Mentor Bridge
An engaging application that helps Loughborough University London students make a mentor-mentee relationship through personalized search.
Objective
Strengthen Loughborough University London's community by fostering meaningful mentor-mentee relationships, aiding transitions, and enhancing student satisfaction.
Project Scope
Develop a mentorship platform enabling student connections through profile creation, matchmaking, communication tools, event integration, and feedback systems.
Overview
Prompt
Loughborough University London wants a digital platform that fosters meaningful connections between experienced students (mentors) and new students (mentees). The solution should help new students seamlessly adapt to campus life while enabling mentors to share their expertise and build leadership skills. Consider features that simplify the mentor-mentee pairing process, support effective communication, and encourage long-term engagement to strengthen the university community.
Design Process
I am just kidding, I found this tweet funny. My design process starts with defining the problem, researching user needs, and brainstorming ideas. I create wireframes to visualize solutions and then develop high-fidelity designs in Figma, focusing on usability and interaction. After testing prototypes and refining based on feedback, I prepare the final design for seamless developer handoff.
User Research
Initial Thinking
Target Users
Students at Loughborough University London
Less experienced students who need help to
properly adjust at the university campus
Research Methods
Online survey(Google Forms)
In-person interviews
Research online
How might we ask questions
How can we encourage experienced and new students to build lasting mentor-mentee relationships beyond simply sharing experiences?
How can we enable students to find and connect with each other based on their individual needs?
How can we create a platform that serves as a cornerstone for strengthening the school community?
Background Research
Research goals
Identify existing online and on-site platforms that facilitate community building.
Explore how new students connect with experienced students.
Investigate how mentor-mentee relationships are established and nurtured by students.
Assess how students are engaging with the current system.
Determine the strengths and opportunities within the current system.
Research 1 - Existing Systems
Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook)
Student-led events
Moodle Platform
Organization and group fairs
User Interviews
Research 2 - Student Surveys & Interviews
How strong do you feel the sense of community within the uni is?
Do you currently have a menot at Loughborough London?
If you have a mentor then how did you find him/her/them
5.4
Out of ten average
39.4%
Have a mentor they never met
Campus events
Social Media
Residential Life
Class
Is their anything that you want to achieve/earn through the mentor?
School culture
27
Academic advise
35
Student organisation
10
Professional network
18
Career planning
28
Personal connection
23
Is their anything that you want to achieve/earn through the mentee?
School culture
30
Academic advise
24
Student organisation
15
Professional network
33
Career planning
18
Personal connection
8
Have you ever asked another student at SAIC for advice when you were a freshman?
How helpful was that experience?
Are you still in contact with the student that you asked for advice?
70%
Asked for advise
8.5
out of 10 average
8.8%
Still in contact
Affinity Diagram
Research Findings / Pain Points
01
02
03
Keeping track of information about mentorship opportunities and events is difficult, as the information is dispersed across multiple platforms.
Most students sought mentorship during their freshman year but found it hard to maintain contact. Scheduling a mutually convenient time for both mentors and mentees was also a significant challenge.
There is a lack of platforms that facilitate group mentorship opportunities for students.
Design Decision
Q. What is the most efficient design platform
A mobile application
Using messaging tools helps maintain a consistent mentor-mentee connection. Mobile applications are ideal for accessing up-to-date information without strict regulations. Student engagement with mobile apps is notably high. According to a survey, students primarily use mobile apps, such as email and social media platforms, to obtain school-related information.
High Fidelity Design
01
One orgaised platform
Platform with a program for community building and mentor-mentee information. Students can check school events or mentoring opportunities all at once. A synchronized Google Calendar to check.
Home
02
Personalised Search
When launching an application for the first time, an efficient approach to matching mentors and mentees with similar interests involves identifying areas where support is needed and areas of expertise.
Edit Profile
Find Mentors
03
Effective Mentoring
Offer flexible time slots for mentors and mentees to schedule conversations at their convenience.
Integrate a messenger feature within the application to foster long-lasting mentor-mentee relationships and strengthen personal connections.
Profile
Message
04
Make it school friendly to increase the frequency of the app usage
Incorporated school-friendly features that allow students to see which friends are participating in events. This functionality fosters an inclusive and connected community.
Events
Message
Impact
User Feedback
User Testing Feedback
• Having all the information available on one platform is very convenient.
• Being able to quickly check events and mentoring schedules at a glance is extremely helpful.
• The reminder feature is excellent.
• It’s clear who to approach for guidance.
• I appreciate that there’s no review feature, but I hope an endorsement feature can be added.
Presenting to School
Taking my initiative a step further, I aimed for my application to make a practical and positive impact on the future community. To this end, I presented my ideas to school assistants during a one-hour interview. Through this discussion, I gained valuable insights into the school’s perspective on my application, including specific feedback on how it could appeal from a business standpoint, along with its advantages and suggested improvements.
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