Roles:
Project Manager
UX Researcher
UI/Branding Designer
Project Manager
UX Researcher
UI/Branding Designer
Overview:
Hackathon challenge of building a product that streamlines and helps improve job application UX.
Hackathon challenge of building a product that streamlines and helps improve job application UX.
Summary
A design challenge to build a digital product that improves the UX of applying to jobs based in frustrations uncovered through research. Eight groups participated and presented MVPs to a panel of judges and were evaluated based on logic surrounding industry role expectations.
Problem and Responsibilities
With 5 other members on my team, time management in relation to time restraint meant working within an agile iterative process. I took charge as 1 of the 2 project managers while also participating within research, interface design, and key presentation speaker.
Scope
The MVP was to be designed, coded, and presented within 7 days on a $0 budget.
A design challenge to build a digital product that improves the UX of applying to jobs based in frustrations uncovered through research. Eight groups participated and presented MVPs to a panel of judges and were evaluated based on logic surrounding industry role expectations.
Problem and Responsibilities
With 5 other members on my team, time management in relation to time restraint meant working within an agile iterative process. I took charge as 1 of the 2 project managers while also participating within research, interface design, and key presentation speaker.
Scope
The MVP was to be designed, coded, and presented within 7 days on a $0 budget.
Solution
employ.ease was named as the challenge winner.
Its user-friendly aggregation of personalized job recommendations that provided necessary information in a transparent dashboard appealed to the judges and empowered users who have become disappointed by lack of job board modernization attempts.
employ.ease was named as the challenge winner.
Its user-friendly aggregation of personalized job recommendations that provided necessary information in a transparent dashboard appealed to the judges and empowered users who have become disappointed by lack of job board modernization attempts.
SWOT
The team collectively uncovered strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of 4 direct rivals in the job search industry: LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed.
Each member was tasked with delving into one aspect of each competitor to gather crucial insights that would drive the project's strategy forward - we pieced together a comprehensive picture of the competitive landscape and found new ways to stand out and succeed.
We acknowledged the difficulty of easily accessing relevant job information, leading to envisioning a comprehensive dashboard that's accessible via landing page.
Our solution aimed to fill the market gap by simplifying usability and management of personal information, improving upon the current competitor vision.
The team collectively uncovered strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of 4 direct rivals in the job search industry: LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed.
Each member was tasked with delving into one aspect of each competitor to gather crucial insights that would drive the project's strategy forward - we pieced together a comprehensive picture of the competitive landscape and found new ways to stand out and succeed.
We acknowledged the difficulty of easily accessing relevant job information, leading to envisioning a comprehensive dashboard that's accessible via landing page.
Our solution aimed to fill the market gap by simplifying usability and management of personal information, improving upon the current competitor vision.
User Survey
In relation to the conversation surrounding our SWOT findings, we created and shared a survey to uncover further hidden frustrations to implement data-fueled design that reached fifteen participants who relayed needs still being unaddressed.
The data validated our dashboard structure concept as our vision's foundation intertwined with wanting to provide additional free time for the user to use to their advantage.
We also noticed the stark difference in the 2 popular platforms recognized. This led to choosing to align our MVP to be a mix of LinkedIn and Indeed, but ensuring the removal of social media aspects as that can be an additional package of distraction in itself.
In relation to the conversation surrounding our SWOT findings, we created and shared a survey to uncover further hidden frustrations to implement data-fueled design that reached fifteen participants who relayed needs still being unaddressed.
The data validated our dashboard structure concept as our vision's foundation intertwined with wanting to provide additional free time for the user to use to their advantage.
We also noticed the stark difference in the 2 popular platforms recognized. This led to choosing to align our MVP to be a mix of LinkedIn and Indeed, but ensuring the removal of social media aspects as that can be an additional package of distraction in itself.
User Interviews
To grasp our vast target audience more precisely, a member of the team was assigned to conduct as many interviews with survey participants as possible within the short amount of time we were allotted.
We were only able to schedule with a single participant, but the information shared was crucial and very aligned with what we had uncovered thus far. To supplement the lack of additional interviews, we discussed secondary information relative to usability heuristics.
The participant communicated negative sentiments of stress and apathy while discussing their experiences with job boards.
The direct quotes above were discussed and became a source of empathy based focus.
To grasp our vast target audience more precisely, a member of the team was assigned to conduct as many interviews with survey participants as possible within the short amount of time we were allotted.
We were only able to schedule with a single participant, but the information shared was crucial and very aligned with what we had uncovered thus far. To supplement the lack of additional interviews, we discussed secondary information relative to usability heuristics.
The participant communicated negative sentiments of stress and apathy while discussing their experiences with job boards.
The direct quotes above were discussed and became a source of empathy based focus.
Personas
A member of the team used the data collected and created 2 personas.
The personas portray users want more time to remain focused and have the ability to feel secure in the platform they’re using. By reducing the amount of friction within independent research, our MVP would provide more productivity within the process while remaining transparent.
We basically get to the point, what a job board should do instead of being cryptic.
A member of the team used the data collected and created 2 personas.
The personas portray users want more time to remain focused and have the ability to feel secure in the platform they’re using. By reducing the amount of friction within independent research, our MVP would provide more productivity within the process while remaining transparent.
We basically get to the point, what a job board should do instead of being cryptic.
User Flow and Site Map
As initially stated, we designed our MVP within an agile iterative process.
Our site map was explored at the same time as mid-fidelity clickable wireframing tested against best UI practices, expectations, and heuristics.
The initial dashboard UI was created via UI kit and served as a great model for inspiration and hand-off for our developers who coded at the same time.
As initially stated, we designed our MVP within an agile iterative process.
Our site map was explored at the same time as mid-fidelity clickable wireframing tested against best UI practices, expectations, and heuristics.
The initial dashboard UI was created via UI kit and served as a great model for inspiration and hand-off for our developers who coded at the same time.
Branding
We understood the stress and anxieties that come along with ensuring organization, a great first impression, and alignment when a user would be interacting via the application process - this is reflective in our color palette and typography that were curated to invigorate the user, keep a central focus point on their process, and drive a desire for future re-usability.
We understood the stress and anxieties that come along with ensuring organization, a great first impression, and alignment when a user would be interacting via the application process - this is reflective in our color palette and typography that were curated to invigorate the user, keep a central focus point on their process, and drive a desire for future re-usability.
Reflection
I'm extremely glad that I was able to be apart of this Hackathon challenge.
I really enjoyed the creative freedom allotted in relation to a legitimate problem while having the chance to meet/work with an amazing set of new colleagues.
If given more time, I definitely would have liked to run usability tests to further ensure entry to exit flow, but we were clearly able to demonstrate our abilities to the judges and be recognized for our efforts.
There is nothing more testing and a future iteration could not fix.
Next-Up
A bus information relay app built to solve rider frustrations after a transportation agency's service expansion.
Have an idea?
Let's work together.
Let's work together.
