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Articulation System

ASSIST is an online system that helps California students find out which courses they can transfer to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus from a California Community College (CCC).​ Assist shows how course credits earned at a CCC can be applied to a CSU or UC campus. It also helps students understand how their courses can meet general education, elective, and major requirements at their destination school.

01

The Problem

Their website had become outdated, burdened by numerous incremental updates over the years, leaving its primary users feeling confused. When students and parents are uncertain and unable to navigate a clear educational path, it creates additional challenges for counselors and, in the worst cases, can result in students pursuing the wrong direction, wasting valuable time and money that cannot be recovered.

 

Articulation officers face significant challenges with the ASSIST admin tool due to its complex interface, time-consuming processes, and lack of flexibility. Updating and managing articulation agreements is cumbersome, with limited options for bulk changes and delays in publishing updates to the public-facing platform. Technical glitches, insufficient training resources, and slow technical support exacerbate these issues, while a lack of collaboration tools makes coordinating with partner institutions difficult. These inefficiencies can lead to errors or outdated information, negatively impacting students and advisors who rely on accurate transfer data. Improved usability, streamlined processes, better training, and real-time updates are critical for addressing these challenges.

02

The Users

The public-facing site is primarily designed for students and parents who are navigating the transition from a California Community College to a California State school or University. It provides essential information on the general education requirements needed for a successful transfer, as well as access to courses that may count toward their chosen major. 

 

More specific the users include:

  • Community College Students: To plan transfer pathways to UCs and CSUs, fulfill general education, and complete major prerequisites.

  • High School Students and Parents: To explore community college options and prepare for future transfers.

  • Counselors and Advisors: To guide students in course selection and transfer requirements.

  • University Advisors and Admissions Staff: To verify course equivalencies and assist transfer students.

  • Faculty and Administrators: To align curricula with transfer standards and maintain articulation agreements.

  • Returning Students or Lifelong Learners: To restart education or transfer prior coursework.

  • Policy Makers and Researchers: To analyze and improve California’s transfer system.

  • Nonprofits or Educational Organizations: To assist clients pursuing higher education pathways.


On the administrative side, Articulation Officers play a crucial role in fostering connections between Community Colleges and CSU/UC campuses. This full-time position is held by several officers at each college, who gather data on how each community college class transfers for credit within the system. This complex and dynamic information is updated annually and is integrated from the backend articulation admin tool into the public website.​​​​

03

The Solutions

This project was extensive, involving a significant redesign of two systems for different user groups. Our top priority was to revamp the public site to minimize confusion and inquiries from students. I collaborated with students and the client to identify pain points and their objectives for using the site. These discussions were essential in shaping our redesign goals and guided our decisions throughout the process, resulting in a fresh, clear flow, a vibrant color palette, and well-defined outcomes for students.

The more substantial effort focused on the Admin tool. The research and definition phase spanned several months as we navigated complex requirements and gathered diverse perspectives from various Articulation Officers, each with strong opinions. We spent months iterating on wireframes and prototypes, working closely with users to create a long-overdue, comprehensive redesign of the system. This project truly exemplified our commitment to user feedback and ultimately achieved great success.

04

The Impact

Public Site

The revamped public site, with its vibrant colors and fresh design, captured the attention of existing users, while the new clear and concise navigation significantly minimized user confusion and the need for follow-ups. Students and parents found it much easier to engage with complex content, effectively utilizing the self-service system as intended.

 

Admin Tool
With the completion of the Admin tool, Articulation officers could dedicate more time to their primary role of curating course articulations between institutions, rather than spending excessive time inputting data into the system. The need for "hacks" was eliminated, as each task now had a straightforward method for completion. They gained the ability to make tailored decisions regarding content structure to address the unique needs of each institution, all while ensuring a consistent presentation of data for students.

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