My Role

Being the sole designer on this project, I led the design of Refactored Marketplace starting in June 2019, defining the product vision, design, and development strategy in collaboration with our stakeholders and development team leaders.

User Insights & Ideation

I collaborated with project managers and the tech lead to uncover insights and translate concepts into features that address user needs and behaviors.

Strategy & Vision

I drove the product design and development strategy and vision partnering with the tech lead to determine the feasibility of the build and ensure user and business goals were being met.

Planning & Scope Definition

I defined the product with project managers and the tech lead. Together we prioritized and negotiated features and tech stack for production.

Design & Execution

I designed this platform using Refactored style guidelines and components to keep uniform with the Refactored brand. Using Invision, I was able to communicate the design strategy, flows, and hand-off to the development team. After development was completed I worked with the development team to address any Q&A issues.

Leadership

Worked closely with the development team to provide constant feedback, direction, and quality assurance on the design and functionality of the build. Designed and presented UI to gain buy-in from project managers and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

Building a marketplace to bring hiring managers and data experts together in one place.

The Problem

Jobs in the fields of Data Science and Data Analysis are relatively recent additions to the job market. The surge in demand for these positions has been remarkable, primarily driven by the increasing prominence of artificial intelligence and automation. Hiring managers often find it challenging to recruit professionals in these roles because these technologies are still relatively new, and there is a lack of established procedures for hiring such talent. Additionally, the ongoing pandemic has added another layer of complexity to the hiring process, necessitating a complete shift towards virtual recruitment due to concerns surrounding in-person interactions.

The Solution

Develop a dedicated platform designed exclusively for recruiting Data Analytics and Data Science professionals. Establish comprehensive procedures catering to the requirements of both job seekers and hiring managers. Craft a hiring system that can be seamlessly conducted entirely through online channels.

The Challenge

The challenges lay in designing a hiring procedure that is smooth and intuitive, ensuring that both parties remain actively involved and utilize the platform exclusively, without the need for external resources.

Discovery

Who Are Our Users?

Great design is anchored in a deep understanding of the user. The user research was synthesized into three to four main personas as illustrated below.

• Colaberry Graduates & Alumni

• General Job Seekers (Data Science & Data Analytics)

• Hiring Managers

• Recruiters

Understanding User Needs & Product Requirements

In order to better grasp our users' requirements, I initially focused on our bootcamp graduates as one of our primary user groups. My approach involved seamlessly incorporating the marketplace into the existing job placement process for these graduates. After completing their technical training, graduates proceeded to the Interview Prep Boot Camp (IPBC) phase. During this phase, they undertook a final project, constructed a portfolio and resume, and honed their interview skills through automated mock interview sessions.

To incorporate the marketplace into this process, we encourage graduates to create profiles, referred to as "BIOS," where they showcase their project work in their portfolios. Additionally, they craft digital resumes that direct potential employers back to their marketplace profiles. This integration enabled us to test our designs and validate assumptions regarding what the talent side of the marketplace required.

Analyzing the current market of virtual hiring and job boards

With a solid grasp of our user base and their needs, my next objective was to identify potential competitors within the market. My aim was to compile a list of the top three competitors and conduct a comprehensive analysis of each platform. I wanted to scrutinize various aspects, ranging from marketing strategies and user journeys to functionality and the methods each platform employed to achieve their final outcomes. This exercise was intended to uncover design patterns and provide valuable insights to inspire the direction of my own designs.

Plan & Ideate

Design Strategy & Planning

Having gained a clear understanding of the product, user requirements, business objectives, and product specifications, I embarked on the process of planning and generating potential solutions. Collaborating closely with the Tech Lead and Project Managers, we engaged in discussions about technology stacks, feature sets, and database synchronization.

My approach included:

1. Brainstorming sessions with the Tech Lead and Project Managers.

2. Mapping out features.

3. Defining task flows.

4. Creating initial rough sketches.

5. Maintaining frequent communication with stakeholders and leadership.

Our overarching strategy was to ultimately integrate the marketplace with our Refactored.ai learning platform. These two platforms were intended to function independently while also working in tandem within the larger Colaberry "Future of Work" Ecosystem. This ecosystem aimed to provide a comprehensive solution for learning and job placement, aligning individuals with the demands of the evolving job landscape.

In the interim, we envisioned the marketplace as a stand-alone platform, integrated into our Colaberry ecosystem but without direct ties to our learning platform.

Developing such a robust platform from scratch was a daunting task, and drawing inspiration from our competitors was essential. I identified the strengths of the platforms I analyzed and amalgamated them into the solution that eventually became Hire.Refactored.

Feature List

Rough Sketches & Task Flows

I kicked off the process with initial sketches of the dashboards, envisioning two distinct versions: one tailored for client users and another designed for talent or job seekers. These sketches served as the foundation for mapping out task flows, outlining the various routes users could take to achieve specific objectives, including:

1. Posting a Job

2. Searching For Talent

3. Creating a Profile

4. Searching For Jobs

5. Creating a Portfolio

6. Navigating the Hiring Process

Detailed Design & Developer Handoff

Following the sketching phase, I transitioned directly into the high-fidelity design stage. Since we enlisted external development support for this project, it was essential to collaborate with the team to establish effective processes and communication methods that would suit both parties. We decided to use our project management system, "Basecamp," for ongoing communication, and for developer handoff, we opted for "InVision Inspect."

Design, Test, & Iterate

Refining The Talent User Profile Creation Process

The profile creation process first began as a single-page stepper process.

Feedback from users:

“Flipping back and forth from page to page makes the process seem long.”

To address this issue, I devised a one-page scroll design process equipped with anchor points, allowing sections to expand and collapse based on the selected section. Users could effortlessly navigate by either scrolling down the page or using the side menu to access specific sections. While concerns about cognitive load were raised, I decided to implement this approach and observe user reactions.

As development progressed, we encountered challenges with the accordion-style functionality we initially implemented for the sections. Loading issues and overall scrolling performance proved to be problematic. Consequently, I opted to eliminate the accordion functionality and opted to keep each section open at all times, resulting in a more positive response from our users.

Profile Completion Progress: Keeping Incomplete Profiles From Search Results

While collaborating with managers and stakeholders, concerns arose regarding the presentation of candidates in search results. Upon reviewing the search results for talent, it became evident that over 70% of candidate profiles were incomplete. This raised questions about the impact on a candidate's chances of attracting the attention of hiring managers and the rationale behind displaying incomplete profiles.

In response to this issue, I made the decision to exclusively showcase completed profiles in search results. Candidates were now required to ensure their profiles were fully filled out to appear in search results and be visible to hiring managers. This adjustment introduced additional challenges, including determining which sections should be designated as mandatory and devising a method for users to monitor their completion progress and identify completed and incomplete sections.

I proposed a solution that included an information card displaying completion progress and a list of mandatory sections indicating which were complete and which required further attention. Additionally, we implemented inline validation logic to alert users about incomplete fields and sections.

Adding Requests For Rescheduling Virtual Interviews

In our interview scheduling process for client users and candidates, we encountered a testing issue where candidates lacked the ability to reschedule interviews in the event of emergencies or other unexpected situations. Only clients had the privilege to reschedule, even though the interview times were initially based on the candidate's availability. Consequently, when clients rescheduled, the changes were made without the candidate's consent. This often led candidates to initiate communication with clients through messenger to express their unavailability for the proposed rescheduled times.

To enhance the efficiency of this process, I devised a request and approval system. This system empowers either party, whether client or candidate, to suggest a new interview time for rescheduling. However, the proposed changes must be approved by the other party. This adjustment brought greater transparency to the process and eliminated the need for additional communication via messenger to facilitate rescheduling.

Reimagining the Client Dashboard: Making Interviews & Offers More Accessible

Fortunately, I had the advantage of Colaberry's consulting and staffing team at my disposal. This allowed me to conduct platform testing with our in-house hiring managers, recruiters, and sales representatives, all of whom participated in usability studies.

Key Takeaways:

1. Clients expressed a desire for enhanced accessibility to job offers. Currently, clients must access each individual job posting to view offers. They expressed a need for a consolidated view that displays all offers in one place, enabling them to monitor offers on a daily basis.

2. Clients emphasized the importance of improved access to interview information. They sought a feature that would enable them to easily review their interview history, including completed interviews and upcoming ones.

3. Clients also expressed a desire for more detailed information within the displayed statistics. The existing stats were static, but clients wanted the ability to delve into specifics, such as understanding which candidates were viewing their job postings.

4. It became evident that some clients, upon creating new accounts, were uncertain about the next steps. They lacked clarity on what actions they could take. To address this, I revamped the design to incorporate a welcoming message and two call-to-action (CTA) buttons. This not only provided clear guidance for new users but also offered quick access to action items for existing users.

Final Designs

Client Dashboard

Talent Dashboard

Virtual Interview (Video Conferencing)

Interviews Page

Timesheets

Talent Search

Job Search

Job Posting Details Page

Workstation (Project Management)

Talent Profile

Client Profile