Product Design · 2025–2026 · Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement
Personalized Member Dashboards
Role: Product Designer · UX Research, Wireframes, UI Design
Transformed a confusing, one-size-fits-all member platform into a personalized experience. By introducing a focus mode system where students set their goal on first login, the redesigned dashboard reorganizes itself around each student's needs, making the platform feel less overwhelming and more useful as they progress.
Overview
The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement's (SCLA) existing platform had a sprawling menu and a one-size-fits-all dashboard that left students unsure where to start. I redesigned the experience around a focus mode system where students choose their goal on first login, and the entire dashboard reorganizes around it. The result is a platform that feels less overwhelming, more personalized, and adapts as the student progresses.
When a student first logs in, they choose the mode that matches their current goal. That choice reorganizes the entire dashboard, surfaces the most relevant sections, hides what doesn't apply, and gives students a clear set of next steps. Students can switch focus modes at any time and graduate to Career Operating Mode once foundational goals are complete.
Research
Before any design work was done, I studied SCLA's member demographics to build realistic user personas and map out what each type of student actually needed from the platform. I created 12 user personas based on SCLA's member data, gave each goals and desired user journeys. These journeys revealed that a single static dashboard couldn't effectively serve all 12 user goals, and different member populations needed different leads into the platform.
Ayana
Ayana is a fourth-year Psychology student at the University of Georgia who knows she wants to give back to her community and enter the social work field upon graduation. She's using SCLA strategically for job connections, certifications, and mentorship, and wants tools that help her execute fast.
Kevin
Kevin is a freshman at UCLA who chose Computer Science because it seemed like a smart major, but he's genuinely unsure whether it's right for him. He joined SCLA because it looks good on a resume, but has no idea how to actually use it. He needs direction before he can set goals.
Beth
Beth is a 42-year old nontraditional student in her second-year at Beaufort County Community College in North Carolina. She enrolled in community college to study human resources and office administration after working as a paraprofessional for 15 years in a nearby school. She wants her involvement in SCLA to help bridge the skills gap between her previous work as a paraprofessional and her new work in human resources. From the dashboard she needs concrete skill-building, application support, and actionable steps.
Dashboards
Each focus mode in the Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement (SCLA) platform reorganizes the dashboard to surface what matters most for that student's goal, changing which sections appear, what actions are prioritized, and what content is recommended. Modes include Setup & Onboarding (for students like Kevin who need to explore first), Skills & Experience, Job-Ready, Connect & Network, and Rewards & Recognition. Once a student completes their foundational focus modes, they unlock Career Operating Mode which is a sustained, signal-driven dashboard for ongoing career management.
Focus Mode
The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement (SCLA) platform's Focus Mode tab provides a deeper, task-driven view within a student's chosen mode. Rather than showing the full dashboard, it presents a structured workflow including a timeline, current sharpening area, active tasks, optional learning, and relevant events. This gives students a clear action path without the noise of sections that aren't relevant to their current goal.
Platform
Beyond the dashboard, the SCLA platform includes a Member Profile, Digital Portfolio, and an Explore page. Each is designed to feel like an extension of the personalized system.
The Profile aggregates a student's credentials, career map, active programs, and connections in one place.
The Digital Portfolio lets students publish real project work alongside verified skills.
The Explore Page organizes opportunities by goal, so students can act without backtracking through menus.
