The document discusses strategies for making user experience (UX) design a team effort at universities. It provides examples of UX exercises that involve different stakeholders, such as focus groups, user journey mapping, and tree testing. The benefits of a team approach include gathering input on audience needs, interface requirements, and technology enhancements. Challenges include varying levels of UX understanding across departments. The document offers best practices like having a clear plan, providing training and resources, and sharing research findings to help teams work together successfully on UX initiatives.

1. Taking it to the next level
Strategies for making
good UX a team effort

2. About me
Joyce Peralta
Manager, Digital Communications
Communications and External Relations, McGill University
about.me/theotherlondon
@theotherlondon
Presentation slides
https://mcgill.ca/x/ZpZ

3. A look back…
1997 2004 2010 2012

4. 2019

5. Benefits
When taking part in UX exercises, participants provide
information about:
• Audience needs
• User interface concerns and requirements
• Preferences for look and feel

6. What else can we
gain?

7. Who participates in our user research exercises?
Audience members
• Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Alumni
• External community members
Other roles
• Facilitators
• Note takers
• Observers
• Project team members

8. Benefits
When taking part in UX exercises, developers, support staff,
product owners and key stakeholders provide information
about:
• Possible technology enhancements
• Opportunities to share resources
• Ways to improve web processes
Increased understanding and trust between
audience members, key stakeholders, and staff.

9. Challenges

10. Types of UX exercises
• Focus group workshops
• User journey mapping
• Surveys
• Tree testing
• Usability testing
• A/B testing
• Review existing data

11. Example: Focus group exercise
Brainstorm and create a diagram of the information students look for when they arrive on the
Engineering homepage.
Questions to consider:
• When you visit the Engineering homepage, what information are you looking for?
• What actions are you hoping to take?
• What information did you look for as a new student?
Group diagram presentations (30 min)

13. Supporting resource: Information sessions

14. Example: Focus group exercise 2
Choose the most appropriate service category label for services presented on screen.
Services
• Websites
• Wiki services
• McGill Blogs (Blogs.mcgill.ca)
Category labels to consider
• Websites, wikis
• Websites and web tools
• Content and Collaboration

16. Supporting resource: Templates and guidelines

17. Example: User journey mapping exercise
Map students’ thoughts, feelings and actions through each stage of the university selection process.
Identify related opportunities.
Questions to consider:
• How did students discover McGill and their programs of study?
• What are students’ criteria and priorities when choosing a university?
• What are the biggest challenges?

19. Example: Tree testing exercise
Where would you click to find information on how to set up your McGill email on your computer?

20. Challenges & solutions

21. Strategies for team success
Have a plan
Clearly define…
• Goals and objectives
• Timeline and responsibilities
• Structure for team analysis

22. Strategies for team success
Helpful resources for team members
• UX toolkit, how-to documentation
• Training / information session
• Templates and guidelines
• Transcripts of interviews with audience members

23. Benefits
When taking part in UX exercises, developers, support staff,
product owners and key stakeholders provide information
about:
• Possible technology enhancements
• Opportunities to share resources
• Ways to improve web processes
Increased understanding and trust between
audience members, key stakeholders, and staff.

25. Some of my favourite UX resources
Websites
• Nielsen Norman Group
• UX Booth
Books
• Don’t Make Me Think
• Quantifying the User Experience: Practical Statistics for User Research
UX research tools
• Optimal Workshop
• Lookback
• Hotjar

26. About me
Joyce Peralta, Web Analyst
McGill University, IT Communications
about.me/theotherlondon
@theotherlondon
Presentation slides
https://mcgill.ca/x/ZpZ

27. Building UX Practices
Higher Education Summit roundtable discussion
• What is the level of understanding about UX design in your university department?
• How do you advocate for UX design and user research in your university?
• Do you have resources/practices in place for sharing UX research data among departments?
• Do you have any tips for recruiting participants for UX workshops and exercises? Specific tips
for recruiting students? Faculty? Staff?
• How do you conduct UX research with prospective students?
• What notable challenges have you experienced doing UX research at your university? What
solutions have you developed to address these challenges?
• What are some notable successes have you achieved (successful projects, discoveries, lessons
learned)?