Sustainable Reporting

Objective

Encourage students and staff members of Tampere University to report sustainable actions with minimal friction and maximum motivation.

Business Context

Although the university promotes sustainability, participation in action reporting was low due to lack of motivation and a cumbersome reporting process. The challenge was to design an experience that was inviting, easy to complete, and capable of delivering valuable insights to university stakeholders.

Design Goal

To create a form that balances usability with meaningful engagement — promoting awareness of sustainability while minimizing friction for users.

User Research & Discovery

• Conducted four semi-structured interviews with Tampere University students (aged 26–35).

• Explored two themes: students’ understanding of sustainability actions and their experiences with online reporting forms.

• Recorded and analyzed interviews using affinity mapping to identify key patterns and user needs.

• Developed two personas representing target users’ motivations, behaviors, and frustrations.

Insights & Goals

From the research, it became clear that students were willing to contribute but needed a simpler, faster, and more rewarding experience.
The design goals focused on:

• Ease of use and accessibility

• Clear guidance throughout the form

• Minimal required input fields

• Positive reinforcement at completion

Designing Prototypes

• Created hi-fidelity prototypes in Figma, designed to integrate seamlessly into the TUNI intranet environment.

• Applied Material Design principles to maintain visual consistency and enhance accessibility.

• Designed a two-column layout — left side for context and instructions, right side for input fields — ensuring a clear user flow.

Evaluation & Iteration

• Conducted expert evaluations based on Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics, Shneiderman’s Eight Golden Rules, and accessibility principles.

• Iterated the prototype to improve consistency, readability, and flow.

  • Example: Adjusted heading style to align with TUNI intranet standards and improved content hierarchy for better accessibility.

User Experience Goals

The design focused on achieving the following UX and usability principles:

• Easy to Use: Minimalist layout with only essential fields.

• Easy to Learn: Simple navigation and intuitive visual hierarchy.

• Accessible for All: Compliance with accessibility guidelines to ensure inclusivity.

• Effective: Streamlined process to help users complete reporting quickly and confidently.

Additional goals included creating a positive and socially rewarding experience that motivates students to contribute and return.

Scalable Design Components

Built the form components within the university’s design framework, ensuring consistency and maintainability.

Future Ready Gamification

To enhance long-term adoption and participation, we recommended adding gamification elements such as rewards, badges, and progress tracking. This decision aims to make reporting sustainable actions more motivating, interactive, and engaging for users.

Prototype Integration

The final design was developed as an interactive Figma prototype intended for integration within Tampere University’s intranet. The form’s clear structure and visual hierarchy align with existing TUNI branding.

Expert Evaluation Outcome

Evaluations identified improvements in consistency, visual readability, and layout flow, leading to a refined prototype that balances simplicity and clarity.

The form provides an accessible, engaging, and scalable way for Tampere University to collect sustainability data while promoting awareness among students. It also establishes a foundation for potential gamified elements in the future.

Future Development

• Gamification: Integrating small rewards or progress tracking to encourage repeated participation.

• Enhanced Accessibility: Offering alternate interaction models (e.g., screen-reader-friendly version without the goal wheel).

• Dynamic Insights: Allowing students to view collective impact summaries and progress reports to sustain engagement.