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Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction 2016
A Job Search App for the Unemployed
Project Report
Group 9
Joshua Blakeley [email protected]
Laurence Dugdale [email protected]
Stephen Jackson [email protected]
Philip Ridley [email protected]
Brief Summary of Group Members’ Contribution
As a group we are satisfied with contributions as were split between group members.Tasks were both separated by the abilities of the group members and by general workload. The contributions are therefore 25% each.
Introduction 3
Review of Related Work 4 Investigation of Existing Apps 4 Summary of Existing Apps 18 Review of Relevant Articles and Publications 19 Background Theory 21 Conclusions of Literature Review 21
Analysis of User Requirements 22
First Generation Prototypes 28 Review of Design Thinking Leading up to First Generation Prototypes 28 Review of Literature 28 Review of other Job Search Sites 28 Personas 29 Summary of Prototype Investigation 29 Prototype 1 32 Prototype 2 37 Prototype 3 39 Persona Evaluations 47 Conclusions from Evaluation of First Generation Prototypes 51
Second (Final) Generation Prototype 51 Evaluation of Tools for Constructing the Prototype 51 Conclusion of Investigating the Tools 53 Development of the Final Prototype 53 Other Interface Changes 55 Description of Final Prototype 56 Persona Evaluations 68 Conclusions from Evaluation of Second Generation Prototype 71
Summary and Recommendations 71
References 71
Introduction In this project we will look to design an app that supports people who are out of work and are looking to get back into employment. Since we believe those out of works have different needs from those who are in work looking to change jobs, we will be attempting to tailor a mobile application to their particular usage needs. The app will take the form of a mobile platform specific application as opposed to a more traditional website format, this is in order to facilitate use by lower income groups. It is stated that mobile device-only internet access was particularly the case for low income groups who have no other means of access the internet, and additionally by younger age groups [1].
Review of Related Work
Investigation of Existing Apps In this section we will discuss a selection of existing apps which are aimed at the job seeker. Currently, there appear to be no apps which are specifically targeted for the longer term unemployed, or those job seekers who may be restricted to using public transport, or those who have limited IT usage skills. There are no apparent major reasons why this group of the unemployed could not use one from the selection discussed, though there are certainly areas where most of these could be improved. Certain apps may be more suitable than others, mainly due to ease of use. For the existing apps, the key features will be mentioned and anything unique from the general features will be highlighted. General (or key) features which are attributable to most of this class of app are platform availability (IOS/android), general (immediate without registration) job browsing, recording job preferences/personalisation, location based searches, and notifications. Many of these such apps (including some not covered here) use a common back-end for their searches, e.g. http://www.1job.co.uk/, which means the same results may appear on different apps. This back-end database usually contains 8,000 employers offering around 250,000 jobs. Finally, in addition to the general approach of the app, its key strengths and weakness will also be given.
reed.co.uk
General Approach The Reed app has a simple blue and orange high contrast colour scheme and attempts to minimise distractions. For the initial search for job search the app asks for information over 5 separate steps (job title, job sector, desired salary, location, the type of job). Simple instructions are then displayed so the user knows how to navigate the interface. Jobs are shown one at a time with 3 initial options. Swipe left to delete, swipe right to save and tap to see more information and apply. The reed app sacrifices some features such as sorting, in favour of simplicity.
Advantages
● High contrast, simple and bold. Simple and easy to understand ● Swipe left to remove and swipe right to save, fun and engaging “tinder like” system to
use. ● Simple and nicely illustrated instructions on how to use the app, as and when you
need to know. ● All key information displayed clearly on each card
Disadvantages
● Cannot recover deleted jobs, and cannot simply move on to the next one without liking or deleting.
● Very long winded process for selecting jobs you wish to search for. ● Icons sometimes unexplained and can be confusing. ● Options limited, eg. can only search one location, and specific job types are missing
(e.g bank work). ● No sorting options.
Universal job match
General Approach The government's universal jobmatch system does not currently support an app, so we have investigated the website.
The initial landing page for the web page has a lot of text and 3 inputs (Job title, Postcode, town or place and Skills (optional)). Buried in the text are links to various useful functions of the site such as login, recovery of password and a Welsh translation. Login requires a long ID that is not easily remembered. Search results are displayed in a list with filtering options on the left hand side Advantages
● Options to resize text on the page, useful for older people and visually impaired Disadvantages
● Confusing and boring design, no emphasis on the actual search results ● Too much (badly formatted) information before the search results. On the mobile site
initial results start nearly a 3rd of the way down the page ● The “location” column for the search results is confusing ● Login ID is a long difficult to remember number
Monster
General Approach This app has all the key features. However, it appears to work only intermittently, due to its unreliable back-end search. Link http://www.monster.co.uk
Advantages ● Simple search facility ● Easy to use (in principle, i.e. if it worked) ● Receive push notifications and/or email alerts for new jobs that fit your search ● Manage CV from within the app ● Post a CV to start getting found by employers looking to hire you ● Communicate directly with hiring managers and employment recruiters ● Recommendations on personalised opportunities
Disadvantages
● Back-end job search seems broken at time of testing ● Does not work as claimed
Snagajob
General Approach This is available from http://www.snagajob.com/ and has all the key features. Unlike other job search apps, Snagajob specializes in finding jobs with hourly employment, full time and part-time jobs, mainly in the restaurant, retail, hospitality and customer service industry. It appears that the app uses a bespoke back-end for the searches which may mean not as many jobs as comparable apps. However, this may not be a weakness since those available may be the most suitable ones. Notably, this app has a unique easy to use interface with extra large icons. The only down side to Snagajob is that registration is mandatory before performing any job search. Advantages
● One click apply with a registered profile, a user can apply directly to jobs with just one click
● Applicant may take a visuality personality quiz and add results to profile to let employers know more about strengths and facilitate matching with the best fit jobs
● Video profile, with a video to show employers ● Application status updates, view real-time updates on the status of applications ● Easy to use with large icons ● Can use in a lite style mode
Disadvantages
● Back-end job search is limited since employers need to register to advertise as well ● Need to register with details to use
Zoek
General Approach This app has all the key features. It is fast and very easy to use, however registration is essential to view job details. The app is aimed at career changers in any sector. It appears to use a common back-end for the search, so a choice to use would need to be based on the user interface of Zoek. Link https://zoek.uk/ Advantages
● Easy to use with large and clear icons ● Concise visual interface
Disadvantages ● Back-end job search is common to other job search apps, so why not use them ● Need to register with details to use
Indeed
General Approach This is available from http://www.indeed.co.uk/mobile and has all the key features. It is fast and relatively easy to use. The app is aimed at career changers in any sector but tends to give more coverage to the IT sector. It is linked to a large back-end for the search. It has a CV builder feature that helps an applicant to create their CV from their mobile device which may be useful for those without access to a conventional pc and who are relying solely on their mobile device for job applications. Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts ● Instant job application
● Predictive search input ● Easy to sync and edit profile and details with main reed.co.uk website ● Online CV builder or can upload CV from cloud storage
Disadvantages
● Back-end job search is common to other job search apps, so why not use them ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features
CV-Library
General Approach This app has all the key features. CV-Library is claimed to be the UK's fastest-growing job site, with 157,198 live vacancies across more than 70 different industries. It allows for a user to register their CV to get instant job matches in a variety of sectors and locations. Latest job alerts can also be emailed. A useful feature of this app is that following a general search, the user may refine based on relevancy, date posted, distance or salary. This is achieved by choosing an appropriate icon at the top of the search. It is also fast and easy. Another good feature of this app is that it has the facility to browse through thousands of courses from industry leading training providers. Link http://www.cv-library.co.uk/
Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts ● Instant job application / apply from mobile device ● Training course searches ● Predictive search input ● Online CV builder or can upload CV from cloud storage
Disadvantages
● Limited features in some areas ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features
Jobsite
General Approach This is available from http://www.jobsite.co.uk/mobile/ and has all the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. With fewer features than others but the ones that are there are useful. However, on-screen help is difficult to arrive at without going through several screens, which might be a problem if there are any difficulties while using. A useful feature of this app is that following a general search, the user may refine based on relevancy, salary or date. This is achieved by choosing an appropriate icon at the top of the search. It also has a
facility to pause activity which might be useful if a user suddenly looses their signal. Another useful feature is that it allows a user to choose searches based on a particular sector, enabling them to focus only on relevant jobs. Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts ● Instant job application / apply from mobile device ● Pause facility which halts session for resuming later, e.g. while signal is lost ● Can upload CV from cloud storage e.g. Dropbox, Googledrive, etc.
Disadvantages
● Limited features for searches ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features
Totaljobs
General Approach This app has all the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. This app is notably similar in layout and functionality to the previously discussed Jobsite app. However, this one does allow a user to refine their search based on location in addition to relevancy, salary or date. Link http://www.totaljobs.com/ Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts ● Instant job application / apply from mobile device
● Does have location based search refinement which is missing from jobsite ● Can upload CV from cloud storage e.g. Dropbox, Googledrive, etc.
Disadvantages
● Limited features for searches ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features ● No pause facility which halts session for resuming later, unlike Jobsite
Office Angels
General Approach This is available from http://www.office-angels.com/en-GB/working-with-you/tools/mobile-apps/Pages/Apps.aspx and has most of the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. There are fewer search features than other apps. However, on-screen help does not exist. As this app is solely for office based jobs and is a product of a large high-street recruiter, its use is encouraging the user to visit a branch. There are search facilities to find the nearest branch and hopefully this
will not be far away. However, searches need to include UK as part of address, otherwise they return global results. Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts and career news updates ● As this is focussed on office jobs, searches may be more targeted rather than relying
on a global back-end search ● Novel user interface ● View salary trends
Disadvantages
● Limited features for searches and no predictive input ● Tied to office based work ● Closely linked to high-street branches so use may be helped if near to one ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features
Jobs.ac.uk
General Approach This app has all the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. This app is targeted at available jobs in the academic related sector. However, this does include many secretarial, managerial and non-academic related roles. The app itself has a good user interface in
terms of layout and design, being easy to use. Link http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/mobile-app Advantages
● Receive job alerts ● Good design with large icons and drop down menus ● Good location based search refinement ● Can upload CV from cloud storage
Disadvantages
● Limited features for searches ● Limited to database of academic sector related jobs ● Need certain amount of skill to use as there are not many help features
Adzuna
General Approach This is available from https://www.adzuna.co.uk/ and has most of the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. There are fewer search features than most other apps.
On-screen help does not exist. The distinctive feature of this app is that it generates results for job searches by looking at the results from other job search engines, therefore it is likely to provide good coverage. Its aim is to help users find jobs on the go. Another feature is that it has a link to a facility from Adzuna to put a value on an applicant’s CV. This uses an underlying valuation model of a neural network trained on the data of 50,000 CVs and may not be accurate for all cases and is not considered a strength or weakness for our consideration of a long term unemployed user as it may help some but not others. Advantages
● Receive immediate job alerts and career news updates ● Good coverage since job searches are provided from a range of back-end databases ● Basic user interface
Disadvantages
● Limited features for searches and no predictive input ● User interface regarding search refinement may be too basic for some
Fish4jobs
General Approach This app has all the key features. It has a very easy to use interface. However, it appears to work only intermittently, due to its unreliable back-end search. This aspect is in common with the Monster app discussed earlier on. For both of these apps, this is a major weakness, since it is likely to put any potential user off straight away. It is a shame about the
unreliability issue since the app itself has a good user interface in terms of layout and design, being easy to use. Link http://www.fish4.co.uk/ Advantages
● Receive job alerts ● Good layout / simple design with large icons and drop down menus ● Can upload CV from cloud storage
Disadvantages
● Back-end job search seems broken at time of testing ● Does not work as claimed
Summary of Existing Apps
For this class of app, there are several features that are common to most:
● Create job alerts so that emails and/or sms texts are sent ● Search for jobs based on user input from pre-defined criteria / constraints ● Maintain a list of favourite jobs ● View job details ● Apply for a job with an electronic CV / profile
Aside from functionality, common attributes are
● Availability on IOS or android ● Introductory screen which also includes the search facility ● Searches are powered by a back-end job search engine ● Closely linked to the parent website of the particular app
Individual apps differ in their approach to certain features of choice. Regarding the layout the colour schemes are usually in bright colours for positive behaviour, with blue being most common choice for these apps. Surprisingly, not many choose the higher ranking colours for positivity, e.g. red and orange. Most apps have bars at the top and bottom that contain icons for key functionality (e.g. options, search, save job and favourite jobs). However, which icons appear on these bars varies between apps. For the user interface, the apps start with an introductory screen giving the name of the app and basic search and other options, i.e. perform a basic search or provide more information
and then perform a more targeted search. Following this, the user has the chance to input their CV, perform refinement and search again. The apps allow the user to save or delete suggested jobs, with some this is achieved by choosing either a save or delete option from the top or bottom bar, on others it is carried out with a simple swipe to save or delete. Though all apps have search facilities with text boxes where the user may input their criteria, some choose to have drop down menus (where applicable) e.g. for a search radius, the drop down menu will give from 5 miles upwards. Within text boxes, some apps also use predictive text and others do not. Other apps, have these features and a slider with a scale to allow a user to define their choices from a list of criteria. Additional features on some apps include an icon to bring up web-pages on useful or relevant topics, e.g. training courses, career news and company websites. Others include being linked to different back-end search engines, such that only certain categories of jobs are available. One feature that is present on some but not all is that is not easy to find a help facility. Additional functionality on certain apps is the ability to build a CV via the app itself. Most choose to let the user upload their CV from cloud storage. A useful facility provided by Jobsite is that which allows a user to pause their activity. This would be useful in cases where a signal is lost and the user wishes to return to their activity exactly where they left off, when their signal returns. Of the apps reviewed, it appears that the job search app uses a common general approach. Their objective is to enable a user to define criteria for a job search, upload their CV, send a job application via electronic means in reply to a job advert, and monitor new job adverts and existing job applications. User interfaces between apps are also quite similar in their design. Where the apps mostly differ is which job search engine they use and their choice of colour and layout.
Review of Relevant Articles and Publications
In this section we review relevant works that have looked at the online job search process and its impact on the unemployed. Searching for Work in the Digital Era - Arron Smith Pew Research Centre November 19 2015 This US based study[1] looked at how technology was used by people seeking jobs. In their analysis they used statistical data and their own surveys.
Conclusions they reached relevant to our proposal were:
● 68% of American adults own a smartphone and 41% of those smartphone owners have used their phone for some aspect of searching for jobs.
● This rises to 59% when looking at smartphone owners aged 18 - 29. ● The studies surveys found that 47% of those who used their smartphones to
search for work had problems accessing job data because it did not display correctly.
● An identical 47% had problems reading text describing jobs because it was not built for mobile platforms.
● 23% had problems saving jobs to apply for later. Employment and the Internet - Written for Nominet Trust by Anne Green May 2012 This report[2] looked at the impact of the internet on all aspects of the job market including its impact on job search. The report comes to the following conclusions:
● With many services including recruitment moving online there is a concern that will disadvantage individuals who are not able to use the systems or technology.
● The internet has changed employers recruitment and selection methods relying more on software tools to screen candidates.
● The older person is, the less likely they are to use the internet to search for jobs. The report also found that those in manual trades were also less likely to use internet for job search.
● Basic ICT skills are seen as a requisite to allow someone to find employment. ● The report identifies a need to take action to address inequalities in how people use
the internet to undertake job searches. Job Search Study - DWP Research Paper - Anne Green, Maria Hoyos, Yuxin Li, and David Owen 2011 This report[3] commissioned by the DWP looked at the job search practise of benefit claimants through surveys and literature reviews. The report showed that in benefit claimants the there was a clear correlation between how people searched for jobs and their age and education level. The report found that the older and less well educated were most reluctant to use the internet to search for jobs due to lack of confidence in their ability to use the IT systems.
Is Internet Job Search Still Effective - Peter Kuhn & Hani Mansour July 29 2013 This paper[4] asks the question if the internet job search is still effective or does internet job searching give too much data to job seekers making their search less effective. The study also asks if the internet making the application process simpler has given rise to employers having to deal with higher levels of applications from unsuitable candidates. It concludes that data shows that those who use the internet as part of their job search get back into work quicker than those who do not. The report states however that the data does not show that those who use the internet manage to get higher paid employment than those who use more traditional methods. The report concludes that the internet is still a good resource for job seekers to find employment and employers to find candidates however both must be able to use tools and techniques to sift through data to be most effective.
Background Theory
Internet accessible mobile devices such as phone have become a ubiquitous part of many sections of modern society, connecting people together and becoming the window through which many approach their social and work lives [5]. Aspects of the mobile device that interact with people's lives have been talked and written about by many since their rise to mass use. Schneidermann et al [6] write that since navigation can be difficult for many users providing clear rules is useful in designing the user interfaces. They point to resources such as the US usability resource [7] which aims to direct the efforts of designers in constructing good interfaces, with rules established such as “reduce the user's workload” or “do not display unsolicited windows or graphics”. Schneidermann himself has “Eight golden rules of interface design”[8] , derived from his research on Human Computer-Interaction, such as to “strive for consistency” and “reduce short term memory load (of users interacting with a system)”. These sources and others point to a need to carefully consider the user in the designing of interfaces, this is something we will have to consider and approach in the course of our project. Barkhuus et al [9] researched the use of mobile phones by working adults and concluded that their study showed “an active user negotiating a messy interface in relative comfort….” Lending a note of positivity that despite the challenges designing interfaces to please the principles of human computer-interaction may pose, people may be equipped to work their way round certain problems when they come to them.
However, It is our responsibility as designers to avoid these problems in the first instance.
Conclusions of Literature Review
In this review we have summarised the conclusions of the reports and papers we think are most relevant to the area we are looking at. There has been many articles written about the internet and its impact on how people search for jobs. They almost universally declare that the internet is becoming one of the main sources people go to search for jobs. However reports and papers about the impact of apps on how people search for jobs are harder to find. A reason for this is that the technology is too recent and being evolving too quickly for proper academic reviews to be undertaken. The literature that looks at technology and getting unemployed people into work show a pattern that those who are unemployed and less well educated are more reluctant to use the internet to job search this has led to concerns that with job advertisement and recruitment going increasing online people will be excluded from the job market due to their technical skills. This suggest to us that to help those most at risk from becoming disadvantaged by the online job search process you need to make the systems as simple as possible and ensure it works effectively on the technology available to them.
Analysis of User Requirements To ensure our job search app will be suitable for those it is intended for, three distinct personas have been developed. Each persona will represent a user with different requirements which are determined by their individual circumstances. For each persona three scenarios have been developed which will help simulate how they will use the system. The personas have been chosen to represent users who have a common goal of finding employment but their backgrounds and situations are diverse.
Name: Szymon Grygescu Age: 29Nationality: RomanianPartner: Joanne
Main points: ● Szymon is a recent
immigrant to the UK due to a relationship with a Briton.
● English is his second language.
● Willing to work.
Goals: ● Get a job in order to support
his hopeful new family. ● To be fulfilled professionally
with a job that lets him grow ● To settle permanently in UK. ● To become completely
fluent in English. ● Like most young people
Szymon uses his phone constantly to keep in touch with family and friends back home over social media. He is not well suited to sifting through large amounts of paperwork to job search.
● The Job Centre do not seem to want to help him and locals there although mostly friendly and jovial, contain a number of people who have made remarks about his heritage.
Szymon has been out of work since coming to UK to join his partner Joanne and settle.
The only work he has done so far in the UK is very low paid cash in hand work that takes advantage of his immigration status. He cannot receive jobseekers allowance due to not having made any UK national insurance contributions.
He and Joanne have to live with her parents until he can get a job that pays well enough for them to start renting.
Szymon worked with a road building gang in Romania and has also done some IT work however none of his Romanian vocational qualifications are recognized in the UK.
To make ends meet Joanne is working 3 jobs and saving while Szymon looks for work, this is putting stress of their relationship.
Joannes dad votes UKIP and does not like him being at home, he tells him if he doesn’t find work soon he’s “just a bl***y sponge who isn’t worthy of his daughter”.
Joanne has also found out she is 12 weeks pregnant, and does not want to let people know until Szymon has a job so friends are not so judgmental.
Pain points: ● English is second language,
so any overly wordy bureaucracy (which the UK system is not short of) can make his life difficult.
● Personal pressure mean he want to find work efficiently and fast with any help he can get.
Scenarios: ● Szymon is on a quick walk to get some air and escape the stress of home, he
stops at a generic coffee emporium to use their WIFI and browse for jobs. However he does not have too long as he needs to get home and do some work for Joanne’s dad in lieu of rent.
● He wants to be able to simply group or browse work he is interested in but can’t deal with the amount of dense English in many of the places he has looked.
● He wants legitimate skilled work despite offers of doing unskilled labour with some Polish builders.
● Whilst at an English language workshop put on by a local Community Centre he hears from others who are praising using apps and phones to look for work instead of trawling through the Job Centre process, he mulls this over and goes to investigate.
Name: Tessa Simon Age: 25 Partner: Sean Griffths Children: 2Employment status: Out of work since before having children
Main points: ● Tessa has 2 children
Bradley and Willow. ● With Bradley at school and
relatives having Willow for some of the week Tessa now wants to get back into the job market.
● Tessa has worked in the past but has been raising her children for last 4 years.
● She needs to find a job that fits with her childcare arrangements.
● Her partner Sean works but due to his hours Tessa has to do majority of jobs around the house.
Goals: ● Tessa wants to get back
into work to get more money into the household.
● Tessa has previously worked as a carer and wants to be a nurse one day.
● Tessa loves her children and wants to be part of their lives as much as possible.
● Tessa wants a job that will fit in with childcare arrangements.
● Tessa wants a job that would lead to a career not just agency work.
Tessa lives in Chesterfield with her 2 children Bradley who is 5 and Willow who is 1 years old. Tessa used to work as a part time carer when she was younger but gave that up 5 years ago to become a full time mum.
Her partner Sean is a contractor which gives them enough money to pay the bills but little else. It also means that Sean is away a lot leaving Tessa to look after the house and the kids.
Tessa however has a good network of friends and family to support her with her mother being very actively involved.
With Bradley being in school and having made arrangement for family and friends to look after Willow 3 days a week, Tessa is now thinking about getting a job to gain more money to allow the family to have a proper holiday and to give her something to talk to people about other than just baby stuff.
Tessa dream is to one day be a nurse since she enjoys helping people and thinks she would be good
Pain points: ● Tessa does not have a lot
of time to job search. ● She has very particular
criteria in terms of the
hours and days she can work.
● She wants a proper job not just agency work.
at it.
She does not like the idea of going to a job centre for work because she had to go there one time to get her benefits sorted out and they treated her like a criminal.
She uses her mobile phone all the time to keep in touch with her friends and to check patient.co.uk on the internet.
While Tessa wants a job, she is worried about taking on agency work since some of her friends took on agency jobs and felt pressurized to do more hours than they wanted to.
Scenarios: ● Bradley is watching a Minecraft video and Willow is asleep Tessa now has 10
minutes free to search for jobs. Tessa would like to use this 10 minutes to look at jobs that most meet her criteria.
● Tessa has seen a job that may be suitable but wants Sean’s opinion she phones him up and tries to describe the job but Sean misses things. It would be great if she could just send him the job description from the website.
● Tessa has seen a job she is interested in but she is worried that they would not let her take time off if her children are ill. She would like to check this but is worried that a direct call to HR would be a black mark on her application.
Name: Peter Jenkins Age: 52 Wife: Sian Jenkins Children: 2 Employment status: Former facilities manager at country estate in rural Nottinghamshire.
Main points: ● Recently became
unemployed after working in a non-technical role for a long time.
● Using smartphone or tablet device to search, apply and monitor job applications.
● Basic level of knowledge for how to use mobile devices.
● Does not like overcomplicated functionality.
● Any app must be quick and easy to learn how to use.
● If necessary can ask his wife or children for advice and help on using a smartphone but would rather learn for himself.
Goals: ● Gain full-time employment
in a fulfilling role. ● Role should be
non-technical. ● New role has to be based
within reasonable travelling distance of home.
● Use a mobile device to search, apply and respond to jobs.
For over twenty years Peter was a facilities manager for a large agricultural estate in the rural countryside. The role ceased when the estate closed, just over six months ago. Since then he has been seeking employment. As a manager, he was responsible for the maintenance and development of a combined number of a hundred dwellings and commercial buildings. His role also included working with a team of ten full-time staff and a large number of contractors and subcontractors. Peter has relevant trade qualifications in project management, but his technology skills are limited. He did complete a basic computer literacy course that was arranged by his former employers nine years ago, however that was focussed on technology that has now moved on, since it was geared mainly towards what he would use for his job. Overall, he is not comfortable trying out new environments on PCs. He has had more positive experience using mobile devices such as a tablet or smartphone. Therefore, he has chosen to use these for accessing the internet.
Pain points: ● Wants a simple
(uncomplicated) interface that is intuitive i.e. a couple of taps and you are where you want to be.
● No small icons as reading glasses are already required.
● Does not like having to go through process of entering everything again after losing a connection.
● Would like to be able to keep up with his childrens’ IT expertise.
● Does not want to be applying for the same job with separate applications (due to repeat adverts).
● Not a fan of predictive input, he would rather type it in full.
● Not a fan of reading through irrelevant job adverts.
Peter lives with his wife and two teenage children. All of his family often help him when he needs to find out how to do something with his smartphone or tablet. The family also have two dogs which Peter likes to take for long walks near home. Where they live in the rural countryside does not have a good mobile signal, so outages are common. He is looking to get back into full-time employment and would like an easy to use job search app that is also quick to learn. Though Peter can drive, his wife has a part-time job and needs the car on most days. He would mainly like to use public transport for job hunting but his wife might also be able to help out with the car, if available.
Scenarios: ● Peter is out walking with his dogs, while they are happy running about to burn
off their energy, he would like to search, apply and respond for jobs with the app. Screen visibility is poor due to his eyesight and the outdoor daylight, the signal is also poor.
● Peter is home and all the family are out. He gets offered an interview for a job he applied for with the app. He would like to share the appointment details with his family to put on their calendars so they know. His family will be back home before the appointment but he would rather do this now, as he finds it less complicated and also can’t forget to do it later.
● Peter is meeting with friends in their local. While waiting he has a few moments to search and check for jobs, he would like to search jobs that fit in with public transport and his wife’s diary. He needs to be able to do this in a few easy steps.
First Generation Prototypes
Review of Design Thinking Leading up to First Generation Prototypes In this section we will describe how we started to look at the possibility of designing a way to improve the job search experience for the unemployed and our reasoning for the design features of the first generation prototype solution.
Review of Literature
The review of literature showed us that job search process was moving increasing online but some sectors of the population in particular those who are older and less well educated are most resistant to using the internet for a job search. A review of research also showed that people on lower incomes use smartphones as their primary means of accessing the internet. The review also showed that many had problems with accessing job sites on their mobiles. From this we decided:
● That we would design a job search app to be used on mobiles ● We would make it to particularly meet the needs of the unemployed. ● We would look to make an app that displayed information as simply as possible
Review of other Job Search Sites
From looking at other apps and web pages we came to the following conclusions:
● Most job search apps and systems were based on similar ways of searching by keyword and area.
● Most job apps were mobile versions of their websites rather than stand alone apps. ● The only system aimed particularly at the unemployed was the government's
Universal Jobmatch system but this system had no app to support its web based content.
From this we decided:
● That our job search app would allow users to select different criteria than on general
job sites. ● Would use a traffic light system to clearly show how closely the job matched the
user's criteria
Personas
For our personas we looked at 3 individuals who were unemployed who had different circumstances that impacted on how they searched for jobs.
● Mother returning to work ● 50+ unemployed ● Person for whom english is not their first language.
From this we took the following requirements for our app:
● It must be simple and graphical rather than having a lot of text ● It must allow the user to quickly search for and then determine if a job listing is right
for them. ● It: must be intuitive to use for those who may not be technically literate. ● It must make it easier for the users to get further information about companies
advertising job ● Must give user more freedom to select their search criteria. ● Being for mobiles it must take up low memory.
Summary of Prototype Investigation
Prototype 1
What we looked for : What we did :
Simpler in design than other job search apps.
Use of traffic light system rather than list of text.
An interface that would allow users to be more exact in their criteria.
Use of criteria selection methods such as radio buttons and slide bars
An app that would load quickly and have low data requirements.
Clear design with uncomplicated graphics.
An app that allowed users to get further information on company that is not in the job description easily.
Make title of company a clickable hyperlink to company information on relevant websites.
An intuitive design that was easy to use Allowing users to swipe to select or dismiss jobs rather than clicking an icon than may be hard to find.
Prototype 2
What we looked for : What we did :
Simpler in design than other job search apps.
Showed jobs on a map rather than a list of jobs with little context.
An interface that would allow users to be more exact in their criteria.
Allow users to specify keywords through voice input.
An app that would load quickly and have low data requirements.
Use of simple icons on map
An app that allowed users to get further information on company that is not in the job description easily.
Job listings on maps have hyperlinks to take job seeker to further information.
An intuitive design that was easy to use Allow user to swipe to dismiss or save jobs
Prototype 3
What we looked for : What we did :
Simpler in design than other job search apps.
Results shown in large font scrollable list rather than small text list
An interface that would allow users to be more exact in their criteria.
Use of sliders and drop down menus on criteria selection screen
An app that would load quickly and have low data requirements.
Simple design with fewer buttons
An app that allowed users to get further information on company that is not in the job description easily.
Hyperlinks on job pages
An intuitive design that was easy to use Use of swipe function to save jobs
Prototype 1 Job listing
This it the main job listing page. It is designed with minimal distractions so the user doesn't get distracted or overwhelmed. The user can swipe left to delete and swipe right to save (on reflection this feature might not be obvious enough and may need visual queues). Other areas of the app are accessed using the bottom links (use of both text and icons for readability and association). Search icon top right directs users to the filter page to refine or
change their search parameters. Icon universal enough to not require text and displayed top right for easy right handed use.
Job filters
Job filter screen slides in from the left over the current screen. Minimal and simple design, the (+) symbol when tapped changes the value of the corresponding filter, this functionality may not be clear enough. The grey text displays the current values of the filter.
Single Job
The single job page expands on the initial information in the listing. We’ve used a traffic light system to break down the information and prevent it from becoming overwhelming giving the user an easy way to see how the job matches their skills and preferences. This page is missing an save or delete option, the user has to close it to perform these actions which could be a little awkward. Text in traffic lights is also too small and could be hard to read for certain users.
My Jobs
The My Jobs page stores all the jobs that the user has made a “Favorite” or “Discarded”. This design lacks some of the ideas we’ve talked about. It shows the user too much information by providing a long list of jobs. This design can and should be changed.
Steps
These steps intend to provide a quick and easy and intuitive way for the user to upload their skills and experience, bypassing the need for a complex CV. This particular design is missing a forward and back button, but is in keeping with the minimal design and style of the rest of the pages.
Prototype 2 Job listing
This version of the job app is based around a simple to use map view, wherein the person wishing to use the app can see a simple overlay of where relevant jobs to them are located. Tapping the location dot for a job expands a small information summary, which can then be re-expanded to a full job listing as seen below. The dots could be colour coded based on pre-entered information such as salary expectations etc.
Single job listing
The full job listing page keeps a mini version of the map view for reference and displays a listing with a single application option at the bottom of the page. The exit button is not easily distinguishable and could be redesigned in a different colour/shape/location.
Prototype 3 Job listing
Filter and sort job list
My jobs
Single job listing
Key of Nielsen Heuristics scores: 0 - don’t agree that this is a usability problem 1 - cosmetic problem
2 - minor usability problem 3 - major usability problem; important to fix 4 - usability catastrophe; imperative to fix
Nielsen Heuristics for Prototype 1
Criteria
Rating
Comment
Visibility of System status
2
No provision to show status when performing job search, but status of other functionality is clear. Could be improved by having status display when performing a search or awaiting results.
Match between the system and the real world
3
Not clear what the difference is between Favorites and Myjobs.
User control and freedom
0
All functionality has facilities to go back to previous action and re-do.
Consistency and standards
0
Screens and input are in a consistent format.
Error prevention
2
Errors are minimised by limiting the amount of user input allowed.
Recognition rather than recall
0
Options are annotated clearly and are self-explanatory throughout.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
2
The design aims to keep functionality simple, therefore it is difficult to incorporate clever ways to perform tasks faster without over-complicating the design.
Aesthetic and minimalistic design
0
Design is as simple as possible.
Help users recognise, diagnose and recover from errors
3
Not clear how any help might be requested. It is assumed that the system would recover by itself regarding internal errors.
Help and documentation
3
Upfront option for help is missing and not clear how any help might be achieved.
Nielsen Heuristics for Prototype 2
Criteria
Rating
Comment
Visibility of System status
2
No provision to show status when performing job search, but status of other functionality is clear. Could be improved by having status display when performing a search or awaiting results.
Match between the system and the real world
4
Displaying jobs on map can make display crowded in city centres or business parks. Also does not differentiate between jobs if there are different jobs in same company or multiple jobs in same building
User control and freedom
0
All functionality has facilities to go back to previous action and re-do.
Consistency and standards
3
Inconsistent controls by first having to enter criteria by voice, click on jobs to map and then slide to save or disregard
Error prevention
2
Errors are minimised by limiting the amount of user input allowed.
Recognition rather than recall
0
Options are annotated clearly and are self-explanatory throughout.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
0
The design aims to keep functionality simple, therefore it is difficult to incorporate clever ways to perform tasks faster without over-complicating the design.
Aesthetic and minimalistic design
0
Design is kept as simple as possible by keeping the number of different screens to a minimum.
Help users recognise, diagnose and recover from errors
3
Not clear how any help might be requested. It is assumed that the system would recover by itself regarding internal errors.
Help and documentation
3
Upfront option for help is missing and not clear how any help might be achieved.
Nielsen Heuristics for Prototype 3
Criteria
Rating
Comment
Visibility of System status
2
No provision to show status when performing job search, but status of other functionality is clear. Could be improved by having status display when performing a search or awaiting results.
Match between the system and the real world
0
Clear what each function performs and how they are used.
User control and freedom
0
All functionality has the facility to go back to previous action and re-do.
Consistency and standards
0
Screens and input are in a consistent format.
Error prevention
2
Errors are minimised but there is comparatively more user input allowed with this prototype and higher potential for errors.
Recognition rather than recall
0
Options are annotated clearly and are self-explanatory throughout.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
0
The design aims to keep functionality simple, therefore it is difficult to incorporate clever ways to perform tasks faster without over-complicating the design. This prototype removes the need to switch between certain screens to achieve an action which could make tasks slightly quicker than with the other prototypes.
Aesthetic and minimalistic design
0
Design is kept as simple as possible by keeping the number of different screens to a minimum.
Help users recognise, diagnose and recover from errors
3
Not clear how any help might be requested. It is assumed that the system would recover by itself regarding internal errors.
Help and documentation
3
Upfront option for help is missing and not clear how any help might be achieved.
Persona Evaluations
Key: 5 - Completely meets needs of scenario 4 - Generally meets needs of scenario 3 - Satisfactory for the scenario 2 - unsatisfactory for scenario 1 - Meets none of the needs of the scenario Evaluation of Prototypes for Persona of Peter Jenkins
Scenarios Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3
Out dog walking and would like to search, apply and respond for jobs with the app. Screen visibility is poor due to eyesight and the outdoor daylight, the signal is also poor.
Score: 3 The two main factors are visibility and signal management. This prototype has fairly large text with a clear colour scheme. However, some screens could benefit from larger text. There is no indication of signal status or facility to cache or autosave input. This could be added.
Score: 2 Compared with prototype 1, the screen layout could be harder to read with poor vision or daylight. Again, no provision to save data for when the signal could fail.
Score: 3 Similar to prototype 1. Again, no provision to save data for when the signal could fail.
At home and would like to share the job interview appointment details with family.
Score: 2 The design layout for this prototype does not explicitly mention this functionality at this stage, but it is assumed to be present and achievable with a few steps.
Score: 2 The design layout for this prototype does not explicitly mention this functionality at this stage, but it is assumed to be present and achievable with a few steps.
Score: 2 The design layout for this prototype does not explicitly mention this functionality at this stage, but it is assumed to be present and achievable with a few steps.
At pub searching and checking for jobs, would like to search jobs that fit in with public transport and diary. Needs to be able to do this in a few easy steps.
Score: 4 This scenario requires a straightforward search system and design to facilitate this. Prototype 1 demonstrates this well, the traffic light system is a clear way to identify suitable jobs. To search requires as least amount of input as possible.
Score: 4 This prototype may require less steps to obtain a result, as the map based location search could be used more effectively to specify a particular location than with prototypes 1 and 3.
Score: 4 This prototype is similar to prototype 1 in terms of functionality, but the interface is different, allowing criteria and results to be viewed alongside one another. This may help reduce the number of steps going back and forward between searches.
Evaluation of Prototypes for Persona of Tessa Simon
Scenarios Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3
Tessa now has 10 minutes free to search for jobs. Tessa would like to use this 10 minutes to look at jobs that most meet her criteria.
Score: 4 Allow the entering of keywords allows criteria to be exact. The traffic light system shows Tessa quickly if the job is good for her or not.
Score: 3 The map allows her to see quickly if the job is in her desired area but she has to take time to look at jobs for other criteria
Score: 2 Use of sliders and menus make entering search criteria longer
Tessa has seen a job that may be suitable but wants Seans opinion she phones him up and tries to describe the job but Sean misses things. It would be great if she could just send him the job description from the website.
Score: 1 No way of sharing jobs
Score: 1 No way of sharing jobs
Score: 1 No way of sharing jobs
Tessa has seen a job she is interested in but she is worried that they would not let her take time off if her children are ill. She would like to check this but is worried that a direct call to HR would be a black mark on her application.
Score: 3 Individual job listing have links that are easily seen that take user to pages with more information
Score: 3 Individual job listing have links to further information
Score: 3 Individual job listing have links to other information
Evaluation of prototypes for Persona of Szymon Grygescu
Scenario Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3
Szymon is on a quick walk to get some air and escape the stress of home, he stops at a coffee shop to use their WIFI and quickly browse for jobs. However he does not have too long as he needs to get home and do some work for Joanne’s dad in lieu of rent. (ie can be effectively used by those under time pressures)
Score: 3 The interface is fairly immediate with minimal and simple visuals to navigate which suits Szymons needs here. However could arguably be even simpler with more obvious indications of what aspects in the colour scheme mean.
Score: 4 There is a high level of immediacy evident with the map view. Potential for more customization but balance between this and simplicity has to be drawn.
Score; 3.5 Similar to prototype 1 but sliders may work better to someone under time pressures in that they can simply apply a variable over the predefined ranges quicker than typing in.
He wants to be able to simply group or browse work he is interested in but can’t deal with the amount of dense English in many of the places he has looked. He wants legitimate skilled work despite offers of doing unskilled labour with some Polish builders. (ie can do it’s job without being too word heavy)
Score: 3 The layout is not too wordy however simple functionality which could assist such as swipe functionality is not explicitly labelled, so could be missed. Traffic light system very visual and indicative, which is a good fit for Szymons needs.
Score: 4 Not too reliant of understanding of english. The geographical link from the jobs on the map to Szymon would be obvious and easy to comprehend.
Score: 1 Scrollable lists and slider options perhaps not as accessible as other prototypes due to higher amounts of written english to navigate. Voice activation cannot deal with Szymons accent.
Whilst at an English language workshop put on by a local Community Centre he hears from others who are praising using apps and phones to look for work instead of trawling through the
Score: 3 Colour scheme and first layers of app are quite accessible. Dynamic functions such as swiping
Score: 4 Approachable due to visual nature of map.
Score: 3 Slightly less easy to approach than prototype 1. The user experience is more dense.
Jobcentre process, he mulls this over and goes to investigate. (ie approachable/easy to understand)
and the nature of traffic light colours could be more obvious.
Conclusions from Evaluation of First Generation Prototypes All three prototypes lack the provision of any Visibility of System status when the system is
performing background work and may thus appear to have frozen. This is one feature that if
added might benefit the design, especially if a job search was taking a particularly long time,
e.g. if there were problems with the back-end search. Also, the match between the system
and the real world will need to be clarified on certain screens for certain actions, e.g.
“Favourites” and “Myjobs”.
The user control and freedom is generally good in all three prototypes, with facilities to jump back and forth between actions. Consistency and standards is also good across screens for each of the designs. Due to the target user group of this app error prevention is very important, and this is achieved throughout the prototypes, mainly by keeping functionality and user input as limited as possible. Similarly layout and icons have been chosen to reflect a real world association to aim recognition for a particular function. However, the scope for any flexibility and efficiency of use is limited for all prototypes, mainly because this is difficult to do while keeping with the simplistic nature of the app. In terms of design, this must be kept simple and that is demonstrated in the design of the three prototypes. One function that all three prototypes lack is the provision of clear and attainable help facilities. This would benefit their design as the user may need to refer to help when they are not sure of something, or something unexpected has happened when they’re trying to do something, e.g. if they lose their connection to the internet while in the middle of submitting a job application.
Second (Final) Generation Prototype
Evaluation of Tools for Constructing the Prototype For the first generation prototypes we used Adobe Photoshop. This was chosen mainly because our first generation design did not require any dedicated prototyping functionality e.g. visibility, interaction and testing. Furthermore, one of the group was already an experienced user. The outcome was that this package was sufficient to fulfil our requirements. However, for the second generation prototype we needed to assess the potential benefit of using a more dedicated prototyping application, in particular for animation and testing. This section will report on our findings and conclude with the reasoning for our final choice. Firstly, we need to bear in mind that the main aims of our second generation prototype are:
● To present something very close to what we would expect to be in the final produc ● To be able to gain enough requirements, design and technological understanding
from our prototype to ensure mistakes made in the final design will be minimal. Secondly, what we are looking for in a prototyping design tool:
● Short amount of time needed to learn how to use the tool effectively and to create the prototype once familiar with the tool.
● Be good at prototyping a mobile app. ● Capable of producing a detailed enough layout and structure of the design. ● Able to support a range of output formats and good project sharing as this is a joint
effort. ● Easy to produce quality prototypes without the need for specialist skills in visual
design. ● Low cost and ideally a free trial version with enough functionality to use for our
purpose. Therefore we investigated the following prototyping tools very briefly. Axure (https://www.axure.com/)
This had a lot of functionality: wireframes, user flows and interactive prototypes. Ready-made components are available from widget libraries. However, this was considered too complex too learn in the amount of time available furthermore functionality for mobile prototypes design was difficult to find. The fully functional trial version lasts for 30 days. Mockplus(https://www.mockplus.com/) This was quite easy to test as the product website has several easy to follow tutorials. Sets of pre-designed interaction components, e.g. pop-up menus are also provided. For our application, it also has a “Preview on Mobile Device” function. However, the cost was potentially an issue, since though the basic version is free to download, it lacks the functionality we need. Therefore, a monthly subscription to purchase the “Pro” version would be needed, currently costing £16. JustInMind(https://www.justinmind.com/) This seems very similar in features to Axure as both packages have a lot of functionality to enable complicated interactive prototypes to be built. Again, this package was also considered too complex too learn in the amount of time available. The fully functional trial version lasts for 30 days. InVision(https://www.invisionapp.com/) This prototype building package was investigated because it is slightly different to the others that we looked at: it is web based and therefore no need to install any software. It is very easy to learn how to use and is great for work sharing. It is also free for one project, which is all we need. However, it seemed to lack the facilities to design any interaction in the prototype and the available widgets were limited. Balsamiq Mockups(https://balsamiq.com/products/mockups/) This was very easy to learn in under an hour. The website also has good support with extensive tutorials and documentation. However, from the core functionality provided it would not be easy to generate our prototype design as an app without installing some extensions. A big advantage with this is that the free trial version which lasts for 30 days contains nearly all the functionality of the full version.
Conclusion of Investigating the Tools
Following our investigation of this small selection of prototyping design tools, we decided that it was best if we stay with Adobe Illustrator and use PowerPoint when we require the
capability to link screens together e.g. to simulate the action of swiping or pressing icons. We are comfortable using Illustrator from our use in the design of the first generation prototype, and there is a large library of templates available to help with the design of prototypes.
Methods of Evaluating the Prototypes
In developing our plan to evaluate our prototypes we were aware that the aim of the app we were looking to design was to assist a group of users by doing things differently rather than design new ways of interacting with mobile devices. Therefore, we were looking for an evaluation method that allowed us to be able to evaluate the prototypes against how well it help users achieve a particular aim rather than its overall usability. Through use of persona driven inspection methods we went about the evaluation of the prototypes by 1 member of the group doing the final design of the prototypes with the other 3 individually evaluating those designs based on the needs and goals identified in our personas. This we found to be effective at seeing problems in identifying missing functions for example, by using this method we were able to see that we had not included a sharing feature in our initial prototypes, a feature seen as key by some of our potential users. Since the prototypes are at an early design stage we did not go into usability testing with actual users. Given the apps aims however further tests with real users would be advisable with metrics such as number of jobs applied for used to show how effective it has been. The evaluations used the Nielsen Heuristic methods because its “rules of thumb” put a lot of importance in ease of use of the system with measurements such as how well it relates to the real world. We felt this was appropriate since we were looking for an app that was easy to use and understand by a user group that may have limited IT skills. Its disadvantage for us were that a lot of Nielsen Heuristics are based on help systems and documents. This flagged things such as the app having no documentation that was not relevant for an app that is aiming to be lightweight and simple to use.
Development of the Final Prototype Following our review of the first 3 prototypes we have made the following decisions for our final prototype.
How users will search for jobs
Through evaluation we have realised that the map idea of prototype 2 will not work because it would not be able to display jobs that are in same location in a simple way. We have therefore decided to go for the job display that was in prototype 1 using a traffic light system of showing how well a job meets the user’s specific criteria. The third prototype enhance list format we decided did not give the simplicity and easy to read interface that was looked for in our personas.
How users will select job search criteria
The 3 original prototypes used the following ways to allow users to enter search criteria:
Prototype 1: User sets criteria by putting in a range of keywords that were important to them under a set number of categories.
Prototype 2: Users manipulate a range of sliders and radio button to select their job search criteria.
Prototype 3: Users using text to speech interface to enter criteria.
Through evaluation against the personas we knew that a big want from the potential users was ease of use. We dismissed the idea of prototype 1 since we felt that put too much emphasis on the user getting the right keywords and made it more time consuming for them having to think of the right words to use failing their requirement of a system that was easy and quick to use. The speech input was dismissed for similar reasons but also because it conflicted with one of our personas where English was not their first language. For the final prototype it was decided to keep the interface of sliders and buttons to keep it as simple for the user as possible for the user and allow them to quickly select the criteria they wanted to search for jobs on.
Saving or dismissing of jobs
Most of the prototypes has a swipe interface to save or dismiss jobs. This we decided met the simplicity criteria that we were looking for. Through evaluation a concern was raised about the potential of mistakes made by user swiping the wrong way. To combat this the final prototype will have icons indicating discard or save that will pop up when the user begins to swipe in a particular direction.
Sharing of Jobs
2 of the potential users of the app were looking for ways to share details of the job opportunity they were looking at. Unfortunately none of the original prototypes met this need. Therefore in the final prototype we will add a button that will allow a user to share the job through email or a range of social media. Discussions were held about allowing users to share certain parts of the job such as interview times or salary. We concluded however that this would clutter up the display and lead to confusion by the user about what had and had not been shared. It was felt that a single button to share all details would be better for the users this app is aimed at since for many were not IT literate multiple button to share different parts of the job would be confusing.
Help and Mistake Recovery
The evaluation of the prototypes revealed that the app did not have a way for the user to gain help information. Through discussion we decided that since the app had a functionality for the user to see their dismissed jobs and to be able to reset their search criteria easily it was felt that since mistakes were easily corrected a dedicated help documentation was not needed to be included in the app.
Changes to display to encourage people to apply for jobs
All prototypes had an apply now button to allow users to quickly apply for jobs that met their criteria however we felt that since the overall aim of this app is to get unemployed people back into work we did not think that this button was prominent enough to make people hit the button. Therefore, for the final prototype we moved the apply now button to a more prominent position next to positive information that would encourage people to apply such as the salary rather than the user seeing it at the bottom of screen after criteria.
Other Interface Changes
The final prototype will also incorporate smaller changes to the interface such as changing the icons on the bottom of the screen to reflect what they linked to, such as saved jobs or new jobs. Colour will be changed to make the app more positive.
Description of Final Prototype
Key of Nielsen Heuristics scores: 0 - don’t agree that this is a usability problem 1 - cosmetic problem 2 - minor usability problem 3 - major usability problem; important to fix 4 - usability catastrophe; imperative to fix
Nielsen Heuristics for Second Prototype
Criteria
Rating
Comment
Visibility of System status
1
The state of the system is clear at all the navigable parts of the prototype. Consequences of actions are clear through icons, with a help functionality made available across the prototype.
Match between the system and the real world
0 Simply understood binary storage decision to send jobs either to “favourites” or “discarded”. With both locations accessible for any changes to be made. The order of actions is logical throughout the prototype.
User control and freedom
1
“Undo and redo” principal adhered to by provided record of actions in the “favourites” and “discarded” pages.
Consistency and standards
0
“Traffic light” approach to providing criteria matches in the job descriptions is visually clear. Design across the prototype is consistent with possible actions of each page made clear to the user.
Error prevention
1
User experience is “on rails” for the most part. There is a possibility for input error in the setting up of a user's profile, such as in location and job title inputs. But, this is a required tradeoff for full functionality.
Recognition rather than recall
0
Help functionality available. Throughout prototype options are clearly labelled with no menu diving or hidden functionality.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
0
Design and functionality across the prototype has been kept as simple as possible to facilitate efficient and easy use.
Aesthetic and minimalistic design
1
Consistent and easily understood visual aesthetic across the prototype. Blue base colour scheme used so as to leave “traffic light” colours free and unambiguous in their meaning once on the job description pages. Minor cosmetic issue with the “apply now” button on job description page not jumping out as much as it could possibly do.
Help users recognise, diagnose and recover from errors
0
Help functionality introduced to this prototype in response to first generation's lack being highlighted. All decisions up to applying for a job are editable and well signposted through icons and text.
Help and documentation
0
Help documentation is implied by the addition of the help functionality.
Persona Evaluations
Key: 5 - Completely meets needs of scenario 4 - Generally meets needs of scenario 3 - Satisfactory for the scenario 2 - unsatisfactory for scenario 1 - Meets none of the needs of the scenario Evaluation of Second Generation Prototype for Persona of Peter Jenkins
Scenarios Prototype 1
Out dog walking and would like to search, apply and respond for jobs with the app. Screen visibility is poor due to eyesight and the outdoor daylight, the signal is also poor.
Score: 4 The two main factors are visibility and signal management. This prototype has fairly large text with a clear colour scheme. However, some screens such as the job description pages could benefit from larger or more obviously scalable text.
At home and would like to share the job interview appointment details with family.
Score: 4 Explicit sharing functionality now added to prototype.
At pub searching and checking for jobs, would like to search jobs that fit in with public transport and diary. Needs to be able to do this in a few easy steps.
Score: 4 Traffic light system taken forward to this generation is simple and easy to navigate and understand, thereby facilitating the scenario.
Evaluation of Second Generation Prototype for Persona of Tessa Simon
Scenarios Prototype 1
Tessa now has 10 minutes free to search for jobs. Tessa would like to use this 10 minutes to look at jobs that most meet her criteria.
Score: 4 The prototype is quick to navigate with easy to use guided inputs through the sliders and text input. She will be able to easily identify how jobs fit her criteria with the traffic light visuals.
Tessa has seen a job that may be suitable but wants Sean’s opinion she phones him up and tries to describe the job but Sean misses things. It would be great if she could just send him the job description from the website.
Score: 4 Sharing functionality allows Tessa to share the information she needs to.
Tessa has seen a job she is interested in but she is worried that they would not let her take time off if her children are ill. She would like to
Score: 3 Tessa can find information relating to jobs within the description pages and
check this but is worried that a direct call to HR would be a black mark on her application.
once they’re selected as a favourite, she can always review them.
Evaluation of Second Generation Prototype for Persona of Szymon Grygescu
Scenario Prototype 1
Szymon is on a quick walk to get some air and escape the stress of home, he stops at a coffee shop to use their WIFI and quickly browse for jobs. However he does not have too long as he needs to get home and do some work for Joanne’s dad in lieu of rent. (ie can be effectively used by those under time pressures)
Score: 4 The interface keeps the immediate with minimal and simple visuals to navigate which suits Szymon’s needs. Icons are very obvious as to what their functionality is and the traffic light system allows him to quickly identify the relevance of his criteria to jobs he is viewing on the prototype.
He wants to be able to simply group or browse work he is interested in but can’t deal with the amount of dense English in many of the places he has looked. He wants legitimate skilled work despite offers of doing unskilled labour with some Polish builders. (ie can do it’s job without being too word heavy)
Score: 4 Different actions such as swiping are aided by animations and icons. The second generation traffic light system is very visual and works for him. No avoiding having fairly language heavy aspects of actual job descriptions, but the journey to get to that point, and all the possible operations up to that point are laid out simply.
Whilst at an English language workshop put on by a local Community Centre he hears from others who are praising using apps and phones to look for work instead of trawling through the Jobcentre process, he mulls this over and goes to investigate. (ie approachable/easy to understand)
Score: 4 Prototype is overall very simple with a consistent and easy to understand icon and colour scheme. Operations are reversible and no complex english is required to navigate the prototype.
Conclusions from Evaluation of Second Generation Prototype The second generation prototype evaluated here brought forward the spirit of prototype 1 from the first generation, whilst adding and appending functionality that was highlighted in the first generation evaluation. Keeping a simple and effective interface with easy to understand and unambiguous icons throughout mean that the prototype scores well in the Nielsen Heuristics, with icons being updated to help guarantee a clear level of understanding from the user when interacting with the app. Changes such as the addition of a help function and a sharing function have addressed some of the deficiencies in the first generation of prototypes. In terms of the users and their usage scenarios the second generation prototype improves and builds on the scores of the first generation. Sharing functionality was highlighted as a key need that was not addressed in the first generation and has been added to address this. The swiping actions used throughout the prototype are a natural and well understood action to make in a mobile app. The addition of icons that appear during swiping to indicate the action this completes means there is an extra level of visual indication within the user experience.
Summary and Recommendations The aim of this project was to design an app that would be used by the longer term unemployed, so that they could find a job using their mobile device as a primary tool. This report documents the steps followed in arriving at the final design. One important point considered throughout is that those employment seekers who are currently out of work have different needs from those who are in work. In particular, research suggests that those who are in lower income or younger age groups are more likely to use a mobile device as their primary source of internet access and therefore also job searching. To investigate related work already done in this area, firstly a survey of some existing job searching apps was performed and several features were identified that are common to most apps, i.e. create job alerts, search for jobs, list favourite jobs, view job details and apply for a job. Similarly, the user interfaces also share common features: colour scheme,
introductory screen, search and other options (e.g. input their CV, search refinement). This part of the survey was an essential step in the design process since it enabled key design features to be highlighted (e.g. search and swipe) and reasons why these might be good or bad. A survey of related literature was also conducted. Key findings of this were the internet is becoming a main source for job searching, and that the longer term unemployed, or those from lower income or less technologically aware backgrounds are becoming more disadvantaged by the online job search process. Overall, performing this investigation was helpful in creating a context for the rest of the design work. When analysing typical user requirements, the creation of three representative case personas was used in determining the requirements for the first prototype. These personas were chosen to cover a diverse range of backgrounds, and for this project were adequate as features for the app were clearly identified. It is apparent that for a project larger in scope, more personas may be helpful as it may increase the level of understanding for the requirements. The first generation prototypes were helpful in that they were a first opportunity to see ideas put into place and what might work for the typical users. They also helped to identify some technological aspects of the design that might need consideration and raise any issues not observed earlier on. For the second (final) generation prototype the following were then determined as being essential functions: searching for jobs; selecting search criteria; saving or dismissing search results; sharing information; help and mistake recovery; and a display which encourages applications and positivity. The design did incorporate all of these, bearing in mind the requirements identified by the personas. To evaluate the effectiveness of the final prototype, heuristic scoring was used, again based on the persona requirements. Though the results were an improvement on the assessment of the first generation prototypes, there is still room for improvement. Not absolutely all of the deficiencies identified from the first prototypes could be addressed within the scope of the project, e.g. some visibility of system status when the system is performing background work. Also, if project time had allowed, more usability testing would likely highlight additional areas in which the design could be improved. Furthermore, to achieve a real world implementation of the app designed in this report would potentially take quite a lot of further effort. In particular, there are functional and performance aspects that cannot be assessed without an actual implementation of the app on a mobile device. E.g. how fast (or slow) the app might perform, how will the app react to errors that may happen during usage (such as loss of connection), how much power the app might
consume (important for a mobile app), etc. Therefore to get these design features correct would require extra development and iterative testing. From the practical side of the project, the group work was always performed as a team to achieve a common goal. The group was fortunate in having members with individual strengths, that worked well when combined, e.g. one member had previous experience in the use of a drawing package that was used in the design of the prototypes. Having group members with individual strengths was also helpful when determining who did what. In terms of learning HCI, the group project approach is considered to be an excellent way to achieve this. The applied nature of the project in itself means that concepts of the subject need to be considered and then understood from a real life situation, rather than learning theoretical concepts without any application.
References [1] Aaron Smith, Pew research centre. 2015 Accessed at: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/11/19/searching-for-work-in-the-digital-era/ [2]Maria de Hoyos, Yuxin Li, Nominet Trust . 2012 Accessed at: https://www.nominettrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/NT%20SoA%204%20-%20Employment%20and%20the%20internet.pdf [3] Anne E. Green, Maria de Hoyos, Yuxin Li, Department for Work and Pensions . 2011. Accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/264917/rrep726.pdf [4] Peter Kuhn, Hani Manshoor, University of California. 2013. Accessed at: http://econ.ucsb.edu/~pjkuhn/Research%20Papers/NLS_NetSearch.pdf [5]From The Economist, 28th Feb 2015. Accessed at: http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21645180-smartphone-ubiquitous-addictive-and-transformative-planet-phones [6] Ben Schneidermann, Cathy Wesley, Designing the User Interface . Orig 1989. Accessed at: http://steinhardtapps.es.its.nyu.edu/create/courses/2015/reading/shneiderman1b.pdf [7] Accessed at: http://www.usability.gov [8]Accessed at: https://faculty.washington.edu/jtenenbg/courses/360/f04/sessions/schneidermanGoldenRules.html [9] Empowerment through seamfulness: smart phones in everyday life. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing , 2011, Volume 15, Number 6, Page 629, Louise Barkhuus et al
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