What is Monash Thrive?

Product Analysis

To gather initial insights that help kickstart the ideation process for future product updates or extensions, we planned to analyse the current Monash Thrive products and services which are the website (including mental health assistance i.e counselling, therapy) and apps, in relation to overall Monash domain.

We also researched the existing promotion or communication methods of Monash Thrive in the Monash University domain.

• Why is there no link to the app on thrive main homepage?

• Why is there no quick access to help on every webpage?

• Why are there no emails, social media or any other form of advertisement for the website?

• How many students downloaded and use the app?

• What is the approximate percentage of students who know about Thrive (app)?

Knowledge Gaps

Accessibility

• Why did you choose the particular images for the website?

• When was Monash Thrive last updated? How often does it get updated?

• What kind of visual do you think of when we talk about Monash Thrive? Could be anything. (colors/shapes/picture of something/etc.)

• Have you ever done any personal branding for Monash Thrive? (Logo/ color palette/ moscot character / etc.)

Communication

• Why does the website have no articles from other students? or personal stories to resonate with the audience?

Personalisation

Questions for Monash

The analysis of Monash Thrive website and app lead to unanswered questions which helped inform the development of our workshop activity and points for discussion. Answers to these questions would further assist in understanding of Thrives products and services. The three categories our questions filter into are personalisation, accessibility and communication which respond to our design challenge: communication and interaction design strategies and direction for the relevant transformation of Monash Thrive to better serve the needs of students.

Workshop Activities

To gather initial insights that help kickstart the ideation process for future product updates or extensions, we planned to analyse the current Monash Thrive products and services which are the website (including mental health assistance i.e counselling, therapy) and apps, in relation to overall Monash domain.

We also researched the existing promotion or communication methods of Monash Thrive in the Monash University domain.

We then facilitated a brainstorming session using sticky notes, allowing stakeholders to anonymously express their thoughts. These insights were categorized into themes, highlighting challenges and opportunities. To prioritise issues, participants sorted their ideas into high, medium, and low urgency levels using a colour-coded system.

Through open discussions, stakeholders elaborated on their perspectives, encouraging collaboration and deeper exploration of ideas. The workshop provided valuable insights that will inform strategic decisions and drive improvements in Monash Thrive’s future initiatives.

Key Findings

Monash Thrive faces challenges in accessibility, communication, and personalisation. With only 1-2% of students aware of its existence, a lack of promotion limits its reach. Users struggle with unclear navigation, making it difficult to find essential resources, while communication barriers hinder engagement with mental health support. Language and cultural differences further impact international students, highlighting the need for multilingual and inclusive communication. Additionally, an overload of information makes the platform overwhelming, emphasising the need for tailored, user-centric experiences that enhance clarity, engagement, and accessibility.

Persona

To advance in crafting effective design solutions tailored to meet the needs of diverse students who are the target users of Monash Thrive, we have developed a profile based on the combination of real responses from students and stakeholders from our initial product investigation and workshop data.

Design Strategy & Direction

• Prominent & Accessible Platform

• Prioritise Intuitive Navigation

• Personalised Recommendations & Multilingual Support

• Craft A Seamless User Flow

• Visual Design & Engaging Features

• Clear User Friendly Interfaces

Design Outcome

New Student Portal Design

5 Main Features

Planner

1:1 Counselling

Workshops & Events

Resources

Language Changer

Scenario 1

First Time User

As a new international student, MyMonash is home base to access units, timetable and other crucial information. Getting started with Monash Thrive is easy, designed to be straightforward for new users. Readily available support and resources being provided helps to settle in to a new environment and thrive during your studies.

Onboarding Process

Luca is a first time user of Monash Thrive, going through the onboarding process and getting started. He has been feeling frustrated with a few tasks piling up and assignments closing in and is looking for some help from Monash.

Personalisation

Take a minute to answer a few questions Squishy has asked to personalise your experience.

Suggested Features

Main Dashboard for the first time user

The Planner

Managing university tasks like assignments, updating WES details, or paying fees can greatly reduce stress. The MyMonash planner helps with this by providing relevant resources for each task, important reminders that automatically add to your task list, and a timeline view of all tasks. You can also set priority levels to stay organised and on track.

Counselling

Monash thrive provides a streamlined booking system for students to schedule counselling appointments directly within the platform. View the therapists details and have the flexibility of attending the session in person or on call.

Scenario 2

Main dashboard after first use

Using the planner feature and booking a consultation with ease, Luca feels relieved and wants to update his mood on Thrive, prompting more resources he would be willing to try based on his interests.

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