Laura Roty

Laura RotyLaura RotyLaura Roty

lroty@asu.edu

  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • Thesis
    • UX Research
    • Human Factors
    • Design Challenges
    • Visual Designs
    • Digital Projects
  • Contact
  • More
    • Home
    • About
    • Projects
      • Thesis
      • UX Research
      • Human Factors
      • Design Challenges
      • Visual Designs
      • Digital Projects
    • Contact

lroty@asu.edu

Laura Roty

Laura RotyLaura RotyLaura Roty
  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • Thesis
    • UX Research
    • Human Factors
    • Design Challenges
    • Visual Designs
    • Digital Projects
  • Contact

BARRETT HONORS THESIS

Welcome to my thesis page. Read below to learn more!

ASU Class Search System: A User Evaluation

Project Summary

Inspired by "A Work-Centered Approach to System User-Evaluation" by Roth (2021) and UX design principles, this thesis project aims to determine the usability levels of the ASU Class Search System to locate pain points and provide appropriate recommendations. The ASU class search system allows students to complete the necessary tasks, but the user experience is frustrating due to unnecessary scrolling, clicking, and searching. 


The user evaluation confirms that some improvements could be made to the class search system to improve its utility and usability. The main improvements suggested in this work address filter and navigation inconsistencies, an overwhelming negative space, minor design inconsistencies, minor jargon and content inconsistencies, scroll stoppers, and guide support. 

The Need to Knows

  • Surveying and Questionnaires
    • to identify the users
  • Heuristics Evaluation
    • to identify pain-points
  • User-Task Analysis
    • to collect direct feedback


  • Consistency and Standards
  • Error Prevention
  • Recognition Rather than Recall
  • Help and Documentation


  • Filter and navigation inconsistencies
  • Overwhelming scroll real estate
  • Minor design inconsistencies
  • Minor jargon/content inconsistencies
  • Scroll stoppers and guide support


"[It’s] annoying that when I change the terms it removes all my filters and resets to the home screen"


"Why would the course catalog say [the class] is available this term when it's not available in class search?"


"[This process] took a lot less time when I knew what I was looking for"


  • Centralize and modify the advanced search
  • Modify the # of items found in the main nav and advanced search
  • Dissolve the course catalog
  • Summarize and condense the class descriptions
  • Make size adjustments to profile controls and action buttons
  • Add back-to-top buttons to support accessibility
  • Modify the “No Class Found” error message to support error prevention


Personas and User Stories

Key Takeaways

  • (1) the trade-off for the class search system is user experience


  • (2) the heuristic and user evaluation I completed uncovered a handful of pain points with subsequent recommendations present in the mockups. 


  • (3) future research considering other degree programs, online students, and graduate students from all campuses would provide more insight into changes that should be made to benefit all system users.

Redesign Mockups

View my designs below or visit them on Figma!

ORIGINAL Mobile Homepage

    For more details, view my project slides.

    Explore More UX PRojects

    Phoenix Public Library

    I developed redesign comps for desktop and mobile of the homepage and locations page to showcase design recommendations for the Phoenix Public Library Website based on data collected in the user evaluation process.

    View Research Project

    ASU Food Reconnection

    I completed this design project to improve the ASU Food Reconnection resource page and centralize the resources supporting food equity, food access, engagement, and sustainability available to the ASU community. 

    View Prototypes
    Back to top ^

    Copyright © 2024 Laura Roty - All Rights Reserved.

    Phoenix, AZ

    • About
    • Work History
    • Robotics
    • Contact

    This website uses cookies.

    We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

    Accept