London-based Royal College of Art (RCA), a leading art and design university, attracts applications from thousands of prospective students for postgraduate study each year.
The RCA had grown quickly from a small specialised institution to a larger, internationally-focused university. The student admissions process was no longer fit for purpose, diverting time and resources from teaching, research and student services. The RCA engaged Nous – as part of a programme of transformation – to design, implement and evaluate a new admissions process that would continue to attract exceptional students.
Trevor Pearce
Nous used human-centred design techniques to design the new admissions process from first principles. We:
Nous’ solution included:
Nous was engaged to implement the new process, which led to faster processing for the admissions team and academic staff. The process also led to greater clarity on student numbers earlier in the year, which helped RCA with its annual planning. Students reported they found the process more intuitive and appreciated the online engagement with the college.