The Development of a Web Digital Assistant: A Chatbot for an Academic Unit of a University

Source abstract

Manual communication between students and academic departments is often time-consuming and inefficient, requiring significant staff effort to address routine inquiries. Existing chatbot solutions are further limited by rigid scripting and a lack of adaptability. This study aimed to develop a web based artificial intelligence chatbot to enhance information dissemination between departmental administration and students. A descriptive analysis was conducted using data from a 14-item questionnaire administered to students in the selected department of the case study. The findings informed the design and development of the chatbot system. The application was implemented using web technologies, including HTML, JavaScript, Artificial Intelligence Markup Language (AIML), and Visual Studio Code, and evaluated through manual conversational testing. Results indicated that 78.2% of respondents were satisfied with the existing system, while 98.6% supported the introduction of a chatbot. Testing transcripts demonstrated that the chatbot accurately interpreted user queries and generated appropriate responses, attributable to effective training and pattern recognition mechanisms. The developed web-based chatbot provides instant access to frequently requested information, reducing administrative workload and improving student engagement. It also serves as a learning support tool by enabling rapid access to academic resources such as course materials, lecture schedules, and staff information.