Case Study - Spark
Service
Lead UX Designer
Client
Brainstation
Duration
10 Weeks
Date
2024
Spark is a career guidance platform designed to help users navigate their professional journeys through personalized insights and educational resources. It empowers individuals to explore career options, gain relevant knowledge, and make informed decisions with confidence.
Design Process Overview
I followed the double diamond process to ensure that my decisions were supported through user research and feedback, leading to more effective and user-centric designs.
Secondary Research
I began with some secondary research to gain better understanding. This included reading articles and looking at surveys about career satisfaction, helping me get a wider view and key facts on the topic.
51% of new college students believe college education is the key to a rewarding career
61% of graduates later regret not choosing a different field of study
In 2021 alone, 34% of college-educated young adults shifted their careers to entirely new industries
Primary Research
With a clear understanding of the problem space, I next sought personal insights by interviewing two current college students and two professionals who had shifted careers. This mix of perspectives allowed me to compare the current state of career guidance for students with the real-world experiences of those already in the workforce.
Affinity Mapping
To synthesize all the information I had gathered from the user interviews, I wrote all my findings on sticky notes and created an affinity map. Through this approach, I was able to spot recurring themes and gain critical insights, which deepened my understanding of my users and their core needs.
Insights
Sorting through the interview data revealed a standout theme. Many expressed a need for personalized guidance when choosing majors and careers, a gap leading to dissatisfaction and changes. This insight directly influenced Spark, positioning "Guidance" at its core to address the need for tailored career support in education. Spark seeks to provide the necessary insight and support, enabling users to make well-informed and confident decisions about their futures.
User Persona
Sorting through the interview data revealed a standout theme. Many expressed a need for personalized guidance when choosing majors and careers, a gap leading to dissatisfaction and changes. This insight directly influenced Spark, positioning "Guidance" at its core to address the need for tailored career support in education. Spark seeks to provide the necessary insight and support, enabling users to make well-informed and confident decisions about their futures.
Prioritizing Samantha, our student persona, was a strategic decision. Addressing the hurdles that students like Samantha encounter at such a pivotal stage presented an opportunity to resolve the fundamental issue at its core. This focus not only aligns with Spark's mission but also allows us to create solutions that genuinely support users in making well-informed, confident career choices from the outset.
User Stories & Epics
I crafted more than 30 user stories to precisely address Samantha's unique needs and pain points, I used these stories as a basis for crafting features that would have a tangible impact on the user.
I then organized these user stories into epics for a clear project overview. Among the epics, "Career Exploration" became the primary focus for its ability to let users explore and learn about different careers, aligning with our goal to simplify career discovery and decision-making.
Sketches to Mid Fidelity Wireframes
Through developing exploratory sketches, I arrived at my solution sketches, transforming raw ideas into concise designs ready for further refinement and development.
Branding
After refining my design for improved usability, I focused on developing the visual identity for my career guidance app. I created a mood board to capture the vibrant, energetic essence I envisioned for the brand, ensuring it stands out from the sterile feel of traditional educational and networking platforms.
Logo Design
Now understanding the branding direction, I began developing a logo that truly embodies my brand. My process involved brainstorming key attributes and experimenting with various ideas. I then chose the design that best represented the brand's spirit, finalizing a unique logo and wordmark.
Final Prototype
After refining the wireframes and establishing Spark's dynamic brand identity, I developed a high-fidelity prototype that seamlessly merges aesthetics and usability.
Key Learnings &
Next Steps
Diving into this project, I knew the theme well but didn't have a solid solution, especially since I saw career shifters like me as the main users. However, deep into research, I realized the real challenge often starts at the career selection stage. This insight proved the importance of comprehensive research for truly understanding user needs and guiding the project.Selecting the right color palette posed another challenge, as I aimed to capture the exact emotions and ambiance I envisioned for the app. Through thorough exploration, I chose a gradient scheme that perfectly mirrored the app’s desired mood, reinforcing the significant impact of color in design communication.
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