Case studies

CaseStudies

Let’s Talk

CaseStudies

See Prototype

Liaison

CAS User and Subscription Management API

Client Name

Liaison

Table of Content

Table of content

Overview

Discover

Define

Design

View Prototype

Background

The demand for a CAS API subscription management UI has risen largely in response to customer demand to use the CAS-Slate integration offering. A UI is required for most customers to create and manage subscriptions - they are unable to use the CAS API directly for subscription management. The need is anticipated to grow even more as the CAS-TargetX integration offering is rolled out.

Currently, Admissions is the largest creator of subscriptions, with one subscription created for each school or campus (800+ subscriptions). However - as Admissions is able to manage via the API, consideration for the new MVP should focus on enabling self-service for the users of the TargetX and Slate integrations. These users should be considered non-technical in nature.

The need for UI-based subscription management has been anticipated since 2019 (as the history of this page suggests), and has always been conceptualized into 3 distinct phases:

Phase 1: Event logging, error reporting, replay of failed events, etc.

Phase 2: User management - create and manage CAS API users (a prerequisite for any externally-focused MVP)

Phase 3: Subscription management - create, update, delete subscriptions etc.

Overview

The need for UI-based subscription management has been anticipated since 2019 (as the history of this page suggests), and has always been conceptualized into 3 distinct phases:

Phase 1: Event logging, error reporting, replay of failed events, etc.

Phase 2: User management - create and manage CAS API users (a prerequisite for any externally-focused MVP)

Phase 3: Subscription management - create, update, delete subscriptions, etc.

Clickable UX prototypes were created for Phase 1 and 2, as these phases were historically considered more important. However, with the Slate and TargetX integrations driving demand, the need for Phase 3 is paramount and most important to address: external customers (school, non-technical users) require a UI to create and manage subscriptions.

Additionally, the MVP requires external customer access. This means specifically: external customers (ex: school non-tech) should be able to log in and create and manage subscriptions. This implies the need for Phase 2 practically as it is already designed and prototyped, from a UX and backend engineering perspective. Subscriptions are managed by CAS API users, therefore the UI must honor the CAS API security model.

Fortunately, again, this is accurately represented and depicted in the clickable for Phase 2.

As for the target platform for this UI. For over a year, the prevailing understanding has been to use App Builder to host the subscription management UI. The App Builder is currently designed for internal access only. Therefore, if the direction is still to use App Builder, additional UX/UI will be needed to authorize traditional App Builder users, who are internal users, with CAS API subscription management users, who are external.

Creating a User-Friendly Experience

To create the user subscription management feature, we listened to what users wanted, tried different ideas, and made things better based on their feedback. Our goal was to ensure that using the feature was straightforward and fun for users. We used a design process called Double Diamond to help us through these stages.

Discovery

Immersion
Internal Auditing
Interpretation of findings
UX Observation

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

Immersion

In the immersion step of our design process, our focus is on deeply understanding the users, their needs, and the context in which they will interact with the application. This step lays the foundation for creating a user-centered design that resonates with the target audience. Here's a breakdown of the immersion process:

Conduct in-depth interviews and surveys with potential users to understand their goals, pain points, and expectations.
Explore user demographics, behaviors, and preferences to create detailed user personas.
Below are some of the questions we asked:

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

How many types of users do we have?

What is their demographics, location, and language?

What are the roles or classes of these users?

What is the primary goal they want to achieve when they come to the app?

How do these user roles interact with the app?

What type of touchpoints do these users have with this app?

Are there recorded reviews, feedback, research data, suggestions, and pain points of the current or past users for the present app that I can leverage?

What is the higher purpose of this user management segment?

What are the key success considerations (both functional and emotional) for those jobs?

What information needs to be provided so they can effortlessly interact with the app?

Is there any data showing usage in the present app, in the past to determine what data is popular/critical?

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

Internal Auditing

As part of our comprehensive UI project, we conducted an internal website audit, meticulously evaluating visual aesthetics, UI consistency, responsiveness, accessibility, content quality, performance, interactive elements, and benchmarking against industry competitors. This thorough assessment identified areas for enhancement, ensuring our online platform aligns seamlessly with the latest design standards and offers a modern, user-centric experience.

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

Interpretation of findings

After gathering information through talking to people and observing how they use things, the next step is understanding what all this data is telling us. This is where we start figuring out the problems and difficulties that users are having. Users are not happy with how they find their way around and struggle to gather and organize bits of information. Now, let's see what users thought about all this, leading us to the next step.

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

User Personas:

How many types of users do we have?

University or Institution users
School users (Admissions or Deans offices)
Association users
Commercial data integration partners
Internal Liaison users

User Demographics:

What is their demographics, location, and language?

Demographics vary widely, most users are college-educated.
Users are located across the US.
English is the primary language.

User Roles:

What are the roles or classes of these users?

Administrator and Basic roles.
Organization-level, Institution-level, and Association-level users.

Primary Goals in the App:

What is the primary goal they want to achieve when they come to the app?

Create and manage users for CAS products.
Create and manage CAS API subscriptions.

User Interactions:

How do these user roles interact with the app?

Users interact by completing and submitting forms.
Two customer-facing roles: Administrator and Basic.

Touchpoints:

What type of touchpoints do these users have with this app?

No human-to-human touchpoints; users submit forms and interact with the UI.

Recorded Feedback:

Are there recorded reviews, feedback, research data, suggestions, and pain points of the current or past users for the present app that I can leverage?

Yes, there are emails and reports highlighting the need for a UI and barriers to using the API directly.

Jobs to be Done:

What is the higher purpose of this user management segment?

Create users who can use the UI to manage subscriptions.

Key Success Considerations:

What are the key success considerations (both functional and emotional) for those jobs?

Functional: Users can successfully create and manage subscriptions.
Emotional: To be determined.

Critical Data Needed:

What information needs to be provided so they can effortlessly interact with the app?

For login: username and password.
To create a subscription: required and optional inputs/properties.

Usage Data:

Is there any data showing usage in the present app, in the past to determine what data is popular/critical?

No, as the CAS API is headless; the app will be built from scratch.

UX Observation

From the data we gathered we also drafted some sample questions to research with and make findings.

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

Define

Tell Stories
personas
User Flow

Who are our users and what are their goals

University or Institution users

Persona: Dr. Emily Thompson, Director of IT Services
Demographics: Female, 40, holds a Ph.D., located in Boston, MA
Primary Goal: Efficiently manage user access and subscriptions for various departments within the university.

School users (Admissions or Deans offices)

Persona: Alex Rodriguez, Admissions Coordinator
Demographics: Male, 30, bachelor's degree, located in Los Angeles, CA
Primary Goal: Streamline the process of creating and managing API subscriptions for admissions-related tasks.

Association users

Persona: Sarah Mitchell, Membership Coordinator
Demographics: Female, 35, master's degree, located in Chicago, IL
Primary Goal: Facilitate user management for association members and efficiently handle API subscriptions.

Commercial data integration partners

Persona: Mark Davis, Integration Specialist
Demographics: Male, 45, technical background, located in San Francisco, CA
Primary Goal: Seamlessly integrate commercial data with the CAS products through the API.

Internal Liaison users

Persona: Chris Johnson, Internal Liaison Officer
Demographics: Non-binary, 28, bachelor's degree, located in New York, NY
Primary Goal: Coordinate and manage internal user roles and subscriptions within the organization.

User Stories

As a University Administrator, I want to easily add and manage users from my institution to ensure smooth access to CAS products.

As a School Basic User, I want a straightforward process to create and update CAS API subscriptions for our admissions processes.

As an Association Administrator, I want a tailored solution for managing users and subscriptions that align with the unique needs of our association.

As a Commercial Data Integration Partner, I want clear documentation and a user-friendly interface to seamlessly integrate CAS API into our commercial data systems.

As an Internal Liaison Administrator, I want an efficient platform to manage internal communication and user roles within our organization.

I can see a list of all my existing CAS API subscriptions.

I can create new subscriptions by selecting the desired integration and providing the necessary information.

Problem

Our current system lacks a clear and user-friendly process for individuals and organizations to create and manage subscriptions within the CAS (Central Authentication Service) ecosystem. Users, including administrators and basic users from diverse backgrounds, face confusion and inefficiencies in navigating subscription-related tasks. This hinders the adoption of CAS products and leads to potential errors, impacting the overall user experience. A structured and intuitive Subscription Management solution is urgently needed to streamline the subscription process, reduce user frustrations, and enhance the successful utilization of CAS services.

User Flows

The Subscription Management user flow was now designed to provide a streamlined and intuitive process for users to create and manage subscriptions within the CAS (Central Authentication Service) ecosystem.

Administrator Flow for CAS API User Creation

Step 1: Administrator Login

Administrator user logs into the application using their email address as the username.
Successful login directs the Administrator to the Manage Users landing page.

Step 2: Create CAS API User

On the Manage Users landing page, the Administrator selects the "Add User" button.
The Add User form is displayed.
The administrator completes the required properties. The administrator
This process generates a notification to the customer via email, with a hyperlink to complete the registration process.

Step 3: Manage Created User

The new user is displayed on the Manage User screen.
The Administrator can edit certain user properties (TBD which properties are editable, e.g., email address cannot be updated).
Administrator can re-send a request to finish creating a new CAS API account to individual users if needed.

Customer User Flow

Step 1: Welcome Email and Registration

The customer receives a Welcome email with an embedded hyperlink to complete account registration.
The customer selects the link and is redirected to the account completion page.

Step 2: Update Password

Customer is required to update their password.
Once successfully registered, the customer is redirected to the Manage Subscriptions landing page.

Step 3: Manage Subscriptions

The Subscription Management landing page displays a list of the customer's subscriptions with critical functions.
Users can either:
- Select "Manage Destinations."
- Select "Add Subscription."

Add Destination Sub-flow (Prerequisite for Add Subscription)

From the Manage Subscriptions landing page, the authorized user selects "Manage Destinations."
The Managed Destinations landing page appears.
The user selects "Add Destination."
The user adds destination details and saves, generating a new Destination ID.

Add Subscription Sub-flow

Clicking "Add Subscription" displays the Add Subscription form.
The customer completes the required and optional properties and saves the form.
Once complete, the subscription is registered on the backend, actively reacting to events.
The customer is redirected back to the Subscription Management landing page.

Add Event Definition Sub-flow

From the Subscription Management page, the user selects Subscription Details.
From the Subscription Details page, the user selects "Add Definition" from the Subscription Details page landing page.

Immersion
Interviews
Self-Documentation
Meetings
UX Observation

Design

The primary objective of the design stage was for us to translate the identified needs and user flows into a visually appealing, intuitive, and functional Subscription Management system for CAS (Central Authentication Service). This stage will encompass both the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, ensuring a seamless and efficient interaction for all user roles.