Collaboratory
Improving usability for a widely used higher ed engagement platform.
Project Details
Background Context
Using UX Research to Improve Data Collection in a SaaS platform used by 40+ universities.
Collaboratory is a SaaS platform used by 40+ U.S. higher education institutions to manage and track over 3,000 community engagement activities. Despite widespread adoption, the platform faced critical usability issues around navigation, data entry, and support resources. These challenges negatively impacted user satisfaction and platform efficiency.
As part of a 3-month UX research project, our team partnered with Collaboratory to uncover usability pain points and deliver actionable recommendations. our team partnered with Collaboratory to uncover usability pain points and deliver actionable recommendations.
Tools: FigJam, Figma, Google Sheets, Qualtrics
The Problem
Users struggled to navigate the platform, complete tasks efficiently, and access support when needed
Collaboratory users — faculty, staff, Community Partners, and software administrators — struggled to:
Navigate the platform efficiently
Enter data without confusion or redundancy
Find help resources when needed
These issues increased cognitive load, reduced efficiency, and limited the platform’s ability to scale its impact across institutions.
Research Question
My Role
Led research from problem discovery to synthesis
Designing and conducting semi-structured user interviews
Running a heuristic evaluation of the platform’s core features
Facilitating usability testing sessions
Synthesizing data through affinity diagramming and persona development
Communicating insights and recommendations to the client
Research
1. User Interviews
Users rely on fragmented tools and face barriers to efficient collaboration
We interviewed 4 faculty and engagement staff across four universities to explore how they manage community engagement data and navigate the Collaboratory platform. We interviewed users representing key roles within higher education institutions: faculty coordinators, engagement officers, and software administrators. Each brought distinct perspectives and responsibilities that shaped how they experienced the platform.
Key Themes:
Fragmented Workflows
Users juggle tools like Google Sheets, internal websites, and manual emails to track engagement, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistent data.Limited Access for Community Partners
Faculty are burdened with extra administrative work because partners can’t enter data directly, creating bottlenecks and added responsibility.Unclear Terminology and Onboarding
Users were confused by terms like “Activity” and “Partnership” and found the documentation insufficient for self-guided use.Lack of Storytelling Tools
Participants want ways to visualize and present engagement data more meaningfully—for reports, grants, and broader institutional impact.
2. User Personas
Our synthesis revealed clear opportunities for alignment with user expectations
We synthesized interview data into three key user personas representing core institutional roles. These personas helped us prioritize user needs and align our usability findings and design recommendations.
🧑🏫 Faculty Coordinator
Goals: Track and report community engagement across departments
Pain Points: Tedious manual entry; struggles explaining the platform to collaborators
Needs: Streamlined workflows, stronger support materials, and better visibility into reporting outcomes
👩🏽💼 Engagement Officer
Goals: Support data entry and follow-up across multiple initiatives
Pain Points: Reliant on others for updates; no direct access for partners
Needs: Role-based permissions, access delegation, and in-platform communication tools
🧑💻 Software Administrator
Goals: Manage backend system and permissions for users
Pain Points: Limited configuration options; reactive support structure
Needs: Admin dashboard, user role customization, clearer system feedback
3. Competitive Analysis
Our synthesis revealed clear opportunities for alignment with user expectations
We developed personas to capture distinct user goals and roles. We also conducted a competitive review of 5 platforms (Salesforce, Eventbrite, GivePulse, etc.) to identify UI patterns and missed opportunities.
Insights
Several platforms offered advanced reporting features and dashboards that supported data storytelling (e.g., Visible Network Labs, Salesforce).
Most competitors included collaboration features with role-based access controls, something Collaboratory lacked.
Platforms like Eventbrite used cleaner search/filter flows and progressive onboarding, setting usability expectations that Collaboratory did not meet.
4. Heuristics + Usability Testing
Core workflows showed friction, especially for users unfamiliar with the platform
We conducted a heuristic evaluation using Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics, and usability testing with 4 student participants unfamiliar with the platform. Our goal was to identify major navigation and interaction breakdowns in key tasks such as searching, onboarding, and accessing help resources.
Heuristic Findings
No progress indicators on multi-step forms
Inconsistent icons, typography, and layout design
Lack of a return button or task shortcuts
Usability Test Data
Only 1/4 users located the Help Center without assistance
3/4 users struggled with applying search filters
Avg. task time: 3.5 mins (target was under 2 mins)
Final UX Recommendations + Screens
Redesign Search Functionality
Users struggled to find and apply filters in the search page, often missing the “update” step.
Improve visibility: Place search bar on homepage and use sticky scroll behavior
Reduce friction: Auto-apply filters instead of requiring a separate “update” button
➤ “I thought I applied the filter, but nothing changed.”
Image of the filter bar showing the “Update” button—users frequently missed this step, leading to failed searches
Clarify Help Center and Onboarding
Users overlooked help resources or couldn’t find what they needed.
Centralize support: Consolidate help content with plain language and video tutorials
Boost visibility: Increase text size and contrast on key Help Center elements
➤ Only 1 of 4 users found Help Center unaided
Help Center link buried in the footer; only 1 of 4 users discovered it without guidance.
Simplify Menu Navigation
Navigation layers and missing shortcuts added friction to task flows.
Flatten IA: Reduce unnecessary menu depth
Add shortcuts: Because the platform is a series of links, include a persistent back button for easier recovery
➤ “I wish there was a back button.”
Nested and redundant menu items (e.g., “Activities” listed twice) increased cognitive load and confusion.
Improve Data Entry Flow
Form interactions lacked clarity and guidance.
Provide feedback: Use progress indicators and inline error messages
Clarify completion: Add visual status icons (e.g., green checkmarks)
➤ 2 users skipped required fields without realizing it
Required field (“Units”) left blank without error message—users were able to continue without completing the form.
Enable Role-Based Access for Community Partners
Faculty felt overwhelmed managing platform data alone.
Distribute responsibility: Allow partners to input their own information
Reduce admin burden: Expand permissions for non-institutional collaborators
➤ “I spend hours inputting for other departments.”
Final Presentation
Impact
Improving Engagement on the Collaboratory Platform
Although implementation fell outside our project timeline, our research offers clear benefits:
Reduced user frustration by aligning features with user mental models
Lowered onboarding barriers for new users and stakeholders
Improved long-term usability and institutional retention
Reflection
Client Impact
This project sharpened my ability to guide end-to-end UX research—from generative inquiry to evaluative testing—with a focus on actionable outcomes.
What I Learned
To tell compelling stories with user data
To advocate for usability through visual and verbal communication
To balance stakeholder goals with user-centered priorities
This experience strengthened my passion for solving complex, system-level UX problems and confirmed my readiness to contribute to other platforms through thoughtful, research-driven impact.