[Case 01]
Golden Hawk Guidance Service
Transforming student experiences into measurable, career-ready competencies
Goldenhawk Guidance Service
[Project Snapshot]
The Goldenhawk Guidance Service is a service design initiative focused on improving how university students access and navigate wellness support. The project addresses gaps in communication, transparency and accessibility by creating a structured, end-to-end support system.
The solution combines a detailed service blueprint with low-cost, scalable touchpoints, such as trained student volunteers and social media engagement, to provide students with more immediate, approachable and continuous support throughout their wellness journey.
[Problem Statement]
Mental health challenges are most commonly first identified between the ages of 16–24, making post-secondary students particularly vulnerable. Despite the availability of wellness resources, students often feel unclear about where to go, what services exist, and whether their concerns will be acknowledged.
A fragmented system, combined with a lack of transparency and unclear ownership of services, results in students feeling unheard and hesitant to seek help, especially for concerns they perceive as “too small.”
[Role]
UX/UI Design Student
[Focus]
Health & Wellness
Systems Design
Student Experience
[Goals & Success Metrics]
Primary Goal
The goal was to design a more accessible, transparent, and student-centered support system that reduces friction in seeking help and increases engagement with wellness services.
[Goals]
Improve clarity and awareness of available wellness resources.
Reduce friction in how students initiate support.
Establish Credibility → Introduce validation to ensure experiences are trusted and meaningful.
Create a scalable, low-cost support system that is accessible across channels.
[Success Metrics]
Increased engagement with wellness entry points.
Reduced time to connect students with appropriate resources or support services.
Increased Reflection & Engagement → Students become more intentional about documenting and reflecting on experiences.
Improved student perception of being heard and supported, based on feedback or surveys.
[Process]
[01] Research
Complex and fragmented reporting processes discouraged use → Need for a simplified, guided reporting flow.
Mandatory account creation created friction → Need for a guest submission option to enable quick action
Lack of clarity and feedback reduced trust → Need for structured inputs, confirmation, and tracking visibility.
[02] Ideation & Exploration
Explored a step-by-step reporting flow to reduce friction while maintaining structured data collection.
Introduced guest reporting and guided form inputs to improve accessibility and submission quality.
Mapped the end-to-end journey, leading to confirmation and tracking features to increase transparency and trust.
[03] Design Process
Designed a streamlined flow with guest entry, allowing users to quickly initiate reports without barriers.
Structured the reporting experience into clear steps with a review stage to improve accuracy.
Integrated confirmation, tracking, and error handling to ensure transparency and continuous user feedback.
[04] Testing & Iteration
Simplified the flow by reducing unnecessary steps to improve speed and ease of use.
Prioritized guest submission after identifying it as a key factor in increasing engagement.
Refined review, confirmation, and tracking features to improve accuracy, clarity, and user confidence.
[Final Solution]
Designed an end-to-end service model that streamlines how students access and engage with wellness resources.
Integrated centralized pathways and human-centered touchpoints to improve accessibility and responsiveness.
Strengthened communication and recognition of student concerns so students feel heard and supported.
[Impact]
Widespread Adoption
Implemented at multiple universities and colleges across North America.
Enhanced Student Engagement
Guided reflection and public visibility encourage students to actively document experiences
Improved Skill Communication
Students are better able to articulate transferable skills and growth to potential employers
Streamlined Usability
Dashboard improvements reduced friction in logging and managing experiences, improving efficiency
Employer Benefit
The card-based, professional presentation allows employers to quickly understand student competencies and relevant experiences.
[Reflection]
This project emphasized designing beyond individual screens and into systems and communication.
Key Takeaways
Clarity is structural, not just visual
Strong UX helps users express what they already know
Systems thinking is essential for complex, information-heavy problems
Designing this experience reinforced the importance of creating tools that don’t just store information but translate it into meaningful understanding.