Go Pursue

Go Pursue

Go Pursue

Improving Go Pursue's Average Session Duration by 30%

Improving Go Pursue's Average Session Duration by 30%

Improving Go Pursue's Average Session Duration by 30%

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Specifications

Project Specifications

Project Specifications

Customer: Go Pursue

Category: Education Technology

Role: UX Research, UX Design, UI Design

Platform: Web App

Tools: Figma

Timeline: 4 weeks

Team: 2 Product Designers, 1 Developer, Founder

Customer: Go Pursue

Category: Education Technology

Role: UX Research, UX Design, UI Design

Platform: Web App

Tools: Figma

Timeline: 4 weeks

Team: 2 Product Designers, 1 Developer, Founder

Customer: Go Pursue

Category: Education Technology

Role: UX Research, UX Design, UI Design

Platform: Web App

Tools: Figma

Timeline: 4 weeks

Team: 2 Product Designers, 1 Developer, Founder

Deliverables

Deliverables

Deliverables

User Research, Secondary Research, User Flows,

Information Architecture, Usability Tests, Wireframes, Prototypes

User Research, Secondary Research, User Flows,

Information Architecture, Usability Tests, Wireframes, Prototypes

User Research, Secondary Research, User Flows, Information Architecture, Usability Tests, Wireframes, Prototypes

OVERVIEW

Problem

Problem

Problem

Go Pursue allows students to reach out professionals for career advice. However, students were not interacting with professionals on the app. This lack of engagement hindered the overall effectiveness of the platform, reducing its value for both students and professionals.


Go Pursue allows students to reach out professionals for career advice. However, students were not interacting with professionals on the app. This lack of engagement hindered the overall effectiveness of the platform, reducing its value for both students and professionals.


Go Pursue allows students to reach out professionals for career advice. However, students were not interacting with professionals on the app. This lack of engagement hindered the overall effectiveness of the platform, reducing its value for both students and professionals.


Outcome

Outcome

Outcome

Outcome

Outcome

Outcome

We identified that students' limited interactions due to safety concerns and uncertainty about how to start conversations. After implementing solutions, the founder reported that there was a 40% increase in the number of users that initiated conversations. This also resulted in a 30% increase in average session duration.


We identified that students' limited interactions due to safety concerns and uncertainty about how to start conversations. After implementing solutions, the founder reported that there was a 40% increase in the number of users that initiated conversations. This also resulted in a 30% increase in average session duration.


We identified that students' limited interactions due to safety concerns and uncertainty about how to start conversations. After implementing solutions, the founder reported that there was a 40% increase in the number of users that initiated conversations. This also resulted in a 30% increase in average session duration.


ABOUT THE CUSTOMER

What is Go Pursue?

What is Go Pursue?

What is Go Pursue?

GoPursue is a student-driven platform that allows students to explore careers, engage with professionals, and find internship opportunities in their area. The aim is to help high school & college students figure out their ideal careers.

Professionals can showcase their career journeys on their profiles and offer mentorship to students seeking guidance, contributing to the community.

GoPursue is a student-driven platform that allows students to explore careers, engage with professionals, and find internship opportunities in their area. The aim is to help high school & college students figure out their ideal careers.

Professionals can showcase their career journeys on their profiles and offer mentorship to students seeking guidance, contributing to the community.

GoPursue is a student-driven platform that allows students to explore careers, engage with professionals, and find internship opportunities in their area. The aim is to help high school & college students figure out their ideal careers.

Professionals can showcase their career journeys on their profiles and offer mentorship to students seeking guidance, contributing to the community.

USER RESEARCH

Gathering User Insights

Gathering User Insights

Gathering User Insights

To understand how the students use and feel about the app, I led semi-structured user interviews with 12 current users of the app. Through this study, we gained insights into users' thoughts.

To understand how the students use and feel about the app, I led semi-structured user interviews with 12 current users of the app. Through this study, we gained insights into users' thoughts.

Key Insights

1

Concerns of Safety While Messaging


40% Students were hesitant to initiate conversations, fearing online risks like cyberbullying, harassment, and privacy issues.

1

Concerns of Safety While Messaging


40% Students were hesitant to initiate conversations, fearing online risks like cyberbullying, harassment, and privacy issues.

2

Difficulty Initiating and Sustaining Conversations


80% Students shared their challenges in starting conversations due to uncertainty about what to say or ask, as well as difficulty in maintaining meaningful interactions.


2

Difficulty Initiating and Sustaining Conversations


80% Students shared their challenges in starting conversations due to uncertainty about what to say or ask, as well as difficulty in maintaining meaningful interactions.


3

Discomfort with Profile 'Favoriting'


30% Students felt uncomfortable using the 'heart' icon to save profiles for future interaction. They worried that professionals would be notified when their profile was saved.

3

Discomfort with Profile 'Favoriting'


30% Students felt uncomfortable using the 'heart' icon to save profiles for future interaction. They worried that professionals would be notified when their profile was saved.

💡 INSIGHTS

These interactions revealed that highschool children are well-aware and mindful of their digital footprint and internet safety. That's definitely a step in the right direction!

These interactions revealed that highschool children are well-aware and mindful of their digital footprint and internet safety. That's definitely a step in the right direction!

REVISED PROBLEM STATEMENT

These Insights Definitely Led Us to Think…

These Insights Definitely Led Us to Think…

  • How Might We help students feel safe and secure on the platform?

  • How Might We give students the confidence to interact with professionals?

  • How Might We help students feel safe and secure on the platform?

  • How Might We give students the confidence to interact with professionals?

SOLUTIONS

Improvements to Student Safety while Messaging

Before

Before

Lacks features to ensure student protection.


Lacks features to ensure student protection.

Lacks features to ensure student protection.


After

After

Option to block and optionally report professionals, to give students a sense of protection in case they encounter discomfort.

Option to block and optionally report professionals, to give students a sense of protection in case they encounter discomfort.

💡 INSIGHTS

Initially, our plan involved implementing a 'Delete' feature. However, we recognized the importance of preserving conversations for the safety of students in the event of any incident. Consequently, we made the decision to introduce an 'Archive' feature instead, which would retain conversations while still providing a sense of privacy.

Revision of Bookmarking Feature to Align with Professional Aesthetic

Revision of Bookmarking Feature to Align with Professional Aesthetic

Before

Before

Users expressed discomfort with the use of a heart icon in an app that aims for a professional tone

Users expressed discomfort with the use of a heart icon in an app that aims for a professional tone


Users expressed discomfort with the use of a heart icon in an app that aims for a professional tone

After

After

Renamed 'Favorites' to 'Saved' and replaced the heart with a more suitable bookmark icon, aligning with the desired professional aesthetic

Renamed 'Favorites' to 'Saved' and replaced the heart with a more suitable bookmark icon, aligning with the desired professional aesthetic

Addition of Features to Encourage Students to Interact with Professionals

Addition of Features to Encourage Students to Interact with Professionals

New Feature

New Feature

Carousel tips at each professional profile's conclusion, prompting students to consider potential conversation topics

Carousel tips at each professional profile's conclusion, prompting students to consider potential conversation topics

New Feature

New Feature

Prompts while messaging, to help them easily break the ice and facilitate conversations with professionals

Prompts while messaging, to help them easily break the ice and facilitate conversations with professionals

New Feature

New Feature

'Resources' tab providing access to career resources and internship opportunities to help students excel

'Resources' tab providing access to career resources and internship opportunities to help students excel


'Resources' tab providing access to career resources and internship opportunities to help students excel

USABILITY TESTING

Usability Testing…Round 2!

Usability Testing…Round 2!

Usability Testing…Round 2!

I led another moderated usability test to ensure the effectiveness of all the new changes that were made. The goal was to see if the modifications were well received by the target user group.


“These conversation starters are so helpful!.” ~ Participant

I led another moderated usability test to ensure the effectiveness of all the new changes that were made. The goal was to see if the modifications were well received by the target user group.


Knowing that I can block someone makes me feel secure.” ~ Participant

I led another moderated usability test to ensure the effectiveness of all the new changes that were made. The goal was to see if the modifications were well received by the target user group.


“Knowing that I can block someone makes me feel secure.” ~ Participant

💡 INSIGHTS

It was interesting to see students request for two-factor authentication. This goes to show that students are aware of and value their privacy and safety.

IMPACT

Reported Impact

Reported Impact

A few months later, the CEO reported the following improvements:

40%

Increase in the number of students that initiated conversations

30%

Increase in Average Session Duration

7%

Increase in the number of profiles that were bookmarked

FUTURE FEATURES

Further Recommendations

Further Recommendations

Further Recommendations

Based on feedback from the usability test, the following features were recommended to the client:

  • Progress Visualizations on Student Profile - Introduce visual graphs to easily depict progress made each week 📈

  • Mentor Appreciation - Allow students to express gratitude to a mentor to acknowledge their efforts and insights on their learning journey 🌸

  • Two-factor Authentication - Introduce additional security features to ensure safety 🔐

Based on feedback from the usability test, the following features were recommended to the client:

  • Progress Visualizations on Student Profile - Introduce visual graphs to easily depict progress made each week 📈

  • Mentor Appreciation - Allow students to express gratitude to a mentor to acknowledge their efforts and insights on their learning journey 🌸

  • Two-factor Authentication - Introduce additional security features to ensure safety 🔐

REFLECTION AND LEARNINGS

What I Learned

What I Learned

What I Learned

Throughout the project, I gained knowledge regarding the privacy concerns and limitations specific to high school students. These factors constrained our ability to introduce certain features. This experience not only provided me with insightful understanding of the Ed-Tech landscape, but also served as a reminder of the importance of thoroughly understanding an industry before engaging in the ideation process.

Throughout the project, I gained knowledge regarding the privacy concerns and limitations specific to high school students. These factors constrained our ability to introduce certain features. This experience not only provided me with insightful understanding of the Ed-Tech landscape, but also served as a reminder of the importance of thoroughly understanding an industry before engaging in the ideation process.

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar