UMove / Case Study
University of Michigan student population is over 50,000 and has five campuses, spanning over 3,000 acres. Each campus symbolizes a student, weaving their unique journey through the bustling academic and social landscape. The MBus system is a pathway to connect the students to other parts of the school.
However, there are some problems as the MBus system has caused stress and disruption for the first-year students. Our goal is to restore and enhance the experience by:
Integrating class schedules into the bus system, so each thread finds its perfect place in the pattern without unnecessary detours.
Allowing students to provide feedback, helping adjust and refine the design for optimal efficiency and comfort.
Ensuring the bus system operates with flawless timing, reducing waiting periods and aligning perfectly with the students' schedules.
By analyzing the students experience with the bus and our app, we came to a design that minimize the stress and maximize the function of the university's transportation system. We created a seamless, adaptive, and precise transportation experience.
Absolutely, Isaac. Let’s distill your UMove case study into a clean, compelling 5-section portfolio layout that highlights your UX research and design process while keeping it digestible and engaging.
🧱 Recommended Portfolio Structure
Here’s a structure that balances storytelling, clarity, and visual flow:
1. Overview
Purpose: Introduce the project, your role, and the challenge.
Include:
Project name: UMove – University of Michigan Bus App
Timeline: September–[End Date]
Team size: 4 members
Your role: UX Researcher & Designer (Account, Feedback, Buttons, Presentation)
Tools: Figma, Zoom, Affinity Mapping
Problem statement:
“How might we alleviate UMich students' transportation stress by integrating class schedules, providing feedback mechanisms, and offering accurate bus information?”
Visuals: Project thumbnail or hero image, maybe a screenshot of the final UI.
2. Research & Insights
Purpose: Show how you understood the users and defined the problem.
Include:
Methods: Interviews (6 students), Affinity Mapping, Personas
Key themes:
Bus delays & unreliability
Lack of real-time info
No feedback channel
Personas: Santiago & Carmen (brief bios + frustrations)
Needs summary:
Usability for all experience levels
Accurate tracking & notifications
Feedback system
Visuals: Persona cards, affinity map clusters, quotes from interviews
3. Design Strategy
Purpose: Explain how insights shaped your design decisions.
Include:
Information architecture: Sitemap and rationale
Task mapping: How user needs translated into app features
Key features:
Real-time bus tracking
Class schedule import
Feedback system
Tutorial for onboarding
Visuals: Sitemap, task-feature mapping table, early wireframes
4. Testing & Iteration
Purpose: Demonstrate how you validated and refined the design.
Include:
Usability testing: Zoom sessions, flexible script
Key findings:
Tutorial needed clearer flow
Route setup was confusing
Feedback system needed simplification
Changes made:
Removed “Set Home”
Split route sections into “My Classes,” “Live Map,” and “All Routes”
Improved button clarity and layout
Visuals: Before/after wireframes, user flow diagrams, usability test quotes
5. Final Design & Reflection
Purpose: Showcase the final product and what you learned.
Include:
High-fidelity prototype highlights
Style guide: Colors, typography, button styles
Impact:
Easier navigation for students
Potential to reduce traffic and stress
Limitations:
Couldn’t include all routes due to Figma constraints
Feedback system could be misused
Reflection:
“This project taught me how to translate user frustrations into actionable design, and how to iterate quickly while staying grounded in research.”
Visuals: Final screens, style guide snippets, demo video links (if available)
✨ Optional Add-ons
Call to Action: “Want to see the prototype?” → Link to Figma or demo
Downloadable PDF: If you want to offer the full case study for deeper review
Team credits: Brief shoutout to collaborators
Would you like help drafting the actual content for each section, or designing a layout for a portfolio site (e.g., Webflow, Notion, custom HTML)?
Problem Statement
Initially, we wanted to create a user-friendly app for University of Michigan students that offers precise details on M-Bus routes and schedules.
There are already existing apps that claim to accomplish this, but their flaws lead to unnecessary stress as users struggle to navigate the apps along with the bus system.
After research and engagement with our users through interviews and usability tests, we formulated the design problem statement stating:
How might we alleviate UMich students’ transportation stress by …
Improving their connection to the existing bus system through integration of class schedules?
Providing opportunities to give feedback in order to optimize daily commutes?
Providing access to accurate bus information in order to reduce wait times and improve punctuality
Process Overview
Data Collection & Analysis
We employed a wide range of data collection and analysis methods, from interviews to personas to affinity mapping, in order to reach total understanding of our problem.
Interviews
In order to gather background and context on the issue at hand, we conducted a series of user interviews.
Who?
Six current or recent University of Michigan students.
What?
Interviews conducted both in-person and remotely.
Interview Analysis
How?
?
We asked questions about: participants experiences with the MBus system (habits, likes/dislikes, frustrations, suggestions) and the transportation apps they typically use.
