Chatbot completion
Website + chatbot and virtual tour integration
Submission prep
Review after supervisor feedback on Wed May, 21st
Final outcome
Add here the development for the chatbot
Over the previous weekend, I managed to successfully scan the entire 5th floor of the CCI building using the Matterport Pro 3 camera.
Below is the floor plan showing all the scanned areas.
The scans were uploaded and rendered in the cloud overnight. On Tuesday (06/05/2025), I received access to the high-resolution tour from Lieven, who also gave me editing permissions.
The first step in editing was to check the alignment and make sure the navigation between spaces was smooth and accurate. I then ensured that no brand logos or people were visible in the images. After that, I used the blur tool to cover up some noticeable marks on the walls.
Finally, I added tags and extra information to highlight key areas such as the technical labs, study areas, toilets, and more.
Each tag includes a title and description to help users understand its purpose. I also added useful links to certain tags, such as lockers, laptop lockers, printers, and equipment in the Physical Computing and e-Textiles labs. This extra information aim to support not just prospective students exploring the space, but also current students who may be using these services for the first time.
After that, I noticed that the tag navigation was jumping randomly from one room to another, which made the experience feel disjointed. Fortunately, the editing system allows you to rearrange the order of the tags. After organising them logically, the final result felt much smoother and intuitive.
Lastly, I explored the highlight feature in Matterport. Highlights offer a quick preview of key areas, allowing users to either begin the tour from these spots or browse through them for a guided overview.
Below are some of the highlight previews I created for the CCI virtual tour.
Here’s a preview of when I tried embedding the tour into a webpage ~ view it here.
In Week 8 (28/04/2025), I presented my final project as part of the formative assessment.
The feedback I received was highly valuable. My supervisor pointed out that I had overlooked the potential disadvantages or limitations related to implementing the course information chatbot. Additionally, they suggested expanding on how the concept could be adapted for other contexts, such as student induction processes or interactive experiences in art galleries. These comments gave me important direction for refining and strengthening the project’s scope and impact.
On Wednesday (30/04/2025), I visited the kit room to check the availability of 360 cameras for creating my virtual tour. While they didn’t have any 360 cameras for loan, the staff informed me that they had a Matterport camera, which had been used the previous summer to scan most of the CCI building. However, the virtual tour was never published because the fifth-floor scan wasn’t completed.
They mentioned that if my scan was successful, they would be happy to include it as part of their official virtual tour. The staff were incredibly supportive and, despite normally not loaning out this equipment to students, they made an exception for my final project, on the condition that the camera stayed within university premises.
On Friday (2/5/25), I had a Matterport induction session with Lieven. During the session, I experimented with the camera, first by placing a few scan points and later adding more to build a fuller virtual walkthrough. You can see both versions of the scan below.
Lieven was very helpful throughout the process, offering practical tips and guidance. He showed me how to avoid reflections that could reveal people in mirrors or glass, and advised me to use UAL branding on screens to make the tour look more professional and clean. His feedback really helped improve the quality and visual appeal of the scans.
On Saturday (03/05/2025), I successfully scanned the entire 5th floor of the CCI building using the Matterport Pro 3 camera. Before starting, I took time to clean and tidy up the facilities to make sure everything looked presentable. I began scanning at 2 PM and finished around 5 PM.
Originally, the virtual tour was scheduled to be developed after the chatbot. However, once I gained access to the Matterport camera and platform, the process became much quicker than expected. This allowed me to complete the tour earlier and shift my focus to the chatbot afterwards. To reflect this change and stay aligned with upcoming deadlines, I reviewed the initial Gantt chart. The revised version below captures this new timeline and helped me stay on track throughout the project.
As Week 7 began, my focus shifted towards preparing for the upcoming formative presentation of my final project. I started by outlining the key messages I wanted to communicate, making sure to present the problem clearly, along with my proposed solution.
One of the most helpful parts of the week was watching the first round of peer presentations. Seeing how others structured their slides and explained their ideas gave me valuable insight into how I could improve my own approach. I noticed the importance of grounding the project in academic research, so I went back and added key references from my literature review to support the need for my project. This made my presentation align with academic expectations.
By the end of the week, I felt more confident in both the structure and the content of my slides. Watching my peers and revisiting my literature helped me strengthen my message and prepare for the feedback I would receive in Week 8.
paragraph font size 20, heading 3, subheading 5
Add all the prototypes made for the website/chatbot/virtual tour
In week 3, I started looking into articles to help me write the literature review for my graduation project. Since I’m building a website that combines a virtual tour of CCI with a chatbot for course and campus info, I focused on how these tools are used in education.
I found two useful articles that explain how universities use virtual tours:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities switched from in-person tours to virtual ones. These tours became very popular, especially for international students and anyone who couldn’t travel. Even now, many schools still use them to help students explore the campus online.
This article also helped me understand how virtual tours can support remote students, which is important for my user research.
EAB says that virtual tours don’t just look good, they can actually boost applications and enrollment. They help students learn more, engage with the university, and explore programs from home. These tours also give schools data on what students are interested in.
I also looked at how chatbots are used in schools and universities.
Chatbots help students get quick answers about courses, deadlines, or schedules at any time of day. They also reduce admin work and improve communication, especially for international students in different time zones.
This article talks about privacy risks when chatbots give out too much information. That’s why I made sure my chatbot only responds with approved UAL/CCI info to keep it safe and accurate.
After reading everything, here are the main benefits:
This research gave me lots of ideas to improve both parts of my project and helped me think about what students really need.
Here is the list of references I read for the literature review:
** Don’t forget to add links before submission!!!
During the second week, I created a detailed Gantt chart outlining all the tasks and milestones week by week, leading up to the final submission. This visual timeline helped me map out the entire process and eventually stay on track with key deliverables.
In addition to that, I made a SMART goals chart to ensure each objective was Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This gave me a clearer sense of purpose and allowed me to assess whether each step aligned with my overall project goals.
I also applied the MoSCoW method (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, and Won’t-have) to prioritise features and tasks based on their importance and feasibility. This was especially useful for managing scope and avoiding last-minute pressure.
These planning tools gave me a strong foundation and made it easier to focus on execution without constantly second-guessing what to do next. They also helped identify potential risks early and allowed time for adjustments where needed.
In Week 8 of the blog, I shared an updated version of the Original Gantt chart to reflect changes in the project timeline and ensure alignment with the final deadline.