46% more applications from one joined-up digital journey.

01 / The challenge

More than a form.

An application journey is not simply a form. It is a high-intent moment for a prospective student, a source of critical data for the University and the start of a process involving multiple teams and systems.

The existing experience no longer gave applicants or the organisation the joined-up journey they needed. Improving the interface alone would not solve that. The work had to connect the public experience with the University’s student record environment, meet enterprise requirements and remain dependable during important recruitment periods.

02 / The decision

Build with intent.

We considered build versus buy as a product decision rather than beginning with a preferred technology. The journey and integration needs were sufficiently specific to justify a bespoke build, giving the University control over the applicant experience while preserving the connection to its core systems.

Bespoke did not mean building everything. We used managed Azure services for the platform and focused custom development on the parts of the experience that created genuine value.

03 / The delivery

Connecting product, people and systems.

The service connected a purpose-built front end to PeopleSoft, with Azure Static Web Apps, Azure Functions and Storage supporting the application. Institutional SSO formed part of the wider identity and access model.

Delivery required product, design, engineering and institutional stakeholders to work as one team. My role was to keep the customer outcome, enterprise constraints and delivery decisions connected, creating alignment, removing ambiguity and keeping progress focused on the result.

The service launched to the agreed schedule and budget.

04 / The result

A journey that performs.

Applications increased 46% year on year following the launch of the new journey. Just as importantly, the University now had a digital product designed around its applicants and connected to the systems responsible for supporting them.

05 / What it demonstrates

Change delivered together.

This was not a form redesign. It was product, integration and organisational change delivered together: starting with the applicant, making a deliberate build decision, connecting enterprise technology and aligning the people needed to launch successfully.