It All Starts Here

Discover Ferris State University: a Senior Portfolio project

Deliverables: User Research, Audit of Materials, Website, Application, and Email Planning, Coding and Wireframing, Career Finder App, Real From Day One videos.

Problem:

80% of people who have applied to Ferris and have been accepted are deciding to attend other schools. The current web and email campaigns are not retaining the students who apply and are accepted which can affect the student population.

Solution:

An overhaul of the newly admitted student web experience to create a new interactive web page that includes new video, photo, and interview content. Emails that have a call to action that directs students to the correct sources and to the new webpage.

Users

Kyle Morris

Accepted Student

Goals

Scheduling a tour of the Ferris Campus.
Finding out what the next step is after being admitted to Ferris State University.
How to prepare for the college lifestyle.

Insights

77% of Senior High School students say they are highly influenced by their parents and family.
Gen Y students are very career focused and focused on the future.
They value their time yet have short attention spans even shorter than Gen Y.

Robert Morris

Parent of Kyle

Goals

Helping his son choose the correct college and program for him.
How to help his son transition to the college lifestyle from high school.
Provide his son with the finances to pay for college expenses.

Insights

40% of parents say they forward emails to their children about colleges.

Research & Audit of Existing Materials

We used various research papers, statistics and research conducted by Ferris State to help figure out what the next generation of students looks for in their communications.

Looking at Ferris materials, competitor materials, and the compilation of user research helped give the team an understanding of the current materials and how to effectively elevate them to reach a new generation.

Executive Summary: Audit of Web Materials

The interaction model and user path were developed in response to an ideal experience from attraction via social media or college fairs to applying and being accepted to Ferris. Above shows the current user path, with the highs and lows of the colle… — The interaction model and user path were developed in response to an ideal experience from attraction via social media or college fairs to applying and being accepted to Ferris. Above shows the current user path, with the highs and lows of the college application experience.

Discover Ferris

By using wire frames to create a framework for our web and email experiences we developed content strategies that would connect with a younger user who’s time is limited. We determined our three major touch points: the Discover Ferris website, the Career Finder application, and supplementary emails would satisfy our communication goals.

The Discover Ferris website is a landing page for newly accepted students. This site allows students who may not be sure about Ferris, to feel more confident about their choice through video, testimonials, and photos.

Real. From Day One

In the production phase, we worked with real professionals in the field to solidify
our concept of Real from Day One, with videos, photography, and new copy for our experience.

Using hand drawn illustrations that fade into real world workplaces, Real from Day One shows how similar the industry and the classrooms at Ferris are aligned. Showing real students in real classrooms can help users see what it would be like to be in the classroom, and shows how Ferris classrooms compare to their counterparts in the industry.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology

Graphic Design Intro Shot Behind the Scenes

Career Finder & Site

As a supplement to the website, the career finder helps students match their interests with a potential career at Ferris State University.