article
The new tuition and fee estimator: a collaborative process
As digital communications professionals working in a university setting, it's essential to recognize the impact our work has on the students we serve, as well as each other. While we strive to understand our audience and create valuable content, we often come across a question or situation that leads us into a rabbit hole of unknowns—and that can significantly impact our work.
This article explores our journey to improve the tuition fee calculator. Our success depended on a user-centered approach and collaboration with other units. By leveraging feedback, conducting usability testing, and involving our partners and subject matter experts, we were able to uncover unforeseen issues, enhance the usability, accessibility, and accuracy of this tool—ensuring it catered to the needs of students, staff, and parents alike.
The previous tuition fee calculator
The new tuition and fee estimator
Understanding the need for change
Our starting point was the realization that the tuition calculator needed a refresh. Our primary goals were:
- Provide prospective students with a tool to provide a better estimate of their tuition costs, enabling them to compare and make informed decisions about their education.
- Make it easier to maintain and update with new fee data.
- Meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level AA requirements.
- Provide a mobile-friendly experience.
During the Tuition & financial aid subsite project launched in November 2022, we received valuable feedback from students through user interviews about the tuition calculator that we leveraged for this project:
- Students faced challenges in using the calculator, particularly in predicting their course credit load.
- There was a misalignment between students' expectations and the capabilities of the tool. Since we referred to it as a tuition calculator, students anticipated precise and accurate totals. The calculator, however, overlooked numerous variables that influence individual tuition and fee amounts.
Collaborative decision-making and uncovering unknown unknowns
The success of this project relied heavily on collaborators, all of whom provided valuable expertise and insights into the needs of prospective students. Moreover, we consulted with:
- International Students Office (ISO)
- Student Accounts Office (SAO)
- Birks Student Center
- Recruitment officers
- Admissions officers
- School of Graduate Studies (SGS)
This collaborative effort not only revealed additional pain points and essential information required for the estimator but also helped us address the unknown unknowns – those unforeseen gaps in our knowledge. Each meeting brought additional information that helped us close those gaps.
The iterative design process involving rounds of feedback and design.
Navigating unknown unknowns requires cultivating a culture of awareness and openness within and across our teams. By acknowledging that there may be aspects we don't know, we create a mindset that positions us to proactively discover and address unforeseen issues that may arise during the project.
Addressing the pain points
We addressed the feedback we gathered by doing the following:
Reframe the tool from calculator to estimator.
To better manage their expectation of accurate calculations, we also renamed the tool as an estimator, emphasizing that the totals provided are an approximation rather than an exact value. This shift in terminology helped to establish realistic expectations and convey the limitations of this tool.
Simplify the steps required to obtain an estimate.
We started with the most general information, such as citizenship and residency status, and gradually progressed to more specific details like degree type, faculty, and course load. By structuring the process in this manner, it was more logical and ensured a smoother user experience among prospective students.
Provide context and helpful information at the right time.
We incorporated links and tooltips to help students find information they needed to proceed in the estimator as well as highlight other considerations that could affect their admissions journey. By offering these contextual cues, we empowered students to make informed decisions and find the information they needed efficiently.
Links to undergraduate and graduate program pages are strategically placed in the faculty section. Users can look up the faculty associated to their program before making their selection.
Tooltips containing important cues are included throughout the estimator.
Rigorous quality assurance and testing
After multiple rounds of feedback, usability testing with students, and design iteration–we had to ensure the new tuition estimator met the highest standards. We subjected it to rigorous quality assurance, web accessibility, and responsiveness testing. These measures guaranteed that the tool was accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or devices.
Using Browsertack, the tuition and fee estimator was tested on a number of devices including the iPhone 13, Samsung S22 and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Conclusion
The journey of enhancing the tuition estimator highlights the value of collaboration and user feedback. By actively involving partners and collaborators and engaging with students and staff, we were able to create a user-friendly, accessible, and accurate tool. This experience serves as a reminder that by investing extra time and effort in the early stages of collaboration and feedback, we can deliver better solutions that serve the needs of a diverse audience. As web editors, let's continue to prioritize collaboration, user-centric design, and ongoing improvements to enhance the university experience for all.
