantly improved, with all survey respondents expressing a heightened level of contentment with the application process.
Conclusion
This project, both personally and professionally gratifying, has ushered in substantial benefits for both the client and the applicants. By redefining the user experience and streamlining the application process, we have facilitated greater access to scholarships for early childhood education teachers. This project underscores the transformative power of improving user experiences and its far-reaching positive impact.