The value of a degree, designed: how we enhanced course pages with careers and employability data
Chloe Smith, Product Manager, Digital User Experience
University of Southampton 🇬🇧
In an era where prospective students are increasingly questioning the value of higher education, universities must demonstrate the tangible benefits of a degree. This session explores how we have collaborated with our Careers and Employability Services and Global Recruitment & Marketing teams to embed employability research and data directly into course pages.
We’ll share how we approached this challenge through:
Structured, data-driven content design that surfaces graduate outcomes, transferable skills, and salary data in meaningful ways.
Usability testing that shaped how and where employability insights are presented.Content governance and scalability strategies for managing large volumes of inconsistent course content across multiple stakeholders.
Attendees will gain practical insights into designing with data, aligning institutional goals with user needs, and navigating the complexities of content at scale in a university setting.
Key takeaways
Understand the strategic value of employability structured data
Explore best practices for cross-team collaboration
Identify opportunities to apply these approaches in their own institutions
Chloe is a Product Manager at the University of Southampton, where she leads the strategy and development of the university’s externally-facing website. Collaborating closely with teams across Marketing, Admissions, and Faculties, Chloe champions user-centred design thinking to ensure the website meets the diverse needs of its audiences. She heads an agile, multidisciplinary team of content designers, UX designers, SEO and performance analysts, and software engineers united by a shared commitment to building accessible, user-focused digital experiences.