1. FIU Redesign 2009
Personas

2. Personas
Personas are a set of representative profiles for a customer base. As a design tool, they are a powerful way to commu-
nicate behaviors, goals, wants, needs, and frustrations.
Effective personas are driven by research data and focus on how a particular profile uses a particular application in
a given context. The creation of different profiles is based on analysis of behaviors, goals, wants, needs, and frustra-
tions of many customers.

3. Foreign Graduate Student & Researcher
1 5
Jane
“I found the academic calendar once at From a scale of (strongly disagree) to (Strongly agree)
the beginning of the year.” How would you rate the following statements?
Mary Jane is a graduate student for Florida International University (FIU) studying
Mechanical Engineering. She is also researcher for FIU; She is an employee for FIU. “I found the FIU Website easy to use”
As new to FIU, one of the main things Jennifer mentioned is her awareness around
the FIU campus. She feels that having a campus map accessible and comprehensive
for students is very important for FIU’s visibility. Also, Jennifer felt being able to ac-
cess her FIU E-mail is very important and should be easy to find than it is currently
laid out on the FIU website. “How important is to know about FIU News & Events?”
When searching for professors, Jennifer would use Google to find her results as
oppose to using the FIU website. In fact, Jennifer would try to use the FIU search
engine for most of the questions given to her. This includes finding professors, aca-
demic calendar, and looking for FIU news.
“How important is to know about research at FIU?”
In summary, Jennifer found it difficult to find information at first sight of the FIU
website because it’s not found on the main page. She also finds having statistical
information of her class is useful when deciding to chose FIU for her post graduate
work. Lastly, having the main page clear and more of an interface to directly access
the information she needs would be more beneficial.
Key Characteristics Goals Frustrations & Pain Points
• Graduate Student • Obtain her P.h. D • Could not find the FIU academic calendar
• Intermediate savvy internet user • Become a researcher • Confused how to access her e-mail.
• Values accuracy in her work • Not able to find professors through the FIU website
• Uses the internet all the time (except using the search engine)
• Checks e-mail often; at least 5 times a week Top 3 items I look for • Looking for news and events was not obvious to find
• Windows user • Number or percentage of students graduated though found on the main page.
• MIT is her favorite University web site • The average Grade Point Average (GPA)
• The demography (The different nationality present in
the university).

4. Staff - Administrative
1 5
Joey
scale of to
“The main FIU page could be cleaner” From a (strongly disagree) (Strongly agree)
How would you rate the following statements?
Joey is an employee for Florida International University (FIU). Specically, Joey
works with Media Relations.
As an employee to FIU, one of the main things Joey does is reguraly check all the “I found the FIU Website easy to use”
news that exist about FIU. This includes digital mediums such as the main FIU
Website, FIU News, and also print mediums such FIU Magazine.
Joey feels that having news related to FIU accessible and comprehensive for stu-
dents, faculty, media, and other external entities are very important for FIU’s visibil-
ity. In fact, he feels that news should be the first thing that student should see when “How important is to know about FIU News & Events?”
they go to the main page of FIU.
During our usability session, Joey would prefer to search items around the FIU
website with Google to find his results. When searching for items around the FIU
website, finding the email login was by far his hardest task to find. In sum, he feels
that most of the tasks are not so easy to find, that is why he usually bookmarks items “How important is to know about research at FIU?”
that are important to come back to. Such examples are the email login, and Human
Resources related links.
Key Characteristics Goals Frustrations & Pain Points
• Staff in Administration • Making a world a better place • Could not find the employee email
• Advance savvy internet user • Peace on earth login
• Heavy user of the FIU Website • Writing a good press release • Would rather use the FIU search
• Uses social media such as facebook, engine to find items.
myspace, and twitter • To describe about the FIU website,
• Uses the internet about 5-6 hours a Top 3 items I look for it is confusing, messy, unorganized,
day • News & Announcements busy, and unfriendly.
• Checks e-mail often; at least 5 times • Staff & Contact information • Main page side bar needs to change.
a week • Basic university information • Media relations staff should be
• A Windows user easier to find for
• CNN.com, nytimes.com, facebook. members of the media.
com,
sun-sentinel.com are his favorite
websites.

5. Student - Freshmen
1 5
Joan
“The best experience with the FIU From a scale of (strongly disagree) to (Strongly agree)
website was when I searched for my How would you rate the following statements?
professor’s email in the beggining of
the semester, it was the quickest thing “I found the FIU Website easy to use”
that I had been able to find on it.”
Joan is a freshmen at Florida International University (FIU). Her major is in Inter- “How important is to know about FIU News & Events?”
national Relations with a minor in Political Science. Joan has her eye set on becom-
ing the best immigration laywer in her field. She values helping other people and
will do so in the future.
As a newcomer to FIU, one of the main things any new student needs do is to find
information regarding how to access e-mail, registering for classes, drop dates, and “How important is to know about research at FIU?”
other academic items. Also, as a on-campus resident, it is very important to find out
about housing information.
During the usability session, it become clear the Joan out of habit would use the
search box for every task that is given. Whether it is a force of habit or not, it is clear
that items were not very easy to find.
Key Characteristics Goals Frustrations & Pain Points
• Freshmen • Become an immagration lawyer • Was not able to find the academic calendar, instead
• Advance savvy internet user • Helping other people in the career I choose. thought the campus life calendar can be used.
• Heavy user of the FIU Website • Went directly to panthersoft to check her e-mails.
• Uses social media such as facebook, • Was not able to find professors using the FIU website,
and myspace Top 3 items I look for including using the FIU search engine.
• Uses the internet about 3 hours a day • Financial Aid & Scholarships
• Checks e-mail often; at least 5 times a week • Majors offered
• A Windows user • Lifestyle in community (housing)
• Uses gmail.com, hopculture.com are her favorite
websites.