The Problem

‍

An Australian university wanted to improve the digital experience across its Study website, which had evolved organically into a large and fragmented ecosystem of 230+ pages. The existing experience created friction for prospective students attempting to browse, compare and apply for courses, resulting in a sub-optimal acquisition experience across critical stages of the student journey.

‍

Our Methodology & Approach

‍

• Benchmarking of 30 Australian university websites
• UX and conversion analysis across the Study ecosystem
• Persona and journey mapping research across domestic and international cohorts
• Information architecture analysis and content auditing of 230+ Study pages
• Usability and digital effectiveness analysis across Attract, Browse, Compare and Apply phases
• Review of search, navigation, course discovery and application pathways
  ‍

Key Insights
‍

• Prospective students experienced significant friction when browsing and comparing courses due to fragmented navigation structures
• The Study node had grown to seven IA levels deep in some areas, making important information difficult to discover
• Search was viewed positively but duplicated experiences and inconsistent filtering created confusion
• Students wanted significantly more personalised and outcome-focused information including career outcomes, fees and flexible study options
• Comparing courses emerged as one of the most important but difficult parts of the student journey
• Long-form pages and dense content structures negatively impacted engagement compared to higher-performing universities
  ‍

Optimisation Recommendations
‍

• Consolidate and simplify the Study information architecture
• Introduce enhanced onsite search and “Help me find a course” functionality
• Develop course shortlist and comparison tools
• Improve visibility of online and flexible study options
• Reframe content around career outcomes, testimonials and proof points
• Introduce clearer pathways tailored to different audience types and behaviours
• Reduce content duplication and shorten page structures to improve scanabilty and navigation efficiency
  ‍

Results
‍

• Delivered a university-wide evidence base for future Study website transformation initiatives
• Identified key friction points impacting student acquisition and digital conversion performance
• Established a prioritised roadmap linking UX improvements directly to prospective student needs and behaviours
• Enabled the university to move toward a more scalable, student-centred digital ecosystem aligned with sector best practice