Gamification of MyCampus
Engage in student life, the fun way
Enhancing student engagement on Sunway MyCampus
Sunway University's MyCampus app is a student app designed to centralize campus information and activities. However, it faced challenges with low student engagement and usability issues that hindered its potential. This project aimed to revamp the app by introducing gamification elements to boost student participation and improve the overall user experience. The goal was to create a more engaging and interactive platform that encourages students to explore campus life and stay connected with university events.
The goals for this project
Three goals anchored the project from the start: making campus information easier to access, improving navigation around campus, and using gamification to motivate participation.
What was actually getting in the way?
We ran a preliminary survey to understand what was actually getting in students' way. The pattern was consistent: low motivation for extracurriculars, missed events due to scattered information across platforms, and a campus navigation experience that made getting around harder than it needed to be.
Three students, three different needs
The research findings were translated into three personas representing the key user types on campus: a new student still finding their footing, an existing student who's never quite engaged with clubs, and a club president juggling it all from the other side.
Eugene Siew
- Struggles to find clubs that match his interests
- Gets lost navigating an unfamiliar campus
- Misses events due to lack of notifications
Arvind Kumar
- Finds it hard to keep up with event info across platforms
- Wants to register for events that interest him
- Wants to stay engaged with the university community
Alica Wong
- Needs one centralized platform for club activities
- Wants to track member participation and engagement
- Needs to communicate with members efficiently
From problems to proposed solutions
Translating the personas' needs into design directions by centralizing club and event management, building an intuitive campus navigation system, and layering gamification on top: achievements, badges, vouchers, and a levelling system to drive engagement.
Mapping the core flows
Before any visual design, the core interface flows were mapped out as wireframes, covering the general interface, account management, club pages, and the club moderator's view.
Testing the wireframes against usability heuristics
The wireframes and prototype were evaluated against Nielsen's usability heuristics. Consistency and standards rated highest with no issues reported. Visibility came second, with only one tester experiencing minor issues; the rest reported no issues at all, with two others noting only minor issues.
Gamification, brought to life
The final prototype centered on the key gamification features browsing clubs, viewing club events, event details, and member lists — alongside a full profile system with levels, milestones, and badges to reward participation.
What were our findings?
Engagement testing measured how respondents felt about the app's new gamification features and overall experience, with most users frequently engaging with the app several times a week.