UI UX Global
I had an opportunity to create a freelance UX designer portal which had three user journeys. Through user-centered design, collaboration, and Artificial Intelligence, the platform tackles freelance Job finding, Bidding for jobs, and finance management. The result? A seamless, efficient, and personalized gamified solution that helps UI UX designers to get freelance opportunities. This app involves three different user journeys.
Goals
Below are the areas I’d like to explore during the user research.I want to understand:
The patterns behind the freelance process
What are the user’s motivations behind applying for a job / project
The context in which the users think of while getting a freelance project
The user’s / recruiters goals when searching for jobs
Methodologies
Secondary research on top freelance portals and psychology of users while taking up a project freelance. I also did an in-depth market study to understand the gap in the market. Did a Zoom interview with 5 Freelance UX designers throughout the world to get an understanding from different cultural mentality.
Research
“Job mentality is made in response to and because of the relationship and interactions between parents and children”
Ann Roe’s personality development theory suggests that
Hypothesized relations between major orientation, occupational choice, and parent-child relations. Anne Roe’s Needs theory
From this theory we identified two major archetypes of users for the project were “ Self-involved” & “Altruistic”. The nature and orienteation of users applying for a job comes from the young age parental affections which they have received.
This theory helped us to understand how the nature of the users mindset is while applying for a job / freelance project and how their emotions tend to revolve while choosing a job or freelance work.
Secondary Research
I am in a race, I need to win. I cannot accept defeat in this aspect. I love to hang around with people, but when it comes to personal stuffs I put myself first. I am more important than others around me.
Self-involved
I am in a race, I need to win. I cannot accept defeat in this aspect. I love to hang around with people, but when it comes to personal stuffs I put myself first. I am more important than others around me.
I am not in a race with others for a job, I am happy if someone also gets a job. I more than willing to share job options with others also when I find one. I will be glad when the greater good happens for everyone knit together.
Altruistic
From the 5 User interviews from freelancers, what we understood were the archetypes really functioned.
Primary Research
I feel motivated when people appraise me for what I do. - A 23 year old
It is very hard to take defeat and see other people getting a job than me. - 29 year old
Self-involved
I am competitive, but I also want to share opportunities with others - 30 year old
When I was in university, we had a placement drive, me and my friends shared resources together and we prepared together, only 1 got placed. But we were all happy and did this process again and again. - 25yr old
Altruistic
Since this is a professional platform, one thing which we found out from all these platforms is that the design and layout is maintained in a minimalistic way. Thereby, even in our portal a minimalistic theme was intended to be created.
Visual design study
These competitors have their own unique features, user interfaces, and target markets. To stand out in this competitive landscape, we had to understand the job portals and the freelance market how it revolves around and find the gap in the market which will help us be on top of the portals as it is a unique portal for UI UX designers especially.
Description
Competitive research
Competitive analysis
Ideation
1. Algorithmic matching of jobs for the users
2. AI Feature that will help analyse and find jobs
3. Motivation for bidding and getting jobs and freelance works
4. Involved with money, security in the platform
5. Project deadline mapping
6. Skills to improve while working on project
Unpacking the user issues
“While doing affinity mapping, what we understood is that there is a lack of motivation while applying for jobs / freelance projects because it is really difficult in many other platforms and also they dont know sometimes what are the best practices”
The AI Feature helps the users to find projects which got approved from the clients. This allows the users to learn and gain more exposure in what they need to do for getting a job / freelance project.
Ask AI Feature
For self-involved archetypes' leaderboard function will really help them to have competitiveness among themselves.
Gamified Leaderboard
When working on tasks / freelance milestones, task management is really important and also the deadline which is vital in these projects. So we created a deadline visibility feature.
Deadline Visibility
Everyone should have a place in the app. Sometimes the skillful will get projects, but learners, newbies also can get projects when they start to improve their skills by doing booster activities. Thereby fulfilling all types of users.
Booster Activity
Visual design
Deadline Visibility
When working on tasks / freelance milestones, task management is really important and also the deadline which is vital in these projects. So we created a deadline visibility feature.
The AI Feature helps the users to find projects which got approved from the clients. This allows the users to learn and gain more exposure in what they need to do for getting a job / freelance project.
Ask Ai
Everyone should have a place in the app. Sometimes the skillful will get projects, but learners, newbies also can get projects when they start to improve their skills by doing booster activities. Thereby fulfilling all types of users.
Booster Activities
We had to work on finding a solution which other portals did not have, a gamified leaderboard model where a user gets up the ladder when they involve themselves more onto the portal. Especially, for self involved archetypes leaderboard function will really help them to have competitiveness among themselves.
Gamification & Leaderboard
In conclusion, the journey of designing this freelance UI/UX web application has been a fulfilling and transformative experience. Through the meticulous crafting of 100 screens, each tailored to enhance user experience and streamline functionality, we have successfully created a platform that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of both clients and freelancers.
The design process was marked by a commitment to user-centric principles, ensuring that every decision made was rooted in the goal of providing an intuitive and seamless experience. From the initial wireframes to the final polished interfaces, our focus on accessibility, responsiveness, and aesthetics has resulted in a product that is not only visually appealing but also highly functional.
Throughout this case study, we've delved into the thoughtful consideration given to information architecture, navigation flow, and visual hierarchy. The user journey has been carefully mapped, ensuring that users can effortlessly navigate through the application, whether they are posting a job, submitting proposals, or managing their projects.
The feedback loop and iterative design approach have been crucial in refining the application. User testing and feedback sessions have played a pivotal role in identifying pain points and areas for improvement. The incorporation of this feedback has not only enhanced the usability of the application but has also reinforced the importance of continuous improvement in the design process.
The aesthetic choices made, from color palettes to typography, reflect a harmonious blend of modernity and professionalism. The visual elements not only contribute to an engaging user interface but also communicate the credibility and reliability of the platform.
In terms of functionality, the application stands as a robust tool that caters to the diverse needs of both clients and freelancers. Features such as real-time collaboration, secure payment processing, and a user-friendly dashboard contribute to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the platform.
As we conclude this case study, it is evident that the freelance UI/UX web application is not just a product but a solution. It is a testament to the fusion of creativity, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of user behavior. Moving forward, the commitment to refining and adapting the design to meet evolving user needs will be integral in ensuring the continued success and relevance of the application in the dynamic landscape of freelance work.