Improving the Student Web Experience at Portland State University
Portland State University is partnering with higher ed marketing agency SimpsonScarborough on a Student User Journey Project focused on improving how prospective and current students experience PSU’s web ecosystem.
The project examines how students discover, navigate, and engage with information across PSU’s web content designed for students — from initial exploration and admissions through enrollment, academics, student services, and graduation.
This work supports PSU’s ongoing commitment to creating a more student-centered, accessible, and high quality web experience.
Project Goals
The Student User Journey Project is designed to:
- Better understand the needs, expectations, and behaviors of prospective and current students as they use PSU websites
- Identify barriers, friction points, and opportunities across the university’s web presence
- Improve content organization, navigation, and pathways to key student information and services
- Support more consistent and intuitive experiences across PSU web properties
- Strengthen connections between institutional storytelling, recruitment, enrollment, and student success
- Ensure web experiences align with accessibility and usability best practices
What the Project Includes
The project includes a broad discovery and research phase involving:
- Stakeholder interviews and collaborative workshops
- Review of peer and competitor institutions
- Analysis of website analytics and user behavior patterns
- Student focus groups and feedback sessions
- Evaluation of website navigation, content structure, and user flows
- Exploration of future-state concepts and interactive web prototypes
Insights gathered during this process will help inform recommendations for future improvements to PSU’s web experience.
A Collaborative Effort
The Student User Journey Project is a collaborative initiative involving teams and stakeholders from across the university, including University Communications, OIT, Enrollment Management, the Graduate School, student support units, academic programs, and technical partners.
The project reflects PSU’s broader commitment to continuous improvement, digital accessibility, and the delivery of clear, helpful, and welcoming web experiences for all students.
Project Timeline
Project Phase | Timing | Status |
|---|
| Project planning and partner selection | Winter 2026 | Completed |
| Contracting and project kickoff | Spring 2026 | Completed |
| Stakeholder discovery sessions | Spring 2026 | Completed |
| Student focus groups and research | Spring 2026 | Completed |
| Website analytics and user journey analysis | Spring-Summer 2026 | Completed |
| Peer and competitor research | Spring-Summer 2026 | Completed |
| Web strategy development and refinement | Summer 2026 | In progress |
| Sitemap and page concepts | Summer 2026 | In progress |
Project Status
The Student User Journey Project has completed its discovery and research phase and is now focused on developing and refining recommendations for PSU’s future student web experience.
Building on insights from students, university leaders, web content editors, website analytics, peer research, chatbot queries, and an assessment of PSU’s current web ecosystem, SimpsonScarborough is developing a web strategy focused on better supporting prospective and current students throughout their journeys.
The project team is currently reviewing and refining the strategy. The next round of recommendations, including a proposed sitemap and page concepts, will be shared in August, with final recommendations expected in September 2026.
These recommendations will provide a strategic framework to guide future decisions about content, navigation, user experience, governance, and the organization of PSU’s web ecosystem. Implementation will be evaluated separately through future planning, prioritization, governance, and budget decisions.
Questions about the project may be directed to Kurt Bedell in University Communications.