RANZHENG
Cranberry
Job Posting Feature
2024, UX Strategy, Montreal
DELIVERABLES
UX Strategy
User Flows
Wireframes
User Interface
Simplifying Job Discovery and Application
Cranberry offers job seekers and job posters user-friendly employment features, departing from traditional platforms with a single “Apply" button and minimal input requirements.
DURATION
2 Months
Role:
Product Designer
This project demonstrates:
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A self-initiated, design-led project that I advocated for, securing buy-in from key stakeholders.
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The application of framework and systems thinking to enhance the platform's usability.
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Collaborative efforts across teams to ensure the new features meet diverse user needs and integrate seamlessly with Cranberry's ecosystem.
CHALLENGE IDENTIFICATION:
User-Focused Challenge:
For Employers:
Simplifying the job posting process for employers while maintaining comprehensive job details.
For Job Seekers:
Enhancing the job application process for seekers, making it intuitive and straightforward.
Developer-Focused Challenge:
Integration and Feedback Management:
Balancing the trade-offs between different entry points while managing feedback from stakeholders and a larger engineering team.
Insights and Testing Constraints:
Overcoming the lack of in-depth usage metrics on job postings and limited user testing resources.
METRIC
Here‘s our Key metrics :
STRATEGIC APPROACH
Competitive Landscape Analysis
I have noticed that users face some pain points while using job search platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, Talent, and Glassdoor.
Pain Point:
Interrupted Exploration Flow:
The prevalent two-column layout on these platforms leads to a disjointed user experience, requiring frequent navigation between job listings and their details.
Overwhelming Information:
The detailed card view format often leads to information overload, making it difficult for users to quickly scan and evaluate job opportunities.
Confusing Application Process:
The prevalent two-column layout on these platforms leads to a disjointed user experience, requiring frequent navigation between job listings and their details.
Strategic Solutions:
Improve Job Posting Clarity:
Simplify the interface for job postings, highlighting important details and providing easy-to-follow instructions for employers.
Application Process Optimization:
Prioritize mobile usability by optimizing for speed, navigation, and feature accessibility, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices for both job seekers and employers.
Intuitive Scheduling Options:
Offer flexible and easy-to-understand scheduling options that cater to different employment types and preferences. This will help job postings match the expectations of job seekers.
Mobile Experience Enhancement:
Prioritize mobile usability by making the application process faster and easier to navigate on mobile devices.
Entrypoint Analysis
To begin with, I created a system map for Cranberry, concentrating on our two primary users - Job Seekers and Job Posters. This helped us understand their key actions, setting the foundation for our design efforts.
SOLUTION EXPLORATIONS
We explored two layout options for job postings: Table View and Card View, aiming to balance aesthetics with functionality.
OPTION 1
Table View Implementation
Designed for efficiency, the Table View allows for easy job postings and straightforward applications with minimal steps.
Pros:
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Streamlines job listings for quick navigation.
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Eases the job management process.
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Supports flexible scheduling options.
Cons:
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Less visually engaging.
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Might not attract users preferring graphic-rich content.
Considerations:
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The Table View simplifies job postings and applications.
OPTION 2
Table View Implementation
The Card View layout improves job listing engagement with detailed visuals and an intuitive design, particularly suitable for first-time users.
Pros:
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Engages users with its visual appeal.
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Provides detailed job listings with visuals.
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Offers an intuitive layout for first-time users.
Cons:
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Potentially clutters the interface with too much information.
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The process of managing job postings may become complicated.
Considerations:
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While the Card View is ideal for platforms seeking to maximize user engagement through visual appeal, it requires strategic design to balance information presentation and ensure the job management process remains streamlined for employers.
FINAL CHOICE
Table View
Reason for Selection:
We decided to make the Table View our primary layout because it simplifies the job posting and application processes. We wanted to create a user-friendly experience for both job seekers and employers, so we prioritized simplicity, efficiency, and clarity.
Although the Card View is visually appealing, it has the potential to overload users with information and its job management capabilities are less efficient. Therefore, we chose the Table View for its practical benefits.
CHALLENGES
How might we offer flexible yet simple scheduling options?
Time Setup Feature
Default Time Setup:
Facilitates quick selection of standard employment durations.
Custom Time Setup:
Offers flexibility for specifying unique job durations.
MOBILE
LEARNING - REFLECTION
This project, with its clear design direction, taught me several key lessons:
Cross-functional Collaboration:
Effective communication and preparedness were crucial in aligning stakeholders with the project's vision. My approach was to focus on 2-3 main recommendations to streamline our discussions and decision-making process.
Leading a Design-focused Initiative:
Adopting a design-led approach played a critical role in garnering support and encouraging innovation.
Applying Systems-Thinking:
Apply systems thinking to various features in order to develop a unified framework.
Advocating for User Needs:
A balance was struck between innovative design and practical functionality, ensuring the platform's changes directly benefited our users.