Transfer Academic Plan (TAP)

📎 Product Design

Overview

Transfer students experience some of the greatest friction when trying to attend a university — transfer of credits is complex, and the process is surrounded by uncertainty. The Transfer Academic Plan tool combines data from several sources and uses advisor knowledge to eliminate “bad” options, allowing students to easily map the most efficient path forward to their degree. We know of no other tool like this.

(Final design by my intrepid teammate Dalasie Michaelis.)

A Simplified Map

Our initial research showed that prospective students needed to visit 5–7 different websites in order to gather the information they needed for transfer. Our goal with TAP is to provide everything in one place, viewed in context.

As the user scrolls down the page, she progresses from prerequisites to course selection to admission requirements — first for the university, then for her specific program if needed.

Course Selection

Some courses are pre-selected; others are offered as recommendations. All courses that would prevent an efficient transfer are dynamically removed. 

The user can mark interesting courses as favorites, for later consideration. Courses which allow students to “double-dip” and fulfill multiple requirements are easy to spot.

Dynamic Progress Bar

As courses are selected, a floating progress bar follows the user down the page and records their progress toward various goals.

Dynamic Colors

The color scheme of the entire page is influenced by the prospective student’s selection of community college. Scrolling down the page becomes a metaphor for the continuation of the student’s journey at NAU.

Contextual Assistance

The tool offers contextual assistance and tips as needed: