One major insight during the competitive analysis was the importance of visually showcasing student work. Many competitor sites prominently featured galleries or portfolios of current students and alumni. This approach effectively provides prospective students with an understanding of the program’s focus and the skills they can expect to develop. Many of the competitor sites prominently featured galleries or portfolios of current students and alumni, providing the prospective students with familiarity with programs and the type of skills they would be learning. I also noticed the significance of the program’s information within the competitor sites; they offered an overview of the curriculum, the learning outcomes, and career opportunities within the major. Stating what classes would be taken, this included specific course descriptions, skill development goals, and potential career paths, enabling prospective students to make informed decisions about their educational journey and what they would be achieving within the class.   

From these interviews, I’ve learned that people often prioritize simplicity over an intricate design. Many participants have stated their difficulties and frustration with cluttered websites and how they make it difficult to find information. Also, the difficulty in accessing and relearning a website or app once it updates, when updates are usually to enhance the users experience, they can also create more obstacles for the users.  Particularly if the changes disrupt familiar navigation patterns or require users to relearn the interface. Suggesting a need for careful consideration and user testing when implementing updates, ensuring that improvements do not compromise usability of the website. The interviews also revealed that users often rely on search function to navigate the websites, emphasizing the need for accurate search algorithms and the ability to quickly find relevant information.  

A challenge I have encountered with conducting interviews is planning the interviews and coordinating schedules among the interviewers and interviewees. To address this, I just had to see what our schedules looked like throughout the day and find periods where we both were free between classes or even the availability to conduct interviews on the weekend. Also, being able to communicate with my team to coordinate who can get interviews on certain days, and to be able to stay on track with meeting the interview requirement number. We also conducted some interviews remotely to accommodate for everyone’s schedules who could not meet in person at the time. Efforts were also made to ensure representation from various backgrounds, ages, and occupations to gather a wide range of perspectives. This involved targeted outreach to parents, students, faculty, and people with experience in graphic design. The Inclusivity within the groups enhanced the relevance of the research findings, providing a more comprehensive understanding of user needs and preferences. This process taught me the importance of clear communication and adaptability in project management. Moreover, it highlighted the significance of respecting everyone’s time frames. This experience has contributed to my growth as a designer by reinforcing the value of teamwork and being able to adapt to certain situations.