Background
x²analytics is an AI driven platform that streamlines the recruitment of top talent by using machine learning technologies to match top candidates with relevant job postings.
Context
I joined the x² team as a volunteer-internship product designer alongside another interning designer. Our team included 9 volunteer interns: 5 software developers, 2 project managers and 2 product designers including myself.
My role
Led navigation UX, design system and UI design for multiple key pages.
Competitor benchmarking
To gain insight about user expectations, I analyzed competitors in the industry with similar use cases to x². What I noticed across recruitment platforms was a common theme: cluttered page layouts and scattered user flows across the page requiring more of the user to navigate the application. The actionable insight from the competitor analysis was that a simple layout and navigation menu may positively impact ease of use.
MVP
In collaboration with fellow product designer Qimei and the CTO, together we conducted an in-depth review of the MVP feature list and prioritized implementation around the application’s two core flows: applying for a job and reviewing matching candidate resumes.
Navigation
The navigation varied between two main users: our recruiting user (the employer), and our talent user (the candidate).
The first iteration had a few usability issues:
- The current page was difficult to identify from the other pages.
- The component was wide and took a lot up a lot real estate.
- Copywriting and page titles were not always clear.
And resulting design improvements:
- An underline is applied to the current page.
- A ‘collapse’ icon is visible, allowing users to collapse the menu.
- Page titles better reflect the content within them.
Wireframes
By staying lo-fidelity, wireframing allowed us to more efficiently explore multiple page layouts. By using 1- and 2-column layouts and 8px grid system, we enabled a cleaner and more organized visual design. The actionable insight was information architecture that prioritized discoverability of AI insights across consumer and enterprise personas.
Establishing a design system
Early on, a lack of shared visual language meant that our design process resulted in incohesive designs. Establishing foundational patterns in color, typography and basic components helped us design and develop with a consistent look and feel.
UX Design Critiques
Almost every day of the project, we met in the afternoon to present designs to each other. We took a “black hat thinking” to explore usability issues and edge cases in user flows. Through this qualitative lens, we were able to catch more usability issues early and explore design changes to improve usability. The constant daily feedback enabled us to iterate more rapidly. Key process-related insight from design critiques was that
- We found a lot of usability issues through articulating a design in words.
- Pros and cons lists can resolve a lot of indecision in design recommendations.
- Our first design was never the final design.
Final designs
As a recruiter, surface top talent in the candidate pool.
Explore opportunities as a job seeker.
See how your profile shows up for recruiters.
Gain insight on how you stack up against the competition.
