Capstone Project: Helping Youth Find Employment
YOU+ | Case Study
This thought simply manifested itself during an evening spent with my younger brother, an 18 year old high school graduate who recently finished secondary school. A dinner conversation that eventually led to the topic of unemployment.
It makes perfect sense that youths with very little, to no work experience will be overlooked by employers. With a competitive job market, a small network, and no knowledge of how to get started, it is understandable that youths, and young adults alike would find themselves in a predicament where finding work can be challenging, and hard to come by.
Hoping to be able to assist my brother, and many others like him look for a job, may this be a resourceful solution to teach them the best practices in order to succeed and land the job they so rightfully deserve.
User Research | Methods I
to create an application that will help youths find employment between ages 16–23
General Research, and a good read
http://homelesshub.ca/toolkit/subchapter/youth-unemployment-statistics
http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/08/global-youth-unemployment-rise/
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/youth-expert-panel/interim-report.html
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqJrIIqM4W6bHlaQ2d6N0xUUDQ/view?usp=sharing
https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/study-why-youth-unemployment-in-canada-is-here-to-stay/
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170505/dq170505a-eng.htm
http://torontosvitalsigns.ca/main-sections/work/
http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/canadian-millennials-still-stuck-in-the-basement-as-youth-unemployment-surges
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/ontario-youth-unemployment-among-the-worst-in-canada-report-1.1473423
https://tradingeconomics.com/canada/youth-unemployment-rate
https://data.oecd.org/unemp/youth-unemployment-rate.htm
http://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/money-career/unemployed-questions-dont-ask/
http://hellomynameisscott.com/45-questions-every-unemployed-person-needs-to-ask/
https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/interview-questions-when-unemployed-canada
http://www.hillaryrettig.com/what-to-do-if-you-are-having-trouble-finding-a-job/
http://www.careercast.com/career-news/qualified-unemployed-what%E2%80%99s-problem
https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/job-reality-checks
http://careernetwork.msu.edu/jobs-internships/finding-a-job/job-search-strategy-and-research.html
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqJrIIqM4W6UVdmYTFmaFJtejQ/view?usp=sharing
http://settlement.org/ontario/employment/plan-my-career/job-skills-training
https://www.challengergray.com/press/blog/job-search-monday-goal-oriented-job-search
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19916665
http://www.job-searchsystem.com/
http://www.macleans.ca/tag/youth-unemployment/
Competitive / Comparative Analysis
Once the generalized research were made, I asked my brother and a group of his friends to participate on a questionnaire. My request to having them take an honest approach in answering the questions, and leaving themselves vulnerable in order to delve deep into the research was the best way to understand their behaviour.
From the questionnaire, about 8 individuals participated, with having answered 25 questions, some I found was a bit more shy and didn’t feel comfortable disclosing about not having job experience. While others expressed freely to address the issue as to why its been such a challenge for them looking for a job.
User Research | Methods II
After going through the process of narrowing down information to the utmost detail, the survey was ready to be launched for the public to view and participate in order to get results.
From the survey generated using Google Forms, about 32 individuals participated, with having answered 37 questions, some of which was more personal than others in order to narrow down the user trait / persona.
One of the greatest challenges of the survey was having to play the waiting game, while going around searching for possible sites to attract a visible crowd that falls under the targeted demographic was a hard task. So while at work, I asked around coworkers who have children within the targeted age group to take part in order to bump up the numbers of participants to speed up the process.
Find results here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uV1ZLoOan_zWvqFUmvBw54bRfQrz5BlLLdlfA_mC06M/viewanalytics
User Persona
They say slow and steady wins the race, but in this case, a couple of weeks had passed and results weren’t coming in as fast as I have hoped. During this time, the “User Persona” and the “MVP” all had to be done all at once, one after the other.
When I got back the results from the survey, I found that narrowing down the “right” individual was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. The exercise of placing certain traits, (some of which sound similar or one-and-the-same) became tricky to put in a “type” of category. Some vary, and in this case, going along with a simplified outlook helped me overcome over thinking the process.
The two examples above displays the before and after of the User Persona. During the mid-term presentation, I have forgotten to mention about the pain points and the brand section, which on the second photo, I have included.
MVP’s & Feature List: Translating User Goals
With this exercise, it was a challenging experience, with having worked with very little results from the survey (done at the same timeframe as the User Persona) the process of having to gauge the user’s goals was solely based on very little information.
Until the survey form had reached a certain number that I was happy with, it was then where I came back to the drawing board and refreshed what the user’s goals were supposed to be. Which then translated to what could become the possible features used in the design application.
User Scenario
Goal: Use as an educational guide
Motivation: Gain confidence & knowledge
Expectations: Eventually get a part-time job(s)
User Stories
- As a user, I want to use the app, to gain better insight in knowing how to creatively craft my job application to match the employer’s needs
- As a user, I want to use the app, to educate myself on how to use strategic systems, so I can understand better my intentions in knowing where to look for the kind of quality job I want to get into
- As a user, I want to use the app, to get tips on how to prepare myself better in order to do well on my face-to-face interviews with the employer
- As a user, I want to use the app, as a guiding tool to assist me on how to design job application documents ie.; resumes.
- As a user, I want to use the app, to assist me on the interview process before heading to my interview.
Feature Prioritization
User Flow
By looking into 4 major apps (Facebook, LinkedIn, EventBrite and Instagram) making comparisons, and taking away what I thought would make the app work very well, was a thrilling yet challenging experience. It also back fired during the process of creating the flow for the app design.
With the architecture of the design so large, getting down to building the site map took such an immense amount of time. Which led to the creation of the paper prototype longer to complete (this will be explained later on).
Below is the very first design of the user flow prior to creating the paper wireframes.
Wireframe | Sketched screens
Using Marvel’s POP prototyping app to bring creation to life was a ton of fun to explore and interact with. It was very easy to use and self-explanatory.
However, linking up photos that came up to 88 screens or more, didn’t only make the task more tedious, and longer to complete, it also made things complicated as POP didn’t have a naming convention functionality to easily distinguish one screen to the other. Most especially if there are a lot of them.
Lesson learned:
Less is more, and simple is best, if wanting to get results for faster usability testing.
Brand and Identity | YOU+
The design creation took some time to develop as it had to be done in the process of attaining all possible data to create a meaningful imagery that will best represent the brand. Constantly making the effort of going back to each material to apply the brand visual presentation to create a consistent pattern to the overall delivery.
Going back and forth to data research and analyzing results to come up with a persona, the idea of a “never-ending cycle” became the focal point of how I was able to create the final look for the logo of YOU+. Just like looking for employment, growth, change and everything else in life that encompasses a circular pattern, I believe this look defines YOU+ quite suitably.
Paper Prototype | Usability Testing #1
Early Insights
The creation of too many screens had led to the process of not having completed the paper prototype stage. Which in turn was based on the result of 1) too large of a site map, 2) too many screens, and 3)extremely tight timeframe.
I was able to link up about half of the paper prototype, but due to the constraint of the given time provided to complete the designs, I went on to digitize the sketched wireframes instead. Skipping the most important stage of the low-fi usability testing, that later on pose a greater challenge and many problems to come during the design development.
Wireframe | Digitizing screens
Discovery
During the process of turning my sketch wireframes to digital wireframes, the one thing I had to undergo was the challenge of cutting down on the features that I had hoped I would have been able to incorporate into the design. With too many screens to accommodate the features, I had to make the hard decision of letting it go and to really getting it down on the main insights collected from the data.
Problem #1
Attachment to the design and idea
Similar to the “Tier” used to describe the User Persona’s trait, I became an overachiever that got attached to the design and concept of development. Committed to design and create the best app, the consumption of that thought drifted away my purpose of applying simplicity, and following through with the key insights that was pertaining to the user’s pain points. Leading to the app to lose its value.
Digital Prototype | Usability Testing #1
Problem #2
Following the wrong procedure
The first 5 usability testings that was thought to have been done successfully, and by all means “successfully” was not done the right way. There was a sudden realization after presenting the case study in completing the design and entirety of the application that the task given to the users should not have been done through an ‘instructional guide’. Defeating the purpose of 1) Usability Testing, 2) Finding any form of discovery 3) Collecting user behaviour and lastly, 4) ways users interact with the app.
Digital Prototype | Usability Testing #2
Deeper Insights
Following up with the first usability testing that’s gone wrong, I went out and scouted 3 more other users to test the app. And there, a collective amount of issues came up, quite similar to one another.
- Users got confused, immediately thought app was not straightforward after Sign-Up task was completed.
- Users have requested for coach marks to be included during the on boarding process upon signing up as new users.
- Users thought that the enter button on the sign up email section for the keyboard was the “next” button to press to get to next screen.
- Users struggled to see where they can go to press to save articles. Simplify icon to something more obvious.
- Users suggested to combine tips and knowledge as one feature (tips seem redundant). Users questions why the word, knowledge is used instead of something else. Knowledge doesn’t fully represent what that section is meant for. Too broad. Is there a way to change knowledge into something else?
- Options switched out to Settings, and settings should be more visible to user.
- Messenger icon kept being confused as Settings.
- Edit on user profile section needs to be more visible and bigger and placed on top right hand corner.
- Place log out button along with all other parts of the settings.
- Share button to be placed on individual articles. Remove the Share icon on top of navigation pane.
- User (has big hands and uses samsung / android phone) didn’t use bottom nav to get to home page and was confused where to go to get back. Suggested a hamburger menu to display an alternative way to get back to the home interface.
- No purpose in using messenger embedded in app, if app will eventually access phone application to send messages.
- Back / Forward arrow used as navigation to go back and forth on articles confused users. Asked for it to be removed.
- Simplify icon graphics and use standard familiar icons so to not confuse user.
- Remove option to click on YOU+ top display as a button to navigate to the home page.
Problem #3
Time for a redesign
After the final presentation of the app, the class instructors pointed out other issues that needed solving.
Going back to the stage of producing the first digital designs of the wireframes, due to the mass number of screens to be made, 40% was created using guidance from pattern templates and the rest of the 60% was based on eye balling designs on the use of phone applications on hand, which concluded and conflicted with the iOS guideline and suggested to revisit site to apply changes to better the design.
With the fonts being far too small, the issue can also factor in with the design not complying with the OADA, putting into consideration accessibility design as a great factor that was not met.
Another great point was the “Empty State” for it to initiate users to go to another feature of the app instead of leaving a sarcastic / playful remark that might disengage users from using the app.
The Redesign
With all of the changes that needs to be applied, a revised user flow was created (below), alongside a couple of examples of tweaked designs made received from the users and instructors. The comparison of the new visuals will be illustrated over at the Adaptation section below.
Adaptation, a step at a time
With a lot more of the screens to touchup and some to redesign, it will be a great process to review the iOS to ensure everything follows the exact guidelines to intersect new screens. So for now, a few have been redesigned to show progress. A brand new digital prototype will be released soon after when a good amount of screens have been produced and updated onto InVision.
States of Design, as displayed below
- Nothing
- Loading
- None (Empty State)
- Too Many
- Correct + Incorrect | Error Feedback
- Confirmation
Impact
Looking into possible design patterns to recreate all of the existing designs that needs to be tweaked OR redesigned altogether and possibly design a coach mark to apply to the app, and a few more other suggested comments given by the users and instructors to improve the prototype that I was unable to apply during the process of completing the case study.
Thoughts to consider would be the goal to constantly develop and improve the app based on the user’s behaviour and expectations so to deliver an enjoyable and a user-friendly experience. Hoping to push forward this initiative and take on a broader scope, touching base on all other demographic to help out with solving the problem of unemployment. Any further development will be documented here in an extended blog post, called YOU+.
