PodSC
A study room reservation app designed for USC students.
Context
The existing pod reservation system had a bad reputation amongst USC students.
University of Southern California students struggled to use the existing pod (study room) booking system, and many gave up before successfully making a reservation. I redesigned the website into a simple, intuitive mobile app. I also implemented a QR code feature, allowing students to scan into pods with their phones.
Challenge
Students couldn't find value in the current system.
“I don’t book pods in advance; I just walk to my nearest library and check if any are available.”
— Peter, USC Graduate Student
“When I booked a pod for finals I spent like 2 minutes scrolling to the right date/time.”
— Jessica, USC Senior & TA
“I went on the website once but couldn’t find where to actually book.”
— Jayden, USC Freshman
Identified Issues
■ Website not optimized for mobile
■ Scheduling feature is hidden at bottom
■ Overall process is too long
User Experience
■ Frustrated
■ Inconvenienced
■ Uninterested
Research & Insights
Students wanted something quick, easy, and with GPS services.
To understand the true pain points, I surveyed 56 USC students with experience using the room booking site. Key findings included:
■ 70% of participants primarily accessed the booking system via mobile devices, yet only 20% of them reported having a positive experience on mobile.
■ 81% of students agreed that the process was confusing and time-consuming.
■ 56% of students intentionally reserved certain libraries based on the location they anticipated departing from
User Personas & Interviews
Booking a pod should be convenient for both the occasional and consistent user.
In order to better understand the results of the initial research, I created user personas to turn the data into a story.
These personas helped me identify three students to interview and further improve my understanding of PodSC's users and the booking process.
Peter stressed that he'd only use the app if the booking process could be done before he finished his walk to the nearest library (~5 minutes).
Jessica emphasized the need for a better way to see and select available dates/times.
Jayden shared that he would appreciate a search function that can filter available rooms by library, time of day, and capacity.
Key Design Features
Students wanted something quick, easy, and with GPS services.
Pods near you
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