2024
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Principal Writer
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Communication, Conceptualization, Strategy, Research, Facilitation
Translating Regulation into a Delightful
User Experience for Universities in Indonesia
TLDR:
A new regulation governing lecturer performance reporting in Indonesia introduced an additional planning step, potentially causing anxiety among 270,000+ lecturers across 2,600+ universities. To ensure that we could alleviate concerns and highlight benefits, my approach for this project was to utilize research and user insights to carefully craft the user experience. This resulted in a guided process that not only ensures compliance but transforms a potentially disruptive change into a user-friendly experience.
My Role & Involvement
In this project, I wore multiple hats, including UX Writer, researcher, and strategist. While my formal title is Principal UX Writer, I broadened my contributions by mapping the entire system to identify pain points, co-designing and facilitating research to uncover user terminology, and crafting a communication strategy that reassured users about the new process. This allowed me to go beyond traditional writing tasks and integrate a user-centric perspective into both content and design decisions.
Introducing a New Regulation with an Added Step to the Process
Previously, performance reporting was a burdensome, end-of-semester task. It required uploading numerous documents, choosing from dozens of category options for each document, and navigating a complex process to ensure the report met national criteria. The platform offered little guidance, making the task even more time-consuming. Additionally, the previous regulation did not require any planning, leaving lecturers scrambling at the end of the semester to report whatever they had documented proof for.
This project represents a major shift in how Indonesian universities conduct performance reviews for their lecturers, driven by Permendikbudristek 44/2024. The new regulation introduces a more streamlined approach, requiring semester-based planning that acts as a guiding framework for lecturers’ performance throughout the upcoming semester. By breaking activities into smaller, manageable tasks, the updated process reduces the end-of-semester workload. This new system will be managed through SISTER (Sistem Informasi Sumberdaya Terintegrasi), an existing platform developed by the Ministry of Education for performance reporting.
While the goal was to streamline the process and encourage lecturers to plan ahead, the new regulation also introduced an additional step to performance reporting: the planning flow. Even a small step can feel like an extra hurdle, so how did we design a solution to ease the transition to this new process?
Challenges in Implementing the New Process
One small step might not seem like a big deal, but it's actually more significant than it appears. I identified several challenges that illustrate why this could create added complexity:
Convincing Cautious Users to Adopt New Habit
Lecturers are generally cautious when introduced to new processes. While they may eventually comply when instructed or when a change becomes mandatory, they tend to approach new things with hesitation. In this case, asking lecturers to adopt a habit of planning their work at the start of the semester will require significant persuasion and adaptation, as it's an unfamiliar practice for them.
User Struggles with Reliability and Usability in SISTER
Launched in 2019, SISTER was developed to digitize the reporting process in Indonesia. As a legacy platform (since we only gained access to work on it in 2023), it initially prioritized basic functionality over user experience, resulting in a minimalistic and often challenging interface. Our USAT in November 2023 revealed that reporting was among the top three pain points for users, with feedback citing issues of reliability and ease of use. This made our work challenging, as users' initial impressions of the platform were already negative.
Power Dynamics in the New Planning Process
The planning flow requires lecturers to submit their plans, which must then be approved by the manager. Additionally, it introduces a new habit, as managers will now need to assist lecturers in planning their work by discussing growth plans and managing resource allocation. Prior to the release of this regulation, the relationship between lecturers and their managers was largely undefined, with many lecturers even unaware of who their manager was. This lack of a clear relationship poses a significant challenge, as we will need to help both lecturers and managers establish a relationship from scratch in order to adapt to this new process.
The Journey
Now let's explore how I helped transformed complex regulations into a seamless and user-friendly product flow, ensuring both compliance and an enjoyable user experience.
Utilizing Service Blueprint to Map Potential Pain Points
To implement the new regulation within our existing platform, our first step was to map out the services. Working closely with our Design Manager, I led the effort to map the entire SISTER system, identifying interconnections across all services. Drawing on insights from previous research, I incorporated these findings into the service blueprint to spotlight potential pain points needing careful attention.
Based on this effort, we identified at least 3 potential pain points to anticipate:
Onboarding Process
The platform lacks guiding elements, and lecturers have previously relied on one-time socialization sessions (conducted by the university) or YouTube tutorials to learn how to navigate it.
Attaching Proof of Work
The reporting process involves numerous steps. Typically, lecturers spend at least 6 hours completing the report, with some even working through the night to meet the deadline.
Assessment Responsibilities
The assessment process depends largely on the role of the assessor and universities often need to hire external assessors to support this task.
Utilizing Service Blueprint to Map Potential Pain Points
As a follow-up, we conducted a series of field research studies to validate our hypothesized pain points. Additionally, my goal was to uncover the terminology and language commonly used by lecturers in their daily routines – allowing me to craft more effective communication within the platform.
In this research, I took a hands-on role as co-researcher, primarily responsible for designing the stimuli and facilitating the sessions. Aside from that, I also took part on the synthesize process and reporting.
The research uncovered several key insights that will be valuable for our design process:
Use of "Atasan" for Manager
Initially, I was reluctant to use the word "Atasan" for manager, as it could emphasize the hierarchical nature of the relationship in Indonesian. However, participants naturally used this term during conversations and even emphasized its importance in highlighting the authority and responsibility of the manager in the process.
Recording Additional Tasks
We also discovered that users would need a way to record additional tasks assigned to them mid-semester. In a university setting, tasks are often assigned after the semester has already started, so more tasks could be added to the initial plan.
Flexibility in Planning Ahead
While the initial reception to planning ahead was positive, participants suggested that some flexibility should be allowed in the reporting process. They pointed out that various factors, such as delays in research grants, could hinder the completion of tasks, so they may need a way to mark an unfinished task and provide an explanation.
Hand-Holding for Seamless Transition
Once released, universities have just one year to adapt into this new process so it’s essential to guide them through the journey. Based on the service mapping, research and testing insights, here are some strategies I implemented to smoothen their adaptation.
Before going into the details, here's the high-level illustration of the new reporting process:
Based on that high-level flow, here are the examples how I incorporated the guiding elements into the flow to ensure that both lecturers and managers are well-informed about what they need to do and what to expect from them:
Empowering Users by Sprinkling Helpful Bits Along the Way
The new process introduces many new tasks for both lecturers and managers, making contextual guidance essential to help them navigate these responsibilities. My communication focus was to instill confidence in users as they completed their tasks. This aligns with user behavior, as they are not naturally curious about new processes. When they do engage, we need to ensure they feel confident that they are doing it correctly.
Reducing Hesitation by Laying All Cards on the Table
The new process introduces an additional step to the overall journey, altering the entire sequence. Since reporting is heavily reliant on a structured flow of steps, it’s crucial to provide users with a high-level overview of the process so they know what to expect. This approach aligns with users’ typically cautious behavior, as providing a clear roadmap can offer peace of mind and reduce hesitation. My primary focus was to give users a clear, concise view of the end-to-end process, empowering them to plan their work for the steps ahead.
Assisting Role Shifts with Informative Elements
Previously, the responsibility for conducting the reporting assessment was assigned to assessors, with managers only required to sign off on the final result as a form of authorization. However, the new regulation shifts this responsibility to the managers, so we must equip them to effectively carry out the task. Since managers are also lecturers, they share similar behaviors, such as being cautious and hesitant toward new processes. Hence, it’s crucial to help them feel confident and clear about their role in this new process, ensuring they don’t feel lost or confused.
Strategize the Information Display to Address Critical Pain Point
Reporting relies on a structured sequence of tasks, making the timeline and deadlines critical information that users must always have access to. However, a common pain point among users is missing deadlines due to the visual display of this information being hard to digest. To address this, I broke the information down into 2 key elements:
a) A date that corresponds to the current step in the process, and
b) A timeline of the entire end-to-end journey.
The first element is the most important and deserves to be highlighted, as it provides users with the one thing they need to focus on: the deadline for the current process. I placed the second element within a CTA, allowing users to easily access a broader view of the process whenever needed.
Adding Flexibility to Flow Mechanic to Smoothen Transition
The new process requires adaptation, and lecturers would benefit from flexibility during the transition. Furthermore, effective planning involves preparing for the unexpected, so changes to the plan should be considered when designing the flow.
To address this, we made it a non-negotiable product requirement for users to be able to record additional tasks during reporting – something that is also reflected in the regulation. We also provided space for users to add explanatory notes when marking a task as unfinished. The key focus here is to reassure users that changes to the plan are acceptable, as long as they are properly documented.
Shaping Regulations Through Words & Insights
This project gave me a rare opportunity to influence policy-making, a chance that's not often available to non-policy makers. Since the regulation was being developed alongside our design, we could shape it with real user insights. While working on the design, we were able to provide feedback on the regulation draft and infuse user-centric principles into it. Here are a few examples of how that happened:
Naming Convention for Critical Terms
I noticed that the terms "kerja" (work) and "kinerja" (performance) were used interchangeably in the regulation draft. Since the regulation defines the product flow, key terminology became critical. Our previous research also showed that lecturers tend to adhere closely to the terminology used in the regulation, so even small inconsistencies could lead to confusion.
To address this, I led the effort to establish a consistent naming convention and collaborated with our policy team to ensure it was reflected in the regulation. Given that we’re introducing a new process to users who are naturally cautious, we couldn't afford to risk any potential confusion.
Diction Analysis for Role Naming
Integrating a new process into an existing system is challenging, as it’s essential to ensure that it doesn’t conflict with the current one. Terminology and role naming must not only make sense within their own context but also fit seamlessly into the broader platform ecosystem.
The new process introduces an evaluator role to assist managers with assessments when needed. The Ministry initially proposed "validator" for this role. However, this would potentially create confusion, as "validator" was already used in the platform for the data submission service. Additionally, "validator" implied a simple check, whereas the evaluator's role required deeper analysis and judgment. To mitigate that risk, I advocated for alternative naming options, presenting the pros and cons of each.
In the end, the ministry chose to adopt the term “Tim Penilai” – one of the naming options I recommended.
Impact & Significance
The impact can best be illustrated through initial feedback from users who previewed the new system. Released on October 9, 2024, the system is currently being rolled out to a limited number of universities this year. Here are a few highlights:
Empowered Planning for Greater Autonomy
"The previous system didn’t require any planning at the start of the semester, so I usually just followed assignments given by my faculty leader. This new planning process gives me more control over my personal goals. I’m excited to see this system rolled out to more lecturers across Indonesia."
Lecturer – University in Bogor
Improved Transparency and Resource Management
"We used to work in silos – as a manager, I often didn’t know what my team was doing until they submitted their reports at the end of the semester. Now that we plan together from the start, we can delegate tasks and allocate resources more effectively before the semester begins."
Dean – University in Jakarta
Rapid Platform Adaptation Aligned with New Regulations
"I'm truly amazed by the speed of platform adjustment for this new regulation. Previously, we had to wait at least a year for the platform to reflect new regulations."
Dean – University in Jakarta
Streamlined and Time-Saving Reporting
"Submitting a report is now very easy because I only need to attach proof of work. This will take me less time than before. Previously, I needed at least a week to complete the report."
Lecturer – University in Bandung
Enhanced Efficiency Through User-Centered Design
"The little bits of information here and there really help me through the process. Previously, I had to rely on internal sessions at the university to learn about the platform. If I missed those, I had to ask another lecturer or check YouTube for tutorials."
Lecturer – University in Jakarta
Concentrating Efforts Where They Matter Most
"The direct integration of the new regulation into SISTER really helps us because we don’t need to adjust our internal tools for it. We can now focus on consolidation to prepare for implementation."
Chancellor – University in Surabaya
Personal Learning Points
Breaking the "Always User-First" Convention
This project challenged the common UX wisdom of 'always start with user research.' Working under strict regulatory deadlines taught me that sometimes, we need to start with policy constraints first and then work backwards to create user-friendly solutions. This approach, while unconventional in UX circles, proved effective in regulated environments where compliance cannot be compromised.
Content Design as Policy Architecture
I discovered that content design in regulatory projects isn't just about simplifying language - it's about architecting policy implementation itself. This experience reshaped my understanding of content design's role, moving beyond traditional UX writing into actively shaping how regulations manifest in digital systems.
Strategic Agility Under Time Constraints
Working with strict regulatory timelines pushed me to sharpen my prioritization skills. I learned to identify which experience touchpoints needed deeper exploration versus areas where we could iterate post-launch. This project challenged my perfectionist tendencies and taught me a valuable lesson: capturing regulatory momentum with a well-executed solution can deliver more value than pursuing perfection at the cost of timing.
Regulatory Content Strategy
One of my key growth areas was developing expertise in translating dense regulatory requirements into intuitive, user-friendly design. I learned techniques to gradually introduce new terms and concepts to users, building my skills in progressive disclosure and information architecture for complex systems.
Compliance vs Comfort
I strengthened my ability to balance strict regulatory compliance with clear, flexible design. This experience taught me to identify negotiable areas for change while maintaining compliance, building my expertise in creating user-friendly experiences within regulatory constraints.
Adaptability Beyond Content Design
This project stretched me beyond traditional content design roles - from conducting field research to facilitating policy discussions. I learned to switch between different responsibilities as needed: researcher, designer, facilitator, policy advisor and content strategist. This experience reinforced my ability to adapt and contribute wherever needed while maintaining focus on creating clear, user-centered solutions.
Project Details
Role
Principal Writer
Company
GovTech Edu Indonesia
Year
2024
Release Environment
Nation-wide in Indonesia