Design of the CSU Alumni Information System Based on Jakob Nielsen’s Heuristic Evaluation Model: A User Centric Approach

Abstract

Caraga State University (CSU) recognizes its alumni as vital partners in sustaining academic and professional excellence; however, alumni engagement has been hindered by outdated manual processes and the lack of a dedicated digital platform. This study presents a user-centric Alumni Information System, designed and evaluated using Jakob Nielsen’s Heuristic Evaluation Model to ensure accessibility, efficiency, and intuitive user interaction. Developed through a Design and Development Research (DDR) approach, the system integrates essential features such as secure registration, personalized profiles, event management, job postings, communication tools, and a searchable alumni directory.Usability testing with 100 alumni and graduating students yielded an overall rating of 3.5 out of 4.0, classified as “Good to Excellent”, confirming strong performance in areas such as visibility, consistency, and error prevention.By embedding heuristic principles into the design process, the system bridges engagement gaps and strengthens lifelong alumni-university connections. This research underscores how usability-driven design can transform alumni relations, laying the groundwork for future scalability, backend integration, and institution-wide adoption.