Want to Explore the Process? Let's dive in!
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It all started with a Problem

As I explored the world of higher education and industry collaboration, I noticed how often potential partnerships fell through the cracks. Project managers searched endlessly for the right academic partners, only to face mismatched skills, unclear expectations, and little insight into university capabilities. Students, too, missed chances to apply their talents in meaningful ways. I envisioned a centralized platform, one that bridges these gaps, sparks collaboration, and creates lasting impact for both students and industry.

The Power of Early Research

As I delved into the project, I turned to secondary research to build a strong foundation. Exploring industry reports, academic studies, and market trends, I uncovered key insights that shaped our approach, ensuring our solution was both user-centered and strategically aligned with business goals.

Primary Research - Uncovering Hidden Needs
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I dive into gathering direct insights from users through methods like semi-structured interviews. During these sessions, I ask open-ended questions to understand their experiences, pain points, and expectations, allowing me to gather rich, qualitative data that informs the design process.
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Key Issues Identified - Mapping User Pain

From Insights to Personas: A User-Centered Approach

It All Started with a Question, Then the Ideas Rolled In

"How might we simplify the process of finding universities to collaborate with organizations enabling informed decision making?"

Project managers and clients struggle to identify suitable academic partners due to mismatched skillsets, expectations, and limited information on past projects. This leads to missed collaboration opportunities and inefficient outcomes.

Through my research and analysis, including in-depth literature reviews and interviews with stakeholders, I identified key challenges in the collaboration process between clients, universities, and students. These challenges include difficulty in articulating value propositions, meeting new universities or potential partners, and ensuring skill alignment. Based on these insights, I brainstormed potential solutions that could address these pain points effectively.

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