USTARlinks
Your trusted gateway to reliable university information
2018
UX/UI Design, Research, Branding, Wireframing, Prototyping
Sketch, Zeplin, Photoshop, Ilustrator, Jira
USTARlinks is a social academic platform designed to bridge the gap between high school students and university students, enabling meaningful one-on-one communication through video calls and messaging. This platform offers prospective students authentic insights into university life, the application process, and cultural experiences, empowering them to make informed decisions about their educational future.
Tailored for international students, USTARlinks focuses on those from countries like Korea, China, and Japan, where personal connections and firsthand experiences are highly valued. Additionally, the platform provides opportunities for local agencies to enrich the study-abroad experience.
Key Features:
My Feed
Users to view the latest uploads from schools or Ustars (university students) they are following, enabling quick access to relevant information without the need to search for it each time they visit the platform.
Appointment Scheduling
Ustars can set their availability for sessions, allowing high school students to send booking requests for chats. This flexibility accommodates time zone differences, ensuring that users can connect at convenient times. To avoid technical constraints, we implemented certain restrictions in the scheduling process.
When high school students send a booking request, they can include short questions if needed. This helps them gain a better understanding of the topics they want to discuss, ensuring that their conversations are productive and meaningful.
Reward System
The point system incentivizes user engagement. Ustars earn points through actions like checking in, writing posts, commenting, and more. These points can be converted into real money, encouraging active participation without imposing mandatory actions.
User Interface
For the user interface, I designed a simple and clean system aimed at creating an easy-to-use product that is approachable for our target audiences. Vibrant colors and flat illustrations were used to enhance the visual appeal, while rounded edges throughout the product emphasize its friendliness.
The Challenge
When I joined Madoor, the company was in its early stages, and as the sole designer, I was tasked with designing everything from scratch. This included creating prototypes for web and mobile interfaces as well as developing branding and marketing materials. Balancing these responsibilities while tackling various UX challenges proved to be a significant undertaking.
One major challenge was localization. USTARlinks serves both English and Chinese-speaking users, requiring careful consideration in UI design. Additionally, since USTARlinks targets students in countries like Korea, China, and Japan, I had to account for time zone differences in the user experience to ensure it was seamless for all users.
Impact/ Outcome
We successfully launched USTARlinks on the App Store and Google Play, despite facing challenges due to the impact of COVID-19 and a target audience limited to international students. The experience motivated me to focus on creating solutions that make education more accessible and user-friendly. I took on a versatile role, stepping in wherever needed and acting as a facilitator between the project manager and marketing lead to ensure consistent design and clear communication. This journey deepened my understanding of the importance of accessibility and engagement in education, and I’m excited to carry these insights forward as I contribute to meaningful projects in the future.