A Data Dashboard for Students at Tsinghua University
With the in-depth development of mobile internet and artificial intelligence technology, the need for smart campus construction has become increasingly prominent.
Meanwhile, for students at Tsinghua University, the original decentralized information service system can no longer meet their needs for convenient business processing and scientific management and analysis of personal data.
Therefore, the Youth League Committee of Tsinghua University launched a one-stop mobile platform, "Menqing," aiming to further integrate the relevant systems of various campus departments and provide students with intelligent, personalized, and interactive services.
Our core challenge was ensuring a good user experience for the product's first phase, especially when project goals were at odds with practical realities.
We found that numerous restrictions from the Youth League Committee, the Legal Affairs Office, and the development team caused the mini-program's actual situation to diverge from its goals: it couldn't be a one-stop shop, information was not readily available, and key features like teacher-student interaction, data analysis, and personalization were removed for various reasons.
After case studies and discussions, we developed a design plan:
① Highlight the concept of an "AI robot." Let the AI robot "Menqing" replace the search tool and become the dashboard's core. This approach plays to our strengths, avoids weaknesses, and reorganizes the logic.
② Design the scope, structure, skeleton, and surface layers around the strategy layer, and propose integrated solutions.
Designing the Scope, Structure, Skeleton, and Surface around the Strategy.
Enhancing user stickiness through "socialized" design.
Increasing user visits by leveraging the "fear of missing out" (FOMO).
Replacing search with an AI chatbot as the core of the dashboard.
Playing to strengths, reorganizing logic.
In the early stages, we conducted extensive research to understand the needs of various stakeholders. After in-depth discussions with the Youth League Committee, we identified four core goals for the dashboard: integrated portal, information aggregation, teacher-student interaction, and data analysis. We also analyzed over ten similar products, including campus apps from other universities and mature data management platforms.
We summarized three typical user personas: proactive explorers, passive recipients, and those with specific goals. Considering the product's positioning and user characteristics, we chose to focus on the needs of proactive undergraduate explorers, who are the most active and have the strongest need for information aggregation.
Given the numerous restrictions, we decided to shift the focus from a "one-stop portal" to an "AI interactive dashboard." The core of the product became the AI robot "Menqing," which provides personalized information services through dialogue. This allowed us to circumvent the limitations of a traditional portal and create a more intelligent and interactive experience.
Based on the core strategy of the "AI robot," we used the KANO model to analyze and define the product's functional scope. We categorized functions into basic, excitement, and performance needs to prioritize development and ensure the product met core user expectations while also providing delightful surprises.
The information architecture was designed around the AI chatbot. The main interface is the dialogue window with "Menqing," supplemented by a "Plaza" for social interaction and a "Personal Center" for managing information. This structure ensures that users can quickly access the core AI functions while also having spaces for community engagement and personal management.
The interface design prioritizes a smooth conversational experience. We used a card-based design to present information within the chat, making it easy to read and interact with. The layout is clean and intuitive, guiding the user's focus to the conversation with "Menqing."
The visual design aims to create a sense of friendliness and intelligence. We used a vibrant color palette and soft illustrations to give "Menqing" a lively personality. The overall style is modern and clean, reflecting the technological nature of the product while remaining approachable for students.
We conducted multiple rounds of usability testing with target users to identify pain points and areas for improvement. Based on the feedback, we iterated on the design, refining the conversational flow, improving the clarity of information presentation, and optimizing the overall user experience.
The visual design also underwent several iterations. We explored different color schemes, illustration styles, and typographic treatments to find the best combination that conveyed the desired personality for "Menqing" and the overall brand identity of the dashboard.
The final design is a polished and intuitive AI-powered data dashboard that provides a personalized and engaging experience for Tsinghua students. It successfully balances the project's ambitious goals with its practical constraints, delivering a product that is both useful and delightful.
This project taught me the importance of systematic design thinking. By applying the five planes of user experience, we were able to create a coherent and effective design solution despite the many constraints. This structured approach helped us stay focused on the user and make informed design decisions at every stage of the process.
