[Case 01]

Experiential Transcript

Transforming student experiences into measurable, career-ready competencies

Experiential Transcript

Designing a system that bridges academic learning and real-world experience.

[Project Overview]

A digital platform that enables students to document, reflect on, and validate their experiences, transforming them into structured, shareable competencies.

Traditional transcripts capture grades.
This system captures capability.

[Problem Statement]

Students graduate with a wide range of valuable experiences, internships, volunteer work, leadership roles, but struggle to clearly communicate what they’ve learned from them.

Traditional transcripts:

  • Emphasize grades over skills

  • Lack real-world context

  • Fail to capture competencies like leadership, collaboration and problem-solving

As a result, students are underrepresented in the job market and employers lack meaningful insight into their capabilities.

[Role]

UX/UI Designer

[Focus]

Product Thinking

Systems Design

Student Experience

Goals & Outcomes

Primary Goal

Create a structured system that translates student experiences into clear, credible and career-ready competencies.

[Goals]

Clarify Student Value → Enable students to confidently articulate what they’ve learned from their experiences.

Increase Skill Visibility → Make competencies more accessible and understandable beyond traditional transcripts.

Establish Credibility → Introduce validation to ensure experiences are trusted and meaningful.

Design a Scalable System → Build a framework that can adapt across programs and institutions.

[Outcomes]

Improved Self-Expression for Students → Students can confidently translate experiences into structured skills.

Stronger Employer Understanding → Employers gain clearer insight into candidate capabilities beyond grades.

Increased Reflection & Engagement → Students become more intentional about documenting and reflecting on experiences.

Bridged Academic and Real-World Learning → Experiential learning becomes more integrated into formal education systems

[Process]

[01] Research

Students lacked a centralized way to track and reflect on experiences.

Non-academic work was often undervalued or disconnected from career paths.

Traditional resumes failed to capture depth, reflection and transferable skills.

[02] Ideation & Exploration

Explored multiple ways to input, manage and showcase experiences.

Tested layout directions including timeline and card-based structures.

Selected a card-based approach to improve scannability for students and employers.

[03] Design Process

Designed a system balancing structure and flexibility for documenting experiences.

Built card-based views and expandable details with competencies and reflection.

Enabled guided inputs and sharing controls to support engagement and visibility.

[04] Testing & Iteration

Identified friction from unnecessary clicks and inefficient flows.

Streamlined interactions and optimized dashboard density for better usability.

Iterated on layout to improve clarity, flexibility, and overall experience.

[Final Solution]

Centralized platform for capturing, reflecting on, and showcasing student experiences.
Student-controlled visibility and competency-based storytelling beyond traditional resumes.
Scannable, professional interface adopted across post-secondary institutions in North America.

[Impact]

Widespread Adoption

Implemented at multiple universities and colleges across North America.

Enhanced Student Engagement

Guided reflection and public visibility encourage students to actively document experiences

Improved Skill Communication

Students are better able to articulate transferable skills and growth to potential employers

Streamlined Usability

Dashboard improvements reduced friction in logging and managing experiences, improving efficiency

Employer Benefit

The card-based, professional presentation allows employers to quickly understand student competencies and relevant experiences.

[Reflection]

This project emphasized designing beyond individual screens and into systems and communication.

Key Takeaways

  • Clarity is structural, not just visual

  • Strong UX helps users express what they already know

  • Systems thinking is essential for complex, information-heavy problems

Designing this experience reinforced the importance of creating tools that don’t just store information but translate it into meaningful understanding.

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