Yale School of Architecture

architecture.yale.edu

My Role and Activities:

Design Vision | Information Architecture | Interaction Design | User Experience Design | Visual Design | Usability Test | Development | Quality Control

When I applied to the Yale School of Architecture graduate program, there was no online application process; I had to call the admissions office to provide my mailing address and request the application booklet. During my second year, the Dean noticed my computer skills, as I was proficient in using computer-aided design software to illustrate and animate my design concepts, and offered me a part-time position to create the first website for the school. 

Around the same time, I was also selected to be part of the admissions committee as a student representative. I witnessed firsthand that the assistant of the Admission Office was overwhelmed with call and email requests for the admissions application. She would write down the address and transcribe her hand-written notes to an address label application on her computer, then print out the adhesive labels and tape them on the application booklet. Every day during admission season, the mail delivery person would also drop off a container full of undelivered booklets when he came to pick up the outgoing mail.

Recalling that experience, I provided as much information on the website as possible so that prospective students could learn about the program without needing an application booklet. I also provided them full control over their application process. Yale School of Architecture was the first graduate program with an online application form.

Problem:

The admission process was manual, paper-based, time-consuming, and environmentally wasteful. The prospective students had limited access to information on how to complete the application process. 

Solution:

I designed and launched the first website for the Yale School of Architecture, providing prospective students online access to all necessary information and the application. I updated changes in real-time, eliminating the need for physical printing cycles.

Process:

I brought a book called “Learn to Code HTML in 10 Minutes”, learned to code in HTML, studied the application booklet, created an online application form, and designed the navigation, user flow, interaction model, and visual design. I coded the website in HTML/CSS from scratch and launched the website.

Impact:

The first website for the Yale School of Architecture helped to reduce the workload and frustration in the admissions office, reduced undeliverable booklets, reduced the production cost, reduced material waste, increased interest from the prospective students, increased access to the application and resulted in increased application submittals.