How I Customized a Digital Platform to Strengthen Alumni Engagement and Drive Community Growth
Great platforms don’t just connect people—they inspire action. As the UX Designer for Instituto Superior Técnico’s Alumni Network platform, I had the exciting challenge of transforming an existing tool into a vibrant, user-friendly space for alumni to connect, collaborate, and give back. By combining strategic customization, usability testing, and a clear focus on user needs, I helped create a platform that fosters lifelong connections, amplifies engagement, and supports the school’s mission of community-building and innovation.
Role
UX Designer
Tools
Hivebrite Platform | Figma | Miro | Notion | Trello
1. Context
To bring the Técnico Alumni Network to life, we customized the Hivebrite platform to meet the specific needs of our alumni community. Hivebrite, an all-in-one solution for alumni engagement, required significant tailoring to ensure every feature aligned with user expectations. My focus was on improving usability by refining the platform’s design and functionality. Through user feedback, usability tests, and collaborative problem-solving, we created an intuitive, user-friendly interface that fostered engagement, strengthened connections, and exceeded our strategic goals.
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Técnico Alumni Network Platform
2. Planning
I’ve built a report outlining the goals we aim to achieve, coupled with a detailed analysis of the Hivebrite platform's potential, to create the best Técnico Alumni Network platform. This report highlights key objectives, strategic milestones, and the projected impact on our overall growth, considering the platform's available features and the customizations that could be made.
By examining the platform's capabilities, strengths, and areas for improvement, I could formulate a robust action plan to leverage its full potential. This analysis not only aligns with our vision but also provides a clear roadmap for future developments and optimizations.
3. Execution
To ensure our approach was thorough, we had several productive meetings with the Hivebrite team. These meetings were crucial in identifying and addressing key areas for improvement. I’ve prepared an objective report detailing the team's doubts, suggestions for enhancement, and questions about certain features listed in the contract and the admin manual, which were not functioning as expected.
Meanwhile, Sofia Cabeleira and I conducted interviews and usability tests with alumni to gather their feedback and insights, ensuring that our solutions were user-centric. Moreover, I implemented platform customization by coordinating interactions with my team, the Hivebrite team, and the university's multimedia team. This collaborative approach ensured that our customization efforts aligned with both technical specifications and user experience goals. Regular communication and coordination among these teams were crucial in adapting the platform to meet the specific needs of our community while enhancing its functionality and usability.
4. Challenges
As a result of this collective effort by the Tech Transfer Office team and the Hivebrite team, we successfully resolved eight issues in a follow-up meeting the next week. However, six issues were identified as platform limitations, so we implemented alternative solutions for these. Additionally, of these six limitation issues, three were escalated through tickets to the responsible sector for further investigation and potential resolution. This collaborative effort not only enhanced the overall experience but also ensured that our platform met the unique needs of our users while supporting our strategic objectives. It also helped the Hivebrite team identify issues to solve and improve the platform.
5. Impacts
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Establish a task force between the Técnico Tech Transfer Office and Hivebrite teams.
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More than 2000 Members
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More than 30 active Groups
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Platform launch in 2022
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300% increase in alumni events
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Increased dynamism in the Técnico Spin-off community
