GovWebworks built MyHigherEd — a Drupal 9 portal for the Minnesota Office of Higher Education — giving residents comprehensive tools to search and compare postsecondary institutions, explore funding options, run cost calculators, and get personalized guidance from an integrated chatbot assistant.
The Challenge
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education needed a platform that would help residents make more informed decisions about postsecondary education — from selecting schools and understanding costs to discovering funding options and planning career pathways. The system also needed to support OHE’s operational work: surveying institutions, managing institutional data, and facilitating direct marketing campaigns. A key constraint was leveraging the state’s existing investment in Microsoft Dynamics, which the solution needed to integrate rather than replace.
Our Approach
GovWebworks conducted business analysis, stakeholder interviews, and end-user research before moving into prototyping and design. The team implemented Drupal 9 as the platform foundation, with custom navigation supporting multiple ways for users to find and access information based on their goals and starting point. Regular prototype deliveries kept stakeholders engaged and allowed user testing feedback to be incorporated throughout the build. The Microsoft Dynamics integration ensured continuity with existing institutional data workflows and marketing infrastructure.
The Result
MyHigherEd launched as a comprehensive resource for Minnesotans exploring their postsecondary options. The portal combines OHE data with Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development labor market information to deliver multi-factor school search, institutional comparisons, cost calculators, and personalized financial aid insights. Registered users access enhanced tools for academic assessment and application deadline management. A chatbot assistant — Jesse — guides users through the site’s resources. The platform meets State of Minnesota Accessibility Standards, ADA, WCAG AA, and Section 508 requirements.
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