Double Major Experience @ UMich

Project Overview

This research project aimed to understand the unique experiences, challenges, and support systems of University of Michigan students pursuing a double major. The central research question was, "How might we understand the challenges and experiences of double major students at the University of Michigan?" The study focused on how these students navigate academic advising, manage workload, and identify opportunities for improving university support systems.

Research Goals

• Explore students’ experiences with academic advising and workload management.

• Identify challenges specific to pursuing a double major at the University of Michigan.

• Provide recommendations for improving university support for double major students.

Research Process

1. Interview Guide Development

I created an interview guide with 30+ questions that covered:

• Participant background

• Academic advising experiences

• Time management strategies

• Double major policies and impacts

• Career implications

• A social mapping activity for additional insights

* This social mapping activity was used to identify the support resources participants use, highlighting patterns and gaps

2. Participant Selection

Screener Questions:

• Are you currently enrolled at the University of Michigan?

• Have you declared a double major?

• Are you at least a sophomore (35+ credits)?

I selected participants with sufficient experience as double major students to provide meaningful insights, and all signed an informed consent form ensuring anonymity.

3. User Interviews

I conducted five hour-long interviews with participants (P1-P5), gathering qualitative insights on their experiences.

4. Data Cleaning & Coding

After transcribing the interviews, I cleaned the data and coded it for recurring themes, focusing on:

• Time management challenges

• Academic advising effectiveness

• Double major policies impact

• Social and career considerations

* Coding data

5. Affinity Diagram

I took all of my codes and narrowed them down to ten that were saturated with sufficient data, then created an affinity diagram to visualize and categorize the insights, highlighting common themes. Each participant's insights were color-coded to maintain anonymity.

* Affinity Diagram

6. User Persona

Based on the common insights from the interviews, I created a user persona representing the typical double major student at the University of Michigan. The persona captured their challenges, motivations, and goals.

*User Persona

7. User Journey Mapping

Based on the common insights from the interviews, I created a user persona representing the typical double major student at the University of Michigan. The persona captured their challenges, motivations, and goals.

* User Journey Map

Key Insights

• Advising Challenges: A need for more specialized advisors who understand the unique needs of double major students.

• Time Management Stress: Students often feel overwhelmed with managing the demands of two degree programs.

• Career Uncertainty: Double major students are unsure about how to leverage their academic diversity in their careers.

Suggestions for Improvement

• Specialized Academic Advisors: Advisors with expertise in double major degree accommodations to provide tailored advice and support.

• Improved Workload Management Tools: Platforms that help students balance course schedules and manage academic pressures.

Limitations

• Participant Demographics: All participants were from the U.S., so there is potential for richer insights from international students.

• Future Research: More diverse participant groups would be necessary to gain broader perspectives.

Key Takeaways

• Strengthened UX Research Skills: This project helped me trust the research process, starting without a predetermined solution and allowing the data to guide insights and design direction.

• Application to Future Projects: The research methods from this project informed other projects, enriching my design thinking and enhancing the final deliverables.