In collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal, I embarked on a project to enhance the user experience of the Service des stages et emplois (SSE). Despite facing challenges such as budgetary constraints and restrictions imposed by the existing website model, our user-focused approach enabled us to gather in-depth insights and produce a solid set of recommendations. This comprehensive plan was crafted to address the needs and expectations of the users while respecting the constraints of Polytechnique's website structure, demonstrating our commitment to deliver robust and feasible solutions even in challenging circumstances.
The Service des stages et emplois (SSE) of Polytechnique Montréal plays a crucial role in students' and graduates' lives as they seek internship and employment opportunities. To optimize the user experience for these individuals and meet the changing needs of the job market, a website redesign project was launched. The initial plan consisted of two phases: a discovery phase focusing on user research, information gathering, and setting project goals, and a design phase involving interactive prototyping and testing of proposed solutions. However, due to time and budget constraints, only the discovery phase was completed.
Our user research approach encompassed four main elements: one-on-one interviews, an online survey, usability tests via Useberry, and an ideation session.
One of the main challenges faced in this project was the inability to move to the design phase due to budget constraints, which hindered us from fully validating our hypotheses from the discovery phase through prototyping and user testing.
Moreover, the standardized structure of Polytechnique Montréal's website canvas posed constraints on our ability to propose changes, especially to elements like the home page carousel size, main menu location, and general menus organization.
Despite these challenges, we worked within the constraints to provide concrete recommendations for enhancing the SSE website. Our proposals covered page prototypes, improvements in information architecture, optimization of user flows, and modifications in user experience while staying within the requirements of Polytechnique Montréal's website model.
As a UX researcher on the project, collaboration with the website developers and the Communication Manager was crucial. This co-creation approach ensured that our work was both feasible and aligned with Polytechnique Montréal's goals.
Given the constraints, the project's success was measured based on the initial website's usability score. However, the impact of the proposed recommendations will be validated once they are implemented.
We concluded the discovery phase with 14 recommendations to improve the SSE website, ranging from segmentation according to user populations, creating a clearer website structure, reducing information overload, optimizing SEO, adding clear calls to action, improving readability and accessibility, integrating social media, to establishing an intranet for SSE staff.
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The research and developments achieved in this project have established a robust groundwork for forthcoming endeavors directed at enhancing the SSE website. Our subsequent actions will involve the integration of the newly designed website structure, followed by a thorough examination of its effect on user engagement.
Moreover, we will implement further testing to assess the impact of these changes on the issues previously identified. Such rigorous evaluation will provide valuable insights, enabling us to continually refine and enhance the user experience. This iterative approach will ensure the website consistently meets the dynamic needs of its users, ultimately promoting user satisfaction and sustained engagement.
