Development of a Web-Based Counseling Information System at UBHINUS Malang to Improve Service Effectiveness and Efficiency

Abstract

This study aims to address the inefficiencies and lack of transparency in the academic and non-academic counseling process at Universitas Bhinneka Nusantara (UBHINUS) Malang, which was previously managed manually using excel. The objective was to design and develop a centralized web-based counseling information system that enhances service effectiveness and efficiency while ensuring better accessibility and data management. Data were collected through interviews with counseling staff to identify existing challenges and user needs. The system was developed using Laravel 12 and MySQL, implementing key features such as schedule management, independent student submissions, complaint categorization, counseling history tracking, and WhatsApp-based notifications. Additionally, lecturers and heads of study programs were given the ability to suggest students for counseling, fostering a more proactive support mechanism. The Black Box testing method was employed to evaluate functionality, and results confirmed that all system features operated as intended. The findings demonstrate that the platform significantly improved the structure, efficiency, and user-friendliness of counseling services compared to the manual system. The originality of this research lies in integrating role-based access and WhatsApp notifications to ensure more responsive communication between students and staff. Future development is recommended to integrate the system with the university’s academic information system (SAKTI) and to incorporate a notification response tracking feature to further enhance interactivity and service quality.