2023-2024

UNIR

Services

Brand Strategy, Interactive Design, User Research.

COMPANY

Plexus Tech

Team

Design, FinTech, Development, Marketing, Business and QA

A low-angle portrait of a young woman with curly brown hair, wearing a black graduation cap and gown, smiling brightly at the camera against a clear blue sky. She has large hoop earrings.
A low-angle portrait of a young woman with curly brown hair, wearing a black graduation cap and gown, smiling brightly at the camera against a clear blue sky. She has large hoop earrings.

Evolving a global student experience

Desktop Application

Education

B2C

Mobile Application

Figma

Overview

UNIR, a leader in online higher education, is transforming the way students learn worldwide. With an innovative academic offering and a global community of students, it offers a personalised learning experience accessible from anywhere in the world.

Challenges

How to overcome the visual confusion and complexity of teamwork.

There were several, the most important of which were: The visual interface was cluttered and unattractive, with colours that did not guide the user in an intuitive way. Navigation was confusing, making it difficult to find information quickly and efficiently. Collaboration between development, business, marketing, legal and two external design teams required multiple iterations and meetings to align decisions and get buy-in from all parties.

A digital interface titled "Editar titulación" (Edit Qualification) is superimposed over a blurred background of a university graduation ceremony, showing graduates in caps and gowns. The interface displays form fields for entering educational details such as type of institution, studies center, degree level (Doctorado is selected), and an option to upload a study title document (Doctorado.pdf is shown as attached).
A digital interface titled "Editar titulación" (Edit Qualification) is superimposed over a blurred background of a university graduation ceremony, showing graduates in caps and gowns. The interface displays form fields for entering educational details such as type of institution, studies center, degree level (Doctorado is selected), and an option to upload a study title document (Doctorado.pdf is shown as attached).

Involvement

Team in sync and creating designs that add inclusion and functionality.

Participation in the project consisted of 2 to 3 people, who carried out iteration tasks using the functional approach, as well as conducting reviews together with the business and development teams. A design system based on variables and styles was created and implemented, which facilitated maintenance by other teams. In addition, we complied with current accessibility regulations, developing a portal that was not limited to fixed standards.

A large, white digital interface featuring various input fields and design elements for both desktop and mobile views, categorized by their state (Default, Hover, Active, Disabled, Error). To the right, a grid of numerous small icons is displayed, categorized by themes such as Maps & Travel, Design, Math & Finance, Brands, Development, Commerce, Education, and Games. The interface is superimposed over a blurred background of an empty auditorium with rows of wooden chairs and a ceiling with linear wooden slats, suggesting a university setting.
A large, white digital interface featuring various input fields and design elements for both desktop and mobile views, categorized by their state (Default, Hover, Active, Disabled, Error). To the right, a grid of numerous small icons is displayed, categorized by themes such as Maps & Travel, Design, Math & Finance, Brands, Development, Commerce, Education, and Games. The interface is superimposed over a blurred background of an empty auditorium with rows of wooden chairs and a ceiling with linear wooden slats, suggesting a university setting.

Lessons

Design is also learning

This project taught us the importance of maintaining constant communication with business, marketing and legal to avoid rework; incorporating accessibility testing in early prototypes to reduce correction costs; planning the scalability of the Design System from the research phase to integrate new modules organically; and alternating technical and creative sprints to keep the team motivated and encourage innovation.

Two digital interfaces, both titled "Formulario de Admisión" (Admission Form) from UNIR, are superimposed side-by-side over a blurred image of two graduates in caps and gowns from behind, raising their hats in the air, with a brick university building in the background. The left interface shows "1/5 SELECCIÓN DE ESTUDIOS" (1/5 STUDY SELECTION) with radio buttons for different degree programs. The right interface shows "2/5 DATOS PERSONALES" (2/5 PERSONAL DATA) with input fields for personal information such as Nationality, Country of validity, Residence Province, Residence Municipality, and Address.
Two digital interfaces, both titled "Formulario de Admisión" (Admission Form) from UNIR, are superimposed side-by-side over a blurred image of two graduates in caps and gowns from behind, raising their hats in the air, with a brick university building in the background. The left interface shows "1/5 SELECCIÓN DE ESTUDIOS" (1/5 STUDY SELECTION) with radio buttons for different degree programs. The right interface shows "2/5 DATOS PERSONALES" (2/5 PERSONAL DATA) with input fields for personal information such as Nationality, Country of validity, Residence Province, Residence Municipality, and Address.

Results

Navigation for people that is clear, empathetic, and accessible.

A clean and attractive visual experience, with colors that guide and communicate meaning. Language stays clear and simple, and navigation remains accessible to everyone. Users can move through the app or website easily, finding what they need without effort.

3

Project Phases

The project evolved over three major phases after validating extensive UI deliverables derived from initially poorly defined functionalities.

1

Year of Duration

More than a year of continuous work that included design, legal validations, accessibility and training for a stable deployment.

6

DESIGNERS

More than six designers participated on a rotating basis, with UX/UI profiles that provided perspective and agility over time.

3

Teams involved

We coordinated with their internal team, an additional agency and us as external to keep design, business and development aligned.

A young woman with long, wavy blonde hair, wearing a black graduation cap and gown with a red and white stole, stands with her eyes closed and a contented smile, looking upwards. Superimposed in front of her is a clean digital interface titled "Formulario de Matriculación" (Enrollment Form) from UNIR, showing a multi-step process with a success message in a green box stating "Solicitud de matriculación enviado con éxito" (Enrollment request sent successfully). The background is a soft, warm gradient.
A young woman with long, wavy blonde hair, wearing a black graduation cap and gown with a red and white stole, stands with her eyes closed and a contented smile, looking upwards. Superimposed in front of her is a clean digital interface titled "Formulario de Matriculación" (Enrollment Form) from UNIR, showing a multi-step process with a success message in a green box stating "Solicitud de matriculación enviado con éxito" (Enrollment request sent successfully). The background is a soft, warm gradient.

Heartfelt opinion

From the heart, I can say this project made me believe in myself. I realized that in large-scale projects, things don’t always go right the first time. Even when ideas get validated, it doesn’t mean they’re final — we might still need to refine them down the road.

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