2 Weeks - 1 Designer
The Challenge
Create a design for ‘social good.’
Design an app to help people start a new career.
The Why
The journey of career change can be very overwhelming. Users feel stuck, unsupported, and unsure of next steps.
The How
I conducted interviews, built personas, and performed competitive audits to understand real needs and gaps.
The Solution
A cross-platform app that helps users build new career paths through guided skill-building, mentorship, and personalized process tracking, all in one supportive and accessible space.
Research
The Users
The target audience includes adults ages 25-55 who are looking to change careers, often after feeling stuck in unfulfilling jobs or returning to the workforce after a break. Many users were motivated but overwhelmed, seeking structural guidance, emotional support, and tools to track progress.
My interview with Darnell, a 54-year-old career changer, reinforced the need for clarity, encouragement, and small, achievable steps, which directly influenced the layout and features of the app.
To represent these users, I created a persona named Mateo. He is a 27-year-old delivery driver hoping to transition into digital marketing. He feels uncertain about where to start but is eager to learn and grow. Designing with personas like these in my mind helped me prioritize features like simple onboarding, clear skill milestones, mentorship access, and motivational feedback throughout the user journey.
Competitive Audit
I conducted a competitive audit that analyzed four different platforms. Research revealed gaps in personalization, mentorship access, and user motivation. These insights helped me design a more intuitive, community-supported experience with clearer progress tracking and a welcoming, goal oriented tone.
Design, Test, Iterate
Usability Testing
The goal of this usability test was to evaluate the user experience of five remote participants as they navigated through key tasks: reviewing the home page, signing in to access Mateo’s dashboard, clicking to connect with a mentor, reviewing a mentor form, and then submitting. The intent was to identify issues, observers behaviors, and gather direct feedback to guide design improvements.
Insights
Navigation from logging into Mateo’s Dashboard to selecting to ‘Connect with Mentor’
Participants found login process fast and easy
Difficulty locating the ‘connect with monitor’ button due to lack of visual emphasis
“I felt like I had to scan the page a few times to find the mentor button…”
Mentor Form Submission
Users expressed concern about not being able to preview or edit responses, which could lead to errors or submission anxiety
Participants appreciated celebratory icon on final confirmation page
Interact with the Prototype
Final Takeaways
Working on Skillspring showed me how valuable real user input is in shaping a meaningful project. I especially enjoyed conducting user interviews. It felt rewarding to hear stories and understand their goals firsthand. The usability testing sessions were also insightful. Feedback like the need for an additional review page helped me make targeted changes. Overall, the process deepened my appreciation for human-centered design and how small tweaks can make a big impact on the user experience.