Student Journey Maps

Student Journey MapsJP Rains VP Strategy at Soshal@jp_rains

@jp_rainsJP Rains

VP, Strategy at Soshal#PSEWEB Board Chair

Former head of digital at Laurentian University

@jp_rainsStudent Journey Mapping

• What is Student Journey Mapping?• How can you implement this process

on campus?• How can you use this to improve your efforts?

What is a Student Journey Map?

@jp_rainsStudent Journey Mapping

The student journey is arguably one of the most complex user mapping exercises, as it involves a significant number of stakeholders, concurrent processes, and spans over many years.

A map that tells the story of a student’s journey through the student life cycle (or a phase of it).

What is a Student Journey Map?

@jp_rainsElements of the Student Journey Map

Personas (Ex: prospective students, alumni etc)1. Goal(s)2. Activities3. Emotions4. Barriers5. Insights

@jp_rainsWhat is a Persona?

• Prospect• Current Student• International Student• Alumni• Donor

• Media• Researchers• Faculty• Staff• Government

What is a Goal?

@jp_rainsWhat is an Activity?

@jp_rainsWhat is an Emotion?

“Everything is awesome! I

think…”

“I hope I don’t fail”

“Starting to feel the stress!”

“OMG”

“No.”

@jp_rainsWhat is a Barrier?

Professor TobiasOffice Hours

Mon -----Tues -----Weds -----Thurs -----Fri 9am - 9:30am

[email protected]

@jp_rainsWhat is an Insight?

The insight we’ve gained and can apply.• Students have trouble finding programs

because of the long list and confusing names. We should create a way to find programs that removes the complexity.

Your student experience needs to be better.Always.

How can you collect this information?

@jp_rainsCollecting data

QualitativeFocus groups (students, staff, faculty)Logs of frequently asked questionsSurveys1 on 1 interviews

“Data, I think, is one of the most powerful mechanisms for telling stories. I take a huge pile of data and I try to get it to tell stories.”

Steven Levitt - Freakonomics Co-Author

@jp_rainsCollecting data

QuantitativeGoogle AnalyticsAnalysis of inquiries from Social MediaCRM dataInstitutional data

How can you use this to improve your efforts?

@jp_rainsUsing a Student Journey Map

1. Prioritize investments2. Simplify the student journey3. Appreciate the emotional state of students4. Spread this information 5. Better understand other areas of the student

journey

@jp_rainsUsing a Student Journey Map

6. Annual benchmarking7. Creating new tools8. Dispelling myths9. Put students first

10. Avoid HIPPO decision making

Students are both our customer and our product.Let’s invest in them.

JP RainsVP, Strategy at Soshal

[email protected]

@jp_rains