Using AI to reshape the user experience in higher education

Editor's note: This expert Q&A is part of our “AI is everywhere ... now what?” special project exploring the potential (and potential pitfalls) of artificial intelligence in our lives. Explore more topics and takes on the project page.

As universities strive to meet the needs of a dynamic student body, user experience design plays a crucial role in shaping effective and personalized interactions — and artificial intelligence stands out as a transformative force among the tools enhancing these efforts.

For many experts, AI is viewed as a game-changer for personalized learning.

Amanda Gulley, chief of product and user experience at EdPlus at ASU, knows from firsthand experience what thoughtful UX design, AI and education look like when combined.

With nearly 15 years in education, including 11 specializing in technology and product development, Gulley brings a wealth of experience and a passion for creating exceptional user experiences.

Her human-centered approach to UX prioritizes students through research, data analytics and cutting-edge technology, all aimed at creating an enriching ASU online learning experience.

From immersive chatbots to adaptive learning platforms, she answered some questions related to how AI is reshaping the user experience in higher education.

Note: Answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Question: Could you describe a bit about your background with UX and your path to working at EdPlus?

Answer: I have been with EdPlus for eight years, beginning my tenure in the marketing department as a product strategist for our digital assets at ASU Online. Shortly thereafter, I transitioned to the technology and design teams. This shift from marketing to UX was a natural progression, as both fields require a deep understanding of the behaviors, personas and actions of our target audience, which, in our context, includes both prospective and current learners.

My professional background encompasses data, technology and design. Working alongside data scientists and engineers presented an invaluable opportunity to enhance our collective intelligence and expertise. This collaborative approach fostered the development of a user experience culture that integrated subject matter experts from various disciplines and domains.

Q: Has AI impacted user experience design, and if so, how? 

A: AI has profoundly transformed the workflow and capabilities of our teams over the past year. Our team … has embraced AI to enhance both new and existing student solutions.

A dedicated focus on emerging technologies has led our specialists in XR and AI to spearhead our adoption of AI. This transformation is evident across various roles within the team.

For UX professionals, AI tools offer efficiencies beyond what traditional design systems or experience may provide, sparking new inspiration and ideas that would typically take much longer to develop.

Moreover, AI has allowed us to address and improve legacy systems. Customizing and personalizing our technologies often adds complexity, creating intricate webs of logic and code. AI helps us rethink product design, leveraging generative AI to increase efficiency and speed as a beneficial outcome, while primarily aiming to create more personalized and meaningful connections with students, staff and faculty.

AI's impact on UX is not merely about enhancing efficiency but fundamentally transforming how we create and deliver personalized, impactful educational experiences. Through AI, we can offer deeper engagement, better support, and more intuitive solutions to meet the diverse needs of our university community.

Q: How do you view “thoughtful" AI as it relates to UX?

A: Recent news articles highlight a surge of companies and universities vying to be pioneers in the AI space. However, this rush often overlooks the importance of considering the broader implications of AI on users and society, ensuring that AI-driven solutions are designed to benefit all consumers. It is crucial that every technology we develop prioritizes the well-being of its users.

Generative AI, despite its potential, remains widely misunderstood, even among experienced technologists. This underscores the importance of using AI in safe, controlled environments where we can gather user feedback and validate outputs, just as we do with all other technologies. The risk of disseminating false information through AI is significant and cannot be entirely eliminated. As UX professionals and technologists, it is our responsibility to ensure that students interacting with AI are aware of its limitations and understand how to navigate them.

Thoughtful AI involves educating students, staff and faculty about AI, as well as training models to cater specifically to our target audience with access only to relevant data sources. We prioritize UX research methodologies during the fine-tuning process, maintaining human oversight to test and validate AI outputs for accuracy and usefulness. Before launching any AI-driven solutions, we conduct additional research studies with potential users to assess the impact and identify areas for improvement.

Thoughtful AI in UX is about more than just leveraging advanced technologies; it's about applying these technologies in ways that prioritize user well-being, ethical considerations, and inclusivity. By embracing thoughtful AI, we can create digital experiences that are not only innovative and efficient but also fair, transparent, and deeply human-centered.

Q: When it comes to technology developing at a rapid rate such as AI, how can UX developers keep up with the pace?

A: The term AI carries varied meanings for different individuals, even across my teams. For instance, experts in data science and engineering and seasoned technologists often perceive generative AI in the same paradigm of machine modeling that was initially introduced 15 years ago. We have seen activities that took data science teams months to do, now cut down to a fraction of that time leveraging today’s LLMs.

For any team aiming to succeed in this new space, it is imperative to engage in thorough research and stay abreast of the rapid advancements in AI technology. We acknowledge that tasks previously deemed impossible may become feasible with new developments. It is vital to embrace rapid experimentation, accept failures quickly, and persistently try different models and tools.

Q: What would your advice be for future UX designers who are cautious about the integration of AI and user data?

A: Approaching AI with a healthy level of caution is essential. First and foremost, ensure that personally identifiable information or any IP is not inputted into any public tools. Once this fundamental principle is understood, you can explore the many possibilities that AI offers to creatives and technologists.

There is much you can achieve without using user data. However, there are safe ways to use AI to analyze data or integrate it into systems where personally identifiable information may be accessible. In these cases, exercising caution is crucial.

Q: How do you view accessibility and inclusivity in UX being supported by AI?

A: Accessibility and inclusivity in UX are significantly enhanced by AI, which provides powerful tools and capabilities to support diverse user needs effectively. AI-driven personalization ensures that every student, regardless of their abilities, can access and engage with educational content seamlessly by adapting interfaces for those requiring additional support, accommodations or services. AI can automate accessibility compliance, conducting checks such as contrast ratios, ensuring screen reader compatibility, and verifying that all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard navigation. This automation ensures consistent adherence to accessibility standards across digital platforms.

Q: Can you speak to any current projects you’re working with AI and UX?

A: We have spent a lot of time understanding where friction or barriers may exist for online students, which in result also shows to be true for immersion students most of the time. Whether someone may be a first-generation student who doesn’t have the community or support to navigate college successfully independently, or someone who is transferring with experience, they all require different levels of human support and engagement.

One practical user experience application of AI is in addressing choice paralysis caused by ASU's extensive offering of 900-plus degree programs. We are experimenting with degree recommendation engines and AI-powered chatbots for prospective students and staff. These solutions utilize existing data and assets to provide real-time feedback and support to students globally, freeing up ASU Online’s coaches to spend more time with students who require personalized human support.

We have three existing solutions that leverage data directly from prospective students to help provide enhanced conversational outcomes so students walk away with personalized answers on admissions processes, program requirements, degree recommendations and more.

Other examples of AI initiatives include teaching and learning tools that could enhance the faculty and teaching experience or the student experience directly in classes.

Student-facing initiatives range from our work with Google Deepmind across our Study Hall offering or experimenting with immersive AI chatbots that follow you throughout your VR/2D experiences in Dreamscape Learn.

Q: What’s something you would like to explore with AI, UX and learning experiences that hasn’t been seen yet?

A: A vision I hold … is the development of a hyper-personalized learner profile that evolves alongside our learners as they progress through their educational journeys at ASU. Our student body is incredibly diverse — ranging from K-12 students who start their educational paths with us to lifelong learners who continue their education 30-plus years later.

Recognizing that human behaviors and needs will change over time, it is imperative to create experiences that are contextually aware of each learner’s unique circumstances and goals. Such a platform should not only understand where the learner aims to go but also be cognizant of their past experiences to provide the most relevant and helpful information.

As learners navigate various systems and pathways, they should have a digital companion offering real-time support, feedback, tutoring, advising, nudging and coaching. This companion would ensure that every learner receives personalized guidance and assistance tailored to their specific needs, ultimately enhancing their educational experience and success.

Q: How can other educational institutions leverage AI/UX to better serve their audience?

A: User experience professionals spend most of their time uncovering critical human insights for the organization to leverage on future enhancements to the student journey. However, time and resources are often limited, making it challenging to dive deeply into all areas at the necessary pace. I recommend starting by identifying where your teams spend the most time and determining which tasks can be automated or enhanced with AI. By streamlining administrative processes, you can ensure that resources are no longer a barrier and that your teams can prioritize uncovering these critical insights. This understanding of your students will drive the most positive changes to your institution.

At the end of the day, you want to make sure you are capturing who your students are, what they need, why they may be successful or unsuccessful, and allowing AI to help you accelerate the path there so you spend more time innovating and less time maintaining.

Q: What’s one thing you would like readers to take away regarding the future of UX design?

A: AI will be a disruptive force that transforms human behavior, necessitating new techniques for UX professionals to engage their audiences. As human expectations for speed, convenience and seamlessness increase exponentially, UX professionals will need to focus less on the interface and usability and more on the human journey, even before and after they may engage with your organization.

I foresee UX evolving from a specialized discipline to a pervasive culture or framework that all teams should embrace. Traditionally associated with designers and researchers … UX is now becoming integral across all fields as data and technology provide deeper insights into human behavior. Professionals in operations, marketing, technology, teaching and learning, and other areas should all consider: "What do we know about these humans?"; "How might this idea impact them directly or indirectly?"; “What human problem or need is this idea solving for?”

One final takeaway I believe will become increasingly important for UX professionals is the integration of ethical AI to create personalized, inclusive and user-centric experiences. AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate biases present in the data they are trained on, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. I foresee UX being more involved in understanding the testing and validation processes to identify and mitigate these biases. Ensuring that AI enhances the user experience without compromising on empathy, ethics and user-centricity is key to successful integration.

AI is everywhere ... now what?

Artificial intelligence isn't just handy for creating images like the above — it has implications in an increasingly broad range of fields, from health to education to saving the planet.

Explore the ways in which ASU professors are thinking about and using AI in their research on our special project page.