"How might we provide users with
effective tools and resources to
achieve their career
goals?"



"How might we provide users with
effective tools and resources to
achieve their career
goals?"

"How might we eliminate artist's
block by facilitating inspiration
through visual cues?"


Xpert App

2024

Xpert App

2024

Role: UX/ UI Designer

Role: UX / UI Designer

Overview

Xpert app, a responsive mobile application that provides users with resources to seek insight and counsel from a Career Advancement professional.

01 Define

Xpert App is an adaptive mobile app that offers users the resources to gain advice and guidance from a Professional Development expert. This is accomplished via weekly conversations focused on obtaining counsel for career advancement.

Tools

Project Timeline:

Weeks 1-4: Ideation & research


Weeks 4-7: Wireframing (lo-fi, mid-fi, hi-fi)


Weeks 7-8: Gather peer feedback & ideate wireframes


Week 8-10: Complete high-fidelity mockups / final presentation

Week 1: Ideation


Week 2: Wireframing


Week 3: Gather peer feedback


Week 4: Complete high-fidelity mockups

(02) HTML Basics


Learned basics of HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

(02) HTML Basics


Learned basics of HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

Stakeholders

Job-Seekers

Job-Seekers

Job-Seekers

Early Professionals

Early Professionals

Career Changers

Career Changers

Onboarding

Main Screen

02 Research

80% of participants seek credible career experts to help advise and guide them in their professional endeavors. The suggested features support the goal of empowering users to be equipped with the right tools and resources to succeed.

Competitive Analysis

In order to understand how Xpert mobile app compares against existing rivals in the industry like 'Quora' and 'Reddit', I conducted a competitive and S.W.O.T examination.

  • Free to use

  • Variety of features

  • Overly stimulating amount of information

  • Curated content/threads

  • Free to use

  • Basic UI

  • Intuitive navigation

  • Communities

  • Threads/Feed

Strengths

Strengths

  • FREE

  • Influential users

  • User-friendly platform

  • Resourceful tool

  • Great mission statement

  • Helps others

  • FREE

  • Influential users

  • User-friendly platform

  • Resourceful tool

  • Great mission statement

  • Helps others

Weaknesses

Weaknesses

  • UI

  • Inaccurate results/opinion-based

  • Duplicate information

  • UI

  • Inaccurate results/opinion-based

  • Duplicate information

Threats

Threats

  • Relies on user opinions

  • Dependent on user content

  • Big competition

  • Relies on user opinions

  • Dependent on user content

  • Big competition

Opportunities

Opportunities

  • Personalized features

  • Social media potential

  • Targeted topics not overly broad

  • Personalized features

  • Social media potential

  • Targeted topics not overly broad

S.W.O.T Analysis

Situational analysis to devise a successful solution and future strategy.

Research Methods

User Personas

Click image to view user personas

Information Architecture Map

Click below to view

Card Sorting

Click image to view card sorting exercise.

Affinity Map

Participant Interview Q's

Do you believe a 'Community' function would be beneficial for you?

How would you characterize your overall browsing experience so far?

What advantages could an application like this offer you?

Sitemap Post Card-Sorting

1st Iteration Prototype Usability Feedback


50% of users shared there were a lot of words on the ‘Community’ page.


Solution:

Reduce a lot of text or showcase a few posts instead of all or include a 'read more' option so not all the text is visible at first glance.


Why?

Offering the user adequate information without overwhelming them reduces cognitive load and allows for a curated and smoother experience at their own pace.

User Interviews

  • The user research phase helps pinpoint a user's motivation to take that next step in their professional life, whether that be fixing a cover letter to apply for a new job or trying to level up in their existing role.

  • Participants were chosen from a pool of close friends and family as well as my peers at Career Foundry. 

  • In order to distinguish their answers and feedback, participants were divided into "doing", "thinking" and "feeling". This aided in highlighting unconscious behavior. It was clear that overcoming career obstacles and rejections can be a viable incentive for users since receiving offers and promotions are a confidence boost.

Usability Testing Objectives

  • Observe users’ comprehension of the project, its value and how to complete simple interactions like logging in and navigating to certain pages

  • Establish a benchmark for user performance and satisfaction levels

  • Determine design inconsistencies and usabilities issues with the interface and content

  • Measure speed with which participants log in and what (if any) the frustrations are

  • Observe how users locate information

03 Prototyping

Created low, mid and hi-fidelity prototypes that were tested on users to validate the design concept for the Xpert App.

Lo-Fi Wireframing

The initial prototyping process began with pencil sketches that later became focused on 3 main features:

  • View Progress/ Dashboard

  • Chat with Expert

  • Scheduling Appointments

Lo-Fi Wireframing

The initial prototyping process began with pencil sketches that later became focused on 3 main features:

  • View Progress/ Dashboard

  • Chat with Expert

  • Scheduling Appointments

Users can correspond with their Expert of choice.

After choosing their desired 'Category', users have the permission to click on the 'Appointments' tab from the 'Home page'. This ensures their allocated specialist can steer them based on their requirements

Comprehensive overview of weekly progress

Mid-Fi Wireframing

Hi-Fi Wireframing

Strengths

  • FREE

  • Influential users

  • User-friendly platform

  • Resourceful tool

  • Great mission statement

  • Helps others

Weaknesses

  • UI

  • Inaccurate results/opinion-based

  • Duplicate information

Threats

  • Relies on user opinions

  • Dependent on user content

  • Big competition

Opportunities

  • Personalized features

  • Social media potential

  • Targeted topics not overly broad

© Ariana's Portfolio