five tips to speak to a university international user audience
TRANSCRIPT
@mrjoe
⅓ ⅓ ⅓ Research DesignDigital
Strategy
This is what I do. I’ll share insights from the last 11 years of working in user experience.
@mrjoe
About Joe
800user research sessions
23countries
1. It’s not about you it’s about me.
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I went out in the lunch break before this session and spoke to two international
students, it took me less than 30 minutes. I showed them a website from my home
town university of Bristol.
@mrjoe
What is that garden thing? That’s of no interest to me.
I come to the website with something in mind I have to do. I want to get to it easily.
2.Go out and talk to students. (and if you can
talk to their parents)
@mrjoe
Go to the cafeteria and speak to international students. Record the interviews and show the results to the team to get stuff done.
Use silverback, it’s cheap and easy. http://silverbackapp.com/
Speaking to parents is harder, try open days or if needs be research them in their own country (I can help if you need it [email protected])
3. Understand what students want and need at each point
in their journey. Give it to them.
@mrjoe
Build a picture of the student’s journey to choosing a university. This is a customer experience map, it plots all the activities and steps a student goes through. The blue things are the minimum things the
website has to do to meet their needs, the grey boxes are important and need to be addressed at some point, the white boxes show
things that will delight. The map can also show parent needs. Use research to uncover the steps and needs. This can be printed and
placed on the wall, a strategy for the future of digital.
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The other university in my home town of Bristol does a great job at meeting user needs.
4. Seperate experiences are not always the way
forward.
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Are we getting a different experience to other students?
I understand why they split international students out
from normal students. But it makes it hard to know which one to choose
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Students International Students
Is this segregation right? Many international students feel apart from other students, the website sends a message that they will be
treated that way.
5. Tell stories
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I want to know a few things. - The reputation and city culture
- The costs - Can I get a job afterwards?
I want to know other student’s experiences
@mrjoe
Tell stories.
UWE do a great job, they tell stories from other students answering all the
key questions.
http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/whyuwe/uwestudentstories/internationalstudentstories.aspx
@mrjoe
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A great example!
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1. What’s in it for me? “I chose UWE for its great reputation, competitive tuition fees for international students and location in Bristol, which is a nice city.”
Answering key user questions.
@mrjoe
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2. What’s in it for me? After finishing his placement, Chen kept in close contact with RBS throughout his postgraduate studies. This close relationship resulted in Chen securing a job with RBS when he graduated.
Answering key user questions.
@mrjoe
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3. What’s in it for me? Chen is hoping to work in the UK before going back to China to continue his career. His UK qualification and the work experience he gained will enable Chen to further his career in China's competitive market.
Answering key user questions.
1. It’s not about you it’s about me.
2. Understand their journey. 3.Go out and talk to them.
4. Don’t make international students feel different.
5. Tell stories.
Joe Leech @mrjoe [email protected]