CASE STUDY: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STRATEGY

CQU: TRANSFORMING THE STUDENT

EXPERIENCE

IMPROVING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

CQU continues to be a leader in the delivery of distance

education with approximately half of the student cohort being

made up of students studying by distance education.
Compared to other universities, CQU has the highest ratio of
students from mature age, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander,
first-in-family and low socio-economic backgrounds and is
widely recognised as Australias most inclusive university.
CQU engaged Fifth Quadrant to complete a Student Experience
Strategy program with the objectives of:

Conducting a review of the current student experience

Define a pathway to improve the staff culture with a target
to;
Increase the retention rate across students

THE SOLUTION TO INCREASE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

The Student Experience Strategy Development incorporated a Human Centred Design approach, a
comprehensive research program and the development of a strategic roadmap of recommendations to
enhance and optimise the current student experience.
The program methodology included four key stages:

1. Current State Assessment

2. Student Research
3. Strategy and Roadmap Development
4. Cultural Assessment and Engagement Development
The student research activities conducted as part of this program of work included contextual enquiries,
the development of student personas, student journey maps, co-creation of future state prototypes with
the insights gained from the qualitative phases of the student research then quantified using Fifth
Quadrants proprietary StudentEngage methodology. The student research provided deep insight into
the student journey from deciding to study through enrolment, course selection, studying and graduation
to identify needs, motivations, pain points and opportunities to improve the student experience.

THE APPROACH

STUDENT PERSONAS
The Fifth Quadrant research identified 4 distinct student
personas that were utilised to ensure the student experience
strategy considered the needs of each student cohort.
.

STUDENT-LED TRANSFORMATION
Student Journey Maps were developed for the key phases of the student journey to identify needs,
emotions and pain-points throughout the journey

STUDENT LED TRANSFORMATION

Pain points identified in the student journey were utilised as topics for co-creation workshops
with students to ideate solutions and develop prototypes.
.

ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS
The opportunities identified during the student
research, current state assessment and cultural
assessment phases of the program were synthesised
to inform a strategic roadmap of 42 short, medium
and longer term recommendations for CQU across the
following areas:
1. Student experience strategy
2. Multi-channel capability and integration
3. Operational capability
4. People and HR capability
5. Technology and Telephony
6. Student Experience Management

MEASURING THE BUSINESS IMPACT

CQU are now implementing Fifth Quadrants recommendations and will measure the success
through a further phase of student research to drive continuous improvement. The benefits
expected for the program of work include:
1. Increased student retention rates
2. Increased market share and growth
3. Improved student experience
4. Improved employee experience and culture

ABOUT FIFTH
QUADRANT

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FIFTH QUADRANT
Established in 1998, Fifth Quadrant is a Customer Experience Strategy, Design, Research and Innovation
management consultancy and analyst organisation. We provide management consulting, customer
experience design and innovation, service industry research and customer research services to Australian
and global blue chip organisations. Fifth Quadrant has one of the largest bodies of customer experience
related research in Australia.

WHERE IS YOUR COUNCIL TODAY?

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FIFTH QUADRANT CLIENTS

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For more information please contact:

T:
F:
E:
W:

+61 2 9927 3399

+61 2 9927 3327
info@fifthquadrant.com.au
www.fifthquadrant.com.au

Northpoint, Level 11, 100 Miller Street,

North Sydney, NSW, 2060, Australia
F: www.facebook.com/fifth.quadrant
T: www.twitter.com/5thQuad
L: www.linkedin.com/company/fifth-quadrant-pty-ltd

ABN: 53 088 072 940 | ACN: 088 072 940