OVERVIEW
St. George’s University (SGU), a leading international university with a vast global alumni network, partnered with OBLIQ to solve a critical engagement challenge. We were tasked with designing and developing a sophisticated mobile application to connect thousands of students and alumni, foster a vibrant digital community, and provide the university with valuable data-driven insights into the career paths of its graduates.
Involvement
- Native & Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development
- Gamified Digital Experiences
- UI/UX Design & Research
- Business Intelligence & Dashboards
Challenges
SGU’s traditional outreach methods were proving insufficient in the modern digital landscape.
- Declining Alumni Engagement: The university struggled to maintain active connections through disconnected channels like Outlook mailing lists and separate social media groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
- Lack of Centralized Resources: There was no single, mobile-first platform for alumni to network, access career opportunities, or engage in mentorship programs.
- Fragmented Data Silos: The university lacked a modern, efficient way to gather accurate data on graduate employment, making it difficult to report on outcomes and demonstrate institutional value.
The OBLIQ Solution
Our solution was a feature-rich, engaging mobile application designed to be the central hub for the SGU community.
- Cross-Platform Mobile App: To ensure a consistent user experience and development efficiency, we built a high-performance application for both iOS and Android from a single codebase using Flutter.
- Engaging Gamification Engine: To drive adoption and sustained interaction, we implemented a suite of quizzes and knowledge-based tournaments, allowing alumni to test their skills and engage in friendly competition.
- Rich Networking Profiles: We developed detailed user profiles and an integrated multi-user chat system, providing SGU with valuable career data while making it easy for alumni to connect.
- Powerful Admin & Analytics Backend: We created a robust Content Management System (CMS) that empowers SGU administrators to manage app content, moderate the community, and access detailed analytics on user engagement.
Our Approach
Our process was grounded in a human-centered design philosophy, ensuring the final product would resonate with a diverse, global audience. We understood that to succeed, the app needed to be more than a utility—it had to be a destination.
Deep Business Analysis
We began with a comprehensive discovery phase, collaborating with SGU stakeholders to map out the vision, define key user personas (students, recent graduates, established alumni), and establish a clear feature set.
User-Centric & Gamified Design:
We prioritized creating an intuitive and enjoyable user experience. By focusing on gamification, we designed a system that actively motivated users to return, connect, and participate in the community.
Strategic Technology Selection
We chose Flutter as the development framework to provide a high-quality native experience on both iOS and Android, while optimizing the development timeline and budget for the client.
Overcoming Content Complexity
We worked closely with SGU’s subject matter experts to structure complex university information and career resources into easily digestible, mobile-friendly formats suitable for the app.
The Results
The SGU alumni application has successfully transformed the university’s engagement strategy.
- 40% Increase in Active Engagement: The app has successfully connected thousands of students and alumni, leading to a significant and measurable lift in active community participation.
- Centralized Mentorship & Career Hub: The platform has become the primary channel for career guidance and networking, with over 500 new mentorship connections made in its first year.
- Enabled Data-Driven Institutional Strategy: SGU now has access to a rich source of real-time, accurate graduate employment data, helping them make informed, strategic decisions about their academic programs.
