Streamlining Success: Bloomsbury Institute's Journey to Digital Efficiency with HeadChannel

Bloomsbury Institute London, previously known as the London School of Business and Management, is a private higher education institution in the UK. It offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in business, law, accounting, finance, and health and social care, focusing on imparting practical skills and industry-relevant knowledge.

The institute typically provides student support services, including academic advice, career counselling, and personal development resources. They also assist international students with visa processes and work opportunities.

HeadChannel was enlisted by Bloomsbury Institute to replace the existing Self-Service Centre and create a modern dashboard portal serving both students and partner agencies. This portal aims to streamline the application process for applicants by centralising all essential information and documents. For agents, it’s designed to facilitate efficient completion of necessary documentation.

Bloomsbury offers three application routes depending on citizenship status: one for British citizens, one for international students without a visa requirement, and one for those needing a student visa. The initial focus is supporting the visa-requiring international student pathway, with plans to extend the system to all pathways later.

The challenges

The existing Self-Service Centre is based on an outdated platform called Radius, which was developed years ago with limited customisation options for its user interface. This restricted the ability to create a tailored user experience.

Radius’s integration methods for data exchange are only partially accessible to users, leading to redundant configuration tasks in both systems. The provided documentation is not sufficiently detailed, making it challenging for users to understand and navigate the system effectively.

A significant issue is the daily manual effort required to export specific data from Radius and import it into CAS Shield, a critical step in the visa application process. This manual data handling adds complexity and inefficiency to the system.

These challenges highlight the urgent need for a new portal that overcomes these limitations and enhances data processing efficiency, thereby improving overall functionality and user experience.

Our role

HeadChannel was tasked by Bloomsbury Institute with the crucial job of developing a robust and modern user interface for the student application process. While the Radius framework’s management and admission processes were to be maintained, our primary goal centred on a thorough overhaul of the portal’s front end. The project was structured around several vital milestones, each contributing significantly to the system’s enhancement:

Design Preparation:

• Our task was to create new designs for both the Applicants Portal and Agents Portal, involving a detailed overhaul of the user interface to achieve a modern, user-friendly experience for both groups.

Portal Development:

• The next step was to actualise these new designs into the redesigned portals, converting the conceptual layouts into practical, user-centric interfaces.

Integration with Radius Backend Portal:

• A key aspect was integrating the updated front end with the existing Radius backend, ensuring the smooth continuation of management and admission processes alongside a more intuitive interface for users.

CAS Shield Integration:

• Specifically for the Applicants Portal, we planned to integrate with CAS Shield to facilitate the visa application process, aiming to streamline data exchange and information flow.

Through these milestones, we aimed to elevate the user experience, simplify application procedures, and present a more efficient and visually appealing interface for applicants and agents. This comprehensive strategy, from design to integration, aims to enhance the system’s functionality and user interaction.

Our solution

Our project with Bloomsbury Institute commenced with an in-depth assessment of their specific needs. Adopting Agile methods, we conducted collaborative workshops involving critical stakeholders like the UX Designer, the Business Analyst, and the project team. This approach allowed us to delve deeply into the project’s intricacies and requirements.

Our team pursued dual objectives concurrently. First, we focused on developing designs that resonated with the identified needs and objectives. Alongside this, we concentrated on the technical side, particularly the integration with the existing Radius system.

Following the approval of our carefully developed designs, we smoothly transitioned to the implementation phase. An essential early action was syncing with the Radius system, which is vital for preserving the continuity of management and admission processes.

Next, we devoted ourselves to developing and launching the Applicants Portal and Agents Portal. These portals were intricately designed to deliver a modern and user-friendly interface, reflecting the expectations set during the initial workshops.

A key achievement was integrating with CAS Shield, which significantly streamlined and automated the update process. This move boosted the system’s efficiency and eliminated the need for manual daily data uploads, leading to a more streamlined, automated workflow.

Our strategy encompassed a thorough grasp of client requirements, using Agile methodologies, engaging in collaborative workshops, parallel design development, integration with Radius, portal development, and strategic CAS Shield integration. This comprehensive approach provided a robust, modern, and efficient user interface for Bloomsbury Institute’s student application process.

Project facts

• Team – 1x UX/UI Designer, 1x BA, 1x PM, 3x Developer, 1x QA
• Project management – Agile methodologies
• Technology – ASP .Net Core, React, Azure Cloud