7 min read

LabLink

Connecting students with research opportunities through targeted workflows and tailored matching.

Product Design

Group Project

My Role

Product Designer

Team

3 Product Designers

Tools

Figma (+ Figjam)

Miro

Google Forms

Project Detail

Group Project

Winter 2024)

Problem

Students lack a centralized platform to securely find research opportunities.

Students struggle to find research opportunities due to scattered listings and unresponsive faculty, while professors are overwhelmed by unstructured emails and lack a clear way to evaluate applicants. This disconnect leads to poor communication, mismatched expectations, and missed opportunities on both sides.

Solution

A centralized platform that allows for communication between student and research labs.

LabLink aims to be a centralized platform connecting students with research opportunities through targeted workflows and intelligent matching. Our solution addresses three key pain points:

1 / Scattered + opaque resources

We created a comprehensive hub for all university research opportunities

2 / Unclear expectations + qualifications

Standardized listings clearly communicate requirements and lab culture

3 / Lack of transparency + feedback

Built in application tracking keeps students informed throughout the process

Successfully developed a validated product concept with 100% positive user feedback

Outcome

Our user research revealed that 96.2% of students found the current research application process difficult to navigate, and 100% of respondents said they would use LabLink if available.

What Did I Do?

🔍UX Research

• Conducted interviews + user testing with students to identify key pain points

• Created + analyzed a survey with 50+ respondents in order to validate market demand

• Developed user personas + journey maps to understand the research application experience

• Affinity mapping to organize insights and identify patterns

🎨UX Design

• Designed a comprehensive platform from concept to high-fidelity mockups

• Created standardized application templates to streamline the process for both students and faculty

💼Business Strategy

• Conducted competitive analysis of existing platforms (UROP, Handshake, etc)

• Created a lean business canvas to define value proposition and revenue model

• Developed a 3-year growth strategy, starting with the University of Michigan > expanding to Big Ten schools > expanding nationally

• Identified key metrics for measuring platform success and user engagement

Starting out with research..

1 / Competitive Audit

2 / User Testing + Interviews + Surveys

I conducted a competitive audit of different platforms in the academic research/university ecosystem, including UROP, Handshake, department websites, and LinkedIn. I also expanded my research to examine emerging technologies and AI matching algorithms that could enhance research opportunity platforms. Following this, I sent out surveys, conducted interviews, and analyzed existing research data better to understand the challenges in the research application process.

80.8% of students applied through cold emailing and direct professor outreach
88.5% reported their biggest challenge was getting any response from faculty

Business Model / Value Proposition

LabLink is a unified platform connecting students with research opportunities through targeted workflows and intelligent matching.

For Students

• One centralized platform for discovering and applying to relevant research positions across all university departments

For Faculty

• Streamlined application management that reduces email overload and helps find qualified candidates

For Universities

• Enhanced research participation rates and improved matching between labs and student talent

Business Model / Monetization Strategy

Built on university licensing with tiered features:

Core University License ($100,000/year)

Complete platform access with university branding
Integration with existing university login systems
Unlimited research listings and applications
Basic analytics and reporting

Premium Features (additional ~$20,000/year)

Advanced analytics on research engagement metrics
API integration with other university systems
Custom application workflows
Priority support and training

Business Model / Market Strategy

TAM / SAM / SOM

UROP programs are limited to 1st-2nd year students with no live application tracking
Handshake lacks research specific workflows and matching
Department websites offer disconnected and outdated information with inconsistent application formats
LinkedIn is too broad and not tailored to academic research matching

LabLink addresses critical gaps in existing solutions:

Business Model / Competitive Advantage

Design Process

My design process was guided by three core principles.

1 / Simplicity over complexity

Minimizing steps required to find and apply for research

2 / Transparency throughout

Clear status indicators and feedback at every stage

3 / Equal value to both sides

Balancing student and faculty needs within the platform

I wanted a design that creates a seamless experience, helping students find research positions that match their interests and skills, while also giving professors an organized way to find qualified assistants.

Prototype Demo / User Flow Overview

The prototype demonstrates a seamless user journey, from landing on the homepage to submitting a lab application. Users are able to:

Discover featured research opportunities
Explore labs and professor profiles
Apply through a clear, consistent form
Track progress with a real time dashboard

This flow was designed to solve common pain points: scattered resources, unclear expectations, and lack of transparency.

1 / Core Platform Pages

Homepage with featured research roles
Search Results with filters to find the right lab
Lab & Professor Profiles with detailed info
Application Forms that are simple and consistent
Dashboard to track application status

2 / Key Features

Familiar University of Michigan branding
Simple, intuitive navigation
Clear lab requirements
Real-time status updates
Direct messaging between students and faculty

3 / Testing + Improvements

Tested with real users and made improvements based on their feedback:
- Simplified profile layout for easier navigation
- Added testimonials from past lab assistants to build trust
- Clearer status indicators to reduce confusion
- Improved search filters for more accurate results

Next Steps