My role
Product designer
Year
2023
Duration
4 Month
The Team
1 Designer
Project Background
Communication challenges in boarding schools
A network of boarding schools for at-risk youth struggled with the transfer of information within the organization. They relied heavily on team meetings, WhatsApp groups, and outdated software to track and communicate campers’ daily life and behavior. Further complicating matters was the schools’ high staff turnover, varying shifts, marred by other daily events resulted in chaotic knowledge gaps leaving management concerned that their students were not being properly cared for. Seeking assistance, I was approached to cultivate a solution to these challenges.
User research
getting to know my users
I start by familiarizing with the boarding schools staff. Our meeting apprised me of essential project details, such as their communication challenges, system requirements, and expectations.
Research Details
Research method
User interview
Duration
25-30 min
Participants
4 instructors, 3 management
location
Boarding school
Knowledge is power
Understanding campers’ routines and interactions is crucial for the organization and serves as their primary source of insight for ensuring a safe environment and for continual improvement.
Information Overload
The strategies for sharing information, such as team meetings, full shift reports, and WhatsApp group updates, created what is known as “information overload” for the staff.
Working in High-Pressure Environment
Staff we faced with daily high-pressure situations requiring frequent multitasking to properly manage student needs effectively during shifts.
User research
getting to know my users
Research revealed the pivotal role of prioritizing information, both in inputting and outputting data, in users’ workflows. This necessitated careful planning:
Lets dive into
the final design
Home page
The home screen was designed to prioritize and prominently display critical information related to the current shift. Thus ensuring that instructors can stay easily informed in rapid fashion.
Daily report
The main component of the system. The new system simplifies the task of instructors documentation of the campers’ entire day, allowing them to easily add extra information when required.
Activity Comments
Users can easily comment on all listed activities. Other users can reply to these comments, further promoting discussion and collaboration within the platform.
discipline report
When a student receives a rating of 1-2 for misbehavior, the system prompts the user to specify any consequences(disciplinary actions). If consequences are given, a secondary report form appears for the user to provide details about the type and duration of punishment, allowing other staff members to be informed.
comclusions
the day after
The day after implementing the new system, the boarding schools experienced significant improvements in information management and communication. Staff felt more connected and empowered with enhanced collaboration capabilities, including the ability to add comments and engage in discussions. Overall, the system’s successful implementation marked a positive step forward in addressing organizational challenges and ensuring the well-being of at-risk youth.
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