UC Berkeley Schedule Planner
Project Backgrounds
After joining Berkeley in 2023, I found it difficult to build schedules with the Berkeley Schedule Planner. Some of my peers had similar complaints. In 2024, I decided to identify the problem and propose a new solution.
Existing Design
Students spend a lot of time shuffling through hundreds of schedules. Even then, they aren’t satisfied with any of them.
In the current class selection system, after students add all their interested classes, the system generates numerous schedules, sometimes exceeding 100 options. Students need to manually sift through them and compare differences. Despite this effort, they often find that they don’t like any of the options.
https://bcsweb.is.berkeley.edu/
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Inspiration
How to help students build class schedules more efficiently?
New Design
View conflicting classes when selecting
https://bcsweb.is.berkeley.edu/
View all conflicts at once and resolve them based on preference.
https://bcsweb.is.berkeley.edu/
Design Process
Discover Problem
How do students decide which schedule works best for them?
To find out the core issues, I engaged with 6 UC Berkeley students from various majors, observing and interviewing them about their course planning process. By asking them to rank their priorities when choosing courses, I gained insight into their decision-making process.
Students' priorities while planning schedules
Image of the card-sorting activity I conducted
System problem 1:
The system overwhelms users with too many options.
The system attempts to generate combinations of classes based on available time slots. For instance, if a student schedules two classes, each with 10 sections, it can create up to 100 combinations. Adding more classes exponentially increases the number of options, making it difficult for users to spot the differences and choose the best schedule.
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System problem 2:
Among these options, the system wrongly assumes students want to take all selected classes, eliminating certain schedules.
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HMW provide fewer choices so that student can more easily find schedules fits their preferences.
Refreshing User Journey
Past User Journey
In the past flow, users were required to select and deselect courses repeatedly to piece together an optimal schedule.
Current User Journey
The refreshed system reduces the input needed from students and provides them with the opportunity to view all conflicts and make decisions on their own.
Final Design
View conflicted classes when selecting
https://bcsweb.is.berkeley.edu/
View all conflicts at once and resolve conflicts based on preference
https://bcsweb.is.berkeley.edu/
Design Decisions
Functionality for Color Coding
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Direction 1
Class Section
Differentiate classes to clarify which section belongs to which class.
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Direction 2
Registration Status
Highlight registration status, making it immediately apparent whether a student is enrolled, waitlisted, or needs to register.
Final Decision
Registration status
This choice was made recognizing that understanding one's registration status (enrolled, waitlisted, etc.) is a high priority for students, offering immediate clarity on their course status.
Choosing the Optimal View
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Direction 1
Side-by-Side View
Facilitates the analysis of time periods and course specifics, perfect for intricate timetable management.
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Direction 2
Full View with Dual Modes
(Calendar & List)
Helps users toggle between list and calendar formats and adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes.
Final Decision
Full View with Dual Modes
I decided to go with the full view, enhancing accessibility and user experience across platforms.
Reflectons
Diving Deeper Into the Reasons Behind Usability Issues
I discovered that the root cause of the system’s difficulty was not immediately apparent. Through user research, I identified that the overwhelming number of options and incorrect assumptions about preferences were key issues.
Prioritizing User Needs Over System Preferences
I learned that prioritizing system logic over user needs leads to frustration. The system focused on optimal time slots but failed to consider individual student preferences. This taught me the importance of aligning system design with user priorities.