The problem
COVID-19 hit UCSF hard. Suddenly prospective students, faculty and staff couldn’t visit our campuses or easily understand why they should join our community.
The solution
Recreate our campuses in the digital sphere so that anyone can visit, wherever they happen to be.
The process
As there was no prior foundation for a virtual tour at UCSF, I was essentially starting from scratch. These are the steps I took to make it happen.
Step One: Assemble the Team
Bring together people across the enterprise who are invested in and can contribute to the success of the product.
Step Two: Define Our Goals
Collectively determine what we’re trying to achieve, the audiences we’re talking to, and relevant KPIs.
Step Three: Competitor Research
Find best-in-class examples from both private and public industry to understand UX/UI needs.
Step Four: Platform and Budget Analysis
Explore best-in-class platforms and conduct cost analysis for nice-to-have features as well as MVP needs.
Step Five: Content Strategy
Define all campuses, tour stops, hotspots, and included information that will answer key audiences’ concerns.
Step Six: Prototype Creation
Design a working prototype in our platform of choice to conduct user testing, assessing both functionality and design.
Step Seven: Content Production
Arrange photoshoots for all 360-degree video and photography, as well as copy creation for all stops and hotspots.
Step Eight: Design and User Testing
Build a high-fidelity prototype for both desktop and mobile, assessing whether or not both experiences work for users.
Step Nine: Reviews and Iteration
Meet with key partners across UCSF to gather feedback and make iterative changes as needed.
Step Ten: Launch and Measure
Launch the virtual tour across all relevant channels and measure success via defined KPIs at routine intervals.