Student Networking platform
Microsoft X Purdue University
THE PROBLEM
Students lack resources to properly understand and implement on their future career journeys. As part of an industry facing project, our team assisted Microsoft's UX team by conducting research to understand how students plan, prepare for and begin their professional journeys. We also created interactive prototypes of our core design concepts.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
My role
1
Conducted over 12 interviews and usability studies
2
Created user personas, journey maps, task flows and UI elements for the web resource.
3
Provided a fresh perspective to Microsoft's UX team
Duration
4 months
Tools
Adobe XD, Figma, Keynote
OUR PROCESS
1
DEFINE
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Defining project goals
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Deciding methods
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Creating timeline and milestones
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Defining role
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Creating proposal
2
RESEARCH
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Stakeholder interviews (30)
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Persona creation
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User Journey Map
3
DESIGN
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Divergent ideation
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Sketching
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Feedback
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Wireframing
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Site Map & Interaction Flow
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Low-fis
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Feedback 2
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Hi-fi prototypes
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Feedback 3
4
EVALUATE
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Concept Testing
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A/B Testing
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Usability Testing
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Design recommendations
UNDERSTANDING HOW STUDENTS CURRENTLY EXPLORE CAREER OPTIONS
Upon doing some research and speaking with various stakeholders to understand where the problems lie with students networking, we realized:
CRUCIAL INSIGHTS
Most students feel unprepared for the transition to college - they feel overwhelmed by the drastic life change and don’t know what to expect from their college, major, or ultimately their career and seek out advice to navigate it
Cultural differences and upbringing affects students' career choices and networking practices
Students find the idea of a "professional network" like LinkedIn intimidating because they don't think of themselves as 'professionals"
Students want a mentor of some sort, preferably other students whose professional paths matched theirs
Students want genuine connections but feel uncomfortable asking for help
We created a networking resource for students transitioning from high school to college to connect with alumni to understand college majors, identify future job prospects, and understand how classes and experiences impact real world jobs.
1
Mentor's profile
View the mentor's journey. This include their classes, extracurriculars, conferences, mentors, and job experiences. This will help students understand their mentors' journeys and how it relates to their job.
2
Information about Classes and Internships
View specific details about how a course or internship relates to real-world jobs, and the mentor's personal takeaways from an experience.
View details related to internships/jobs like the responsibilities that the mentor undertook as part of a job, or what helped them be successful at their job.
3
Chat + Chat suggestions
Chat with the mentor about any specific questions you might have about a particular experience. For example, additional questions about the application process, portfolio etc can be asked.
If you're unsure about how to start a conversation, receive "chat suggestions" to frame messages/questions easily.
WHERE THAT LED US: THE SOLUTION
OUR PROCESS
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
Interview participants
1
Students who transferred/changed majors
2
Educational consultants
To understand the process of how high school students/students who transfer to a university decide on a major/transfer majors and what support they need
Educational consultants have a unique perspective as guides when students are deciding their career paths
3
Introverts
Networking can look very different for introverts - we wanted to understand their emotions and apprehensions while networking
Takeaways
Inaccurate information about job roles
You can list a bunch of job titles - that’s great. But what do they actually do? Would I sit at a desk all day and crunch numbers or do I build things?
Computer science in college is so different from computer science in high school.
Unsure of how to communicate professionally
I don’t feel confident thinking of myself as a professional.
Networking with peers is more important than just getting a job by applying online.
Search for genuine connections
The current professional platforms are centered around job searching.
It isn’t as scary when I’m talking to people who have similar interests.
"Shadow" industry professionals
MEET LENA - OUR PRIMARY USER
Lena is a senior in high school
She has been accepted to Purdue
Exploring majors but wants to learn from others’ experiences
Unsure how to approach networking
Feels a disconnect between majors and job descriptions
Chat suggestions
Emphasis on "conversation" with network rather than "expanding" network
CONSOLIDATING FINDINGS THROUGH JOURNEY MAPPING
TESTING AND TAKEAWAYS
Chat suggestions
When it comes to asking about more uncomfortable topics like their grades or job income, I
like the idea of chat suggestions.
Pre-curated messages
Am I breaking rules if I don’t follow the format? What if I wanted to ask about something else?”
The pre-curated message feels kind of impersonal...almost like a Q&A or a chatbot."
Pre-curated messages
I like that it’s divided into internships, projects, job, education etc so I know what I’m looking at and what kind of questions to ask them."
Organization by year and category is very helpful.
Why did we focus on transition from High School to college?
Iterated Hi-fis
Emphasis that chat suggestions are just *suggestions*
concept testing
Low-fis
a/b tesing
usability testing
Hi-fis
Discomfort while asking certain questions
When it comes to asking about more uncomfortable topics like their grades or job income, I like the idea of chat suggestions.
Colour accessibility
We had to improve our color palette to meet Microsoft Fluent Design's accessibility standards
We evaluated and iterated our designs using concept testing, A/B testing and usability testing at multiple points In our process while moving up in fidelity.
MAJOR TAKEAWAYS
Sketches & wireframes
Am I breaking rules if I don’t follow the format? What if I wanted to ask about something else?”
Filtering criteria
I like that it’s divided into internships, projects, job, education etc so I know what I’m looking at and what kind of questions to ask them."
But, do our designs work?
Iterated Hi-fis
Emphasis that chat suggestions are just *suggestions*
concept testing
Low-fis
a/b tesing
usability testing
Hi-fis
Discomfort while asking certain questions
When it comes to asking about more uncomfortable topics like their grades or job income, I like the idea of chat suggestions.
Colour accessibility
We had to improve our color palette to meet Microsoft Fluent Design's accessibility standards
We evaluated and iterated our designs using concept testing, A/B testing and usability testing at multiple points In our process while moving up in fidelity.
MAJOR TAKEAWAYS
Sketches & wireframes
Am I breaking rules if I don’t follow the format? What if I wanted to ask about something else?”
Filtering criteria
I like that it’s divided into internships, projects, job, education etc so I know what I’m looking at and what kind of questions to ask them."
How's this different from Linkedin?
Chat
LinkedIn has a standard chat feature, whereas our chat feature focuses on lessening cognitive load while starting conversations using chat suggestions.
Mentor's Journey
A LinkedIn profile displays user information with its chronological timeline. Our platform, on the other hand, goes beyond making job experience the key focus. It showcases multiple milestones the Mentor wishes to display with equal emphasis on each milestone.
The superstars who made this a great experience!
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Will, Simmi, Nasya, Isa, Amelia, Mina, Janhavi