Touchbase
2024 _ Rice Designathon
//Project Overview
TouchBase, designed by me and my two teammates (Sarah Chang and Yeon Joo Nam), for the 2024 Rice University Designathon, redefines job searching for undergraduates with accessible and causal job-finding, swipe-to-match feature, and streamlined profile setup. It offers a personalized, hassle-free experience, focusing on user preferences and transparent communication with recruiters.
//Role
My role in TouchBase spanned from user research to final presentation, including the design of key app screens (Onboarding, AI Mentor, Profile) and development of both lo-fi and hi-fi prototypes. I also produced a comprehensive video walkthrough and prepared the presentation slides, significantly contributing to our finalist success in the competition.
TouchBase, designed by me and my two teammates (Sarah Chang and Yeon Joo Nam), for the 2024 Rice University Designathon, redefines job searching for undergraduates with accessible and causal job-finding, swipe-to-match feature, and streamlined profile setup. It offers a personalized, hassle-free experience, focusing on user preferences and transparent communication with recruiters.
//Role
My role in TouchBase spanned from user research to final presentation, including the design of key app screens (Onboarding, AI Mentor, Profile) and development of both lo-fi and hi-fi prototypes. I also produced a comprehensive video walkthrough and prepared the presentation slides, significantly contributing to our finalist success in the competition.
//Problem
The job search process for undergraduates is overwhelmingly inefficient and impersonal, marked by a lack of interaction and outdated methods that lead to burnout and disengagement.
The job search process for undergraduates is overwhelmingly inefficient and impersonal, marked by a lack of interaction and outdated methods that lead to burnout and disengagement.
//Inadequate Communication and Matching systems
Job seekers face a discouraging process characterized by a lack of feedback and inefficient matching with potential employers, contributing to a one-sided and unproductive job search experience.
Job seekers face a discouraging process characterized by a lack of feedback and inefficient matching with potential employers, contributing to a one-sided and unproductive job search experience.
//Outdated Job Listings and Application Processes
Many job postings are not regularly updated and outdated. Furthermore, the reliance on traditional, laptop-based applications—-makes the user's application process inefficient and difficult.
Many job postings are not regularly updated and outdated. Furthermore, the reliance on traditional, laptop-based applications—-makes the user's application process inefficient and difficult.
//Competitive Analysis
To begin to understand the landscape of job search platforms and identify opportunities for innovation, we conducted a competitive analysis of four leading services: Handshake, LinkedIn, RippleMatch, and Indeed. Our goal was to uncover strengths and weaknesses in their features, usability, and user engagement strategies to inspire and inform the design of our own solution.
To begin to understand the landscape of job search platforms and identify opportunities for innovation, we conducted a competitive analysis of four leading services: Handshake, LinkedIn, RippleMatch, and Indeed. Our goal was to uncover strengths and weaknesses in their features, usability, and user engagement strategies to inspire and inform the design of our own solution.
Main Insights:> Specialized platforms provide more targeted experiences, while general ones offer broader job selections.
> Algorithmic personalization in job matching greatly enhances user satisfaction.
> Streamlined application processes within the platform significantly improve the user experience.
> Platforms that facilitate better employer-applicant communication lead to a more transparent recruitment process.
++ from here, we delved into user research to validate these insights and ground our design in the real-world needs of undergraduate job seekers.
> Algorithmic personalization in job matching greatly enhances user satisfaction.
> Streamlined application processes within the platform significantly improve the user experience.
> Platforms that facilitate better employer-applicant communication lead to a more transparent recruitment process.
++ from here, we delved into user research to validate these insights and ground our design in the real-world needs of undergraduate job seekers.
//User Research
Our team conducted a comprehensive investigation into the undergraduate job search experience, employing a mixed-methods approach centered around survey forms (32 responses). This methodology allowed us to gather both quantitative and qualitative insights, revealing significant challenges faced by students:
Our team conducted a comprehensive investigation into the undergraduate job search experience, employing a mixed-methods approach centered around survey forms (32 responses). This methodology allowed us to gather both quantitative and qualitative insights, revealing significant challenges faced by students:
Main Insights:> A majority (21 out of 32) were dissatisfied with current platforms, rating their experience below 4 out of 10.
> Many (24 out of 32) experienced application response rates below 30%.
> Most (5 out of 6) used external methods for application tracking, indicating a lack of efficient tools on platforms.
++ from here, we synthesized a user persona that would guide our future design solutions.
> Many (24 out of 32) experienced application response rates below 30%.
> Most (5 out of 6) used external methods for application tracking, indicating a lack of efficient tools on platforms.
++ from here, we synthesized a user persona that would guide our future design solutions.
//Meet our undergraduate
Emily, a driven 21-year-old Business Administration junior, is navigating the complex job search landscape. Despite her active involvement in extracurricular activities to strengthen her resume, she faces significant challenges with current job platforms. These include unintuitive interfaces, lack of personalized job matches, and inefficient tracking methods. Additionally, Emily finds the lack of communication and transparency between applicants and hirers frustrating, leaving her feeling in the dark about her application status and feedback.
Emily, a driven 21-year-old Business Administration junior, is navigating the complex job search landscape. Despite her active involvement in extracurricular activities to strengthen her resume, she faces significant challenges with current job platforms. These include unintuitive interfaces, lack of personalized job matches, and inefficient tracking methods. Additionally, Emily finds the lack of communication and transparency between applicants and hirers frustrating, leaving her feeling in the dark about her application status and feedback.
Emily's Needs:> Tailored Job Opportunities: Emily seeks a platform that delivers job suggestions closely aligned with her career goals and academic achievements.
> Streamlined Job-Search Experience: She aims to utilize a platform that simplifies the search process, incorporating an intuitive interface and an integrated tracking system, thereby eliminating the need for external tools.
> Enhanced Communication and Transparency: Emily wants to ensure clear, direct communication with potential employers, gaining insights into her application status and receiving constructive feedback.
> Streamlined Job-Search Experience: She aims to utilize a platform that simplifies the search process, incorporating an intuitive interface and an integrated tracking system, thereby eliminating the need for external tools.
> Enhanced Communication and Transparency: Emily wants to ensure clear, direct communication with potential employers, gaining insights into her application status and receiving constructive feedback.
How can we revolutionize the job search experience for undergraduates to ensure a seamless, efficient, and transparent process that meets their unique needs?
//Design goals
In response to our findings, we established three key design goals to guide the development of TouchBase's feature architecture and its low-fidelity designs:
In response to our findings, we established three key design goals to guide the development of TouchBase's feature architecture and its low-fidelity designs:
//Personalization
Provide customizable profiles, intelligent job matching based on user preferences, and personalized job listings to ensure relevance and alignment with career goals.
Provide customizable profiles, intelligent job matching based on user preferences, and personalized job listings to ensure relevance and alignment with career goals.
//Casual UX
Demystify the job search process with an intuitive interface and an engaging, swipe-based application process, making job hunting less intimidating and more interactive.
Demystify the job search process with an intuitive interface and an engaging, swipe-based application process, making job hunting less intimidating and more interactive.
//Communication
Facilitate communication between users and recruiters, providing real-time updates and insights into the application and interview stages for complete transparency.
Facilitate communication between users and recruiters, providing real-time updates and insights into the application and interview stages for complete transparency.
//Ideation
Low-Fidelity Designs of our redesign of Letterboxd's main movie screen
Low-Fidelity Designs of our redesign of Letterboxd's main movie screen
//Final Design
++1 Guided Onboarding Journey
Navigate the initial setup with ease through our step-by-step guided onboarding, ensuring a smooth start to your job search journey with TouchBase.
Navigate the initial setup with ease through our step-by-step guided onboarding, ensuring a smooth start to your job search journey with TouchBase.
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++2 Curated job listings & Application tracking Dashboard
Explore handpicked job opportunities and monitor your application statuses all in one organized dashboard for a comprehensive job search overview.
Explore handpicked job opportunities and monitor your application statuses all in one organized dashboard for a comprehensive job search overview.
++3 Interactive Job Matching
Swipe through curated job opportunities with our interactive matching interface, designed for quick and easy responses to potential matches.
Swipe through curated job opportunities with our interactive matching interface, designed for quick and easy responses to potential matches.
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++4 AI-Powered Career Advisor
Optimize your job search journey with our AI-Powered Career Coach, offering personalized resume critiques, mock interviews, and career advice to strengthen your professional profile.
Optimize your job search journey with our AI-Powered Career Coach, offering personalized resume critiques, mock interviews, and career advice to strengthen your professional profile.
++5 Direct communication hub
Swipe through curated job opportunities with our interactive matching interface, designed for quick and easy responses to potential matches.
Swipe through curated job opportunities with our interactive matching interface, designed for quick and easy responses to potential matches.
++6 Customizable profile
Build your own professional profile, and showcase your skills, experience, and achievements to potential employers.
Build your own professional profile, and showcase your skills, experience, and achievements to potential employers.
//Style guide
//Takeaways
In reflecting on the development of TouchBase, three main takeaways stand out: the importance of teamwork, the commitment to purposeful design, and most critically, the necessity of user research. Each of these elements played a pivotal role in shaping our project, guiding us through the myriad challenges and decisions that ultimately defined our approach and our final product.
During our project, a round of user research unexpectedly shifted our perspective. Initially, we came to the table with predefined notions, based on our individual experiences with job searching. However, engaging in conversations with fellow undergraduates unveiled a whole bunch of unique experiences and needs that diverged significantly from our own initial assumptions. This pivotal moment of realization highlighted the transformative power of research and collaboration. It really reminded us that to create something truly user-centric, we must look beyond our own experiences, integrating the insights we gain from user stories and perspectives. This lesson not only shaped TouchBase into a more impactful platform but also deeply ingrained in us the value of purposeful design driven by comprehensive user research.
In reflecting on the development of TouchBase, three main takeaways stand out: the importance of teamwork, the commitment to purposeful design, and most critically, the necessity of user research. Each of these elements played a pivotal role in shaping our project, guiding us through the myriad challenges and decisions that ultimately defined our approach and our final product.
During our project, a round of user research unexpectedly shifted our perspective. Initially, we came to the table with predefined notions, based on our individual experiences with job searching. However, engaging in conversations with fellow undergraduates unveiled a whole bunch of unique experiences and needs that diverged significantly from our own initial assumptions. This pivotal moment of realization highlighted the transformative power of research and collaboration. It really reminded us that to create something truly user-centric, we must look beyond our own experiences, integrating the insights we gain from user stories and perspectives. This lesson not only shaped TouchBase into a more impactful platform but also deeply ingrained in us the value of purposeful design driven by comprehensive user research.