Project Impact

Talking to People: User Research and User Testings

The positive impact of putting this project together are the results gathered from the insightful conversations that I had with my participants throughout the project. 

The conversation that I had with my participant during user research uncovers the real concerns that job seekers new to an industry (my target user group) are facing today. A job’s threshold for entry gets increasingly higher but many jobs are surprisingly left unfilled. This prompted me to look into the possibilities of filling in this knowledge and career gap for career/job seeking individuals. 

The solution that I’ve created is a mentorship platform within LinkedIn where mentors assist juniors new to the industry by giving them career advice through 1 on 1 and group mentoring sessions virtually. 

Through 2 stages of user testing, I learned that integrating a new ecosystem to an established platform such as LinkedIn requires a lot of considerations such as its seamless integration to the platform alongside LinkedIn’s existing features, whether or not this should be a product available to all users (I’ve set it to be a Premium member product in this case), and how LinkedIn Mentorship ranks among its competitors. 

Therefore, having all these conversations allowed me to come up with a final product that addresses all these aspects. 

KPIs to Track (All Successful – Results from Latest User Testing)

1. Participants understand how to search for a mentor on the platform
2. Participants find it straightforward to check the credibility of a mentor
3. Participants understand how to select the skills they want to be mentored in and connect with the mentor
4. Participants know how to check the status of the connection requests sent to mentors
5. Participants know how to manage bookings with mentors
6. Participants understand how to join a scheduled meeting with a mentor
7. Participants understand how to join a group mentoring workshop
8. Participants report satisfactory comments of using the product and each individual feature

*Please refer to Final Thoughts for KPIs to track for real users should/when this product does launch.

User Research

User Interview

For my user research, I decided to conduct a semi-structured user interview with my participant. Through speaking with my participant (a UX student looking to enter the UX field – a new space for her) in the interview, I learned that in her case, she’s experiencing this concern of not knowing how to approach and/ a new career like most of my other users I’m targeting for this project. 

After the user interview, I noted all the important and/ interesting points that the participant mentioned during the interview by listening to the entire audio recording of the conversation. 

For my affinity map, I’ve identified 9 unique themes in my participant’s responses, which I in turn transformed into 9 unique problem statements that I believe my target user group are facing.

Problem Statements

In the first problem statement, the user wants to ensure that the industry professional that they’re connecting with is credible. That includes how closely affiliated they are with their industry peers. However, the user is faced with the difficulty of identifying which mentor/professional is credible based on the info of a LinkedIn user on the profile page interface.

In the second main problem statement, the user wants to message their new connection by setting a time to chat in order to learn more about the new industry of interest to them (and any other questions that they may have). However, with the current LinkedIn platform, it is not easy and convenient to do so without much back and forth on each other’s availability.

Crazy  8s  Workshop:

Creative  Brainstorming  –  An  Agile  Design  Sprint

I like that the Crazy 8s Workshop forces me to not be fixated and attached to only 1 or 2 solutions during the entire session. The limited time that I have on each frame (1 minute each) naturally pushes me to the next frame once the 1 minute is up. No matter how good I think an idea is, I move onto the next one without dwelling or perfecting on any specific solution. 

This allows me to consider alternatives, to come up with as many different ideas as possible under the time limit, and most importantly, be open minded to different possibilities when quantity is a requirement and not an option. 

Presenting  my  2  Design  Problems  to  my  Classmates  for  Our  Crazy  8s  Sketching  Workshop

Crazy 8s Sketches

1st User Testing, Rainbow Sheet Results, and Action Items

1st User Testing Results

Main Action Items After 1st User Testing

All the 3 participants were having difficulty with the 1st user flow (the search wireframes) – participants don’t intuitively filter search results by category even though there are filter categories under the search bar.

• Action Item:
  • Create an onboarding wireframe series with a different entry point to search and even the mentorship system as a whole could be a standalone ecosystem on the LinkedIn platform. This means that when the user logs in, they can enter a portal and go to a designated mentorship dashboard/ecosystem dedicated for users looking for a mentorship-mentee relationship.
  • This ecosystem also helps the user to focus on what they set out to search for without their attention being diverted to other unnecessary content in the search results not relevant to what they’re looking for.
  • Only Premium/paid users would be able to access this feature. 

The Credibility Stats page and what each meter is showing under each heading is difficult to understand for participants – 1st participant asks how the percentage adds up, and the 3rd participant questions what a 100% full meter bar means. The 3rd participant mentioned that if 100% is the maximum and can’t increase from there, then the meter might not be a good representation of someone’s credibility and that the professional might not have the motivation in engaging as much once they hit 100%.

• Action Item:
  • As the 3rd participant suggested, having a badge system would motivate professionals/mentors to participate more on the platform vs. having a meter bar. If they reached 100% they would become less inclined to be as active since they’ve already reached a maximum. In addition, a badge system would clearly explain what thresholds must be met in order for that mentor to obtain that badge – participants can hover or click on the badge to learn more – a clear understanding of how credentials are rewarded and such transparency would give the user more confidence in connecting with the mentor.

Participant #2 finds it tedious to go back to the profile page every time to check the status of whether or not a mentor has accepted their request to connect yet. 

• Action Item:
  • Allow users to check the status on the invitation page under “My Network.” To distinguish invitations sent to mentors versus other LinkedIn users in general, a designated tab will be created so all mentors’ connect requests will all be under one place. General connect requests and mentor connect requests should be distinguished from each other because for the latter you would have selected specific skills to be coached/mentored in and hence, such an invitation to connect would look and show up differently in the user flow (should be a different experience overall).

**Note: My instructor also suggested to have the booking system within the LinkedIn messaging dm chat itself because it would make the experience more seamless, hence, I changed all the frames to have it in the chat box instead of where I originally put the booking feature to speak with a mentor (that is, the mentor’s profile page). In the 2nd user testing, I learned from all 5 of my participants that putting it in the profile page where I initially had it would be more understandable and make more sense. It was a hassle changing back all the frames for that feature back to its original placement, but it was a learning experience.**

Moodboard

Mood board created to inspire colour palette for overall project and the visual design of features to be built. 

2nd User Testing and Heat Maps

Main Findings and Action Items

All the participants find having the “Access (to the mentor’s) Calendar” button inside the LinkedIn messaging chat awkward.

Some of the responses received from participants are:

• “I wouldn’t know to go into the messages to find the mentor’s calendar in there…why would I go to the chat to search for my mentor when I’m already on their profile page? It would make more sense to access their calendar right on their profile page.”
• “If it’s in the chat, I would be confused as to whether or not I need to chat with the mentor first before I can book with them.”

Analysis and Next Iteration: 

Based on the participants’ feedback and their responses, having the calendar button on the profile page would make more sense for users since that is where they expect to find it. Utilizing my previous low/mid-fidelity wireframes as reference, I’m going to put the “Access Calendar” button back into the profile page. (see Final Screens and Features below for more detailed explanation).

Most of the participants are not sure where to check the status of a connection request sent to a mentor. 

When asked how to check the status of a connection request, the majority of the participants tried to search for something clickable on the nav bar. I originally nested the check status of request feature under the “My Network” icon, but most participants weren’t able to find it, or were able to find it only after multiple attempts. 

Analysis and Next Iteration: 

This comes to show that people don’t intuitively click the “My Network” icon on the nav bar when it comes to checking the status of connection requests sent to mentors. Since LinkedIn Mentorship is a new feature being introduced, allowing it to have its own icon/hub with its own respective information nested underneath makes more sense than putting it into an existing feature, and would cause less confusion. Having a dedicated icon for LinkedIn Mentorship also helps distinguish it from general LinkedIn and establishes a branding for itself. (see Final Screens and Features below for more detailed explanation).

1. Login and Search

Login and Search

After the 1st user testing, I created an onboarding wireframe series with a different entry point to search and even the mentorship system as a whole could be a standalone ecosystem on the LinkedIn platform. This means that when the user logs in, they can enter a portal and go to a designated mentorship dashboard/ecosystem dedicated for users looking for a mentorship-mentee relationship. This would filter out all other users that are using the main LinkedIn search bar for all other general searches (people (but not a mentor), jobs, groups, etc.)

In this ecosystem, users would go into the ecosystem with a very clear idea of what they want to search – mentors. This ecosystem also helps the user to focus on what they set out to search for without their attention being diverted to other unnecessary content in the search results not relevant to what they’re looking for.

2. Badge of Credibility

Badge of Credibility based on interaction and engagement  

• There would be a credibility stats page on the LinkedIn professional’s profile page showing how experienced/influential/credible they are through badges
• A Badge System would clearly explain what thresholds must be met in order for that mentor to obtain that badge – the following are some activities that would contribute to the levelling up in or obtaining a certain badge
  • Chat with someone in your field (e.g. If you’re a UX Designer, frequently LinkedIn messaging a lot of other UX Designers on the LinkedIn platform would increase or keep your meter high)
  • Attend events/seminars hosted on LinkedIn that’s related to your field/expertise
  • Interacting frequently on posts in your industry/field

3. Job/Work Verification System

Job History and Work Experience Verification System (verified by employer/clients on LinkedIn) 

• To show to the user (the job/career seeker) that the LinkedIn professional is legitimate and that their credibility is being backed by the verification of companies that they have worked for/with currently/previously

4. Vetting System

Vetting (Verifying Mentor’s Skills and Credentials) System (Mentees choose skills they want to be mentored in by Verified LinkedIn mentors and send connection request)

Based on users’ responses in the 2nd user testing, they are more likely to search for a way to view all of their requests than to individually search for a specific mentor via search and view the status (i.e. connection requests) on that mentor’s profile page. (Same for bookings/joining meetings as well).

The iteration would include a My Requests tab under the “My Mentors” icon. By selecting that tab, the user is able to see all connection requests they’ve sent and the status of each (either pending or accepted). If the mentor has accepted, a view profile button would appear next to the mentor, prompting the user to visit the mentor’s profile page where they can book a meeting with them to further the connection.

5. Access to Calendar (Primary Route)

Access to Calendar (mentees can access calendar once they’re connected to the mentor)

• Users can easily access the professional’s calendar to see when they’re available

After the 2nd user testing, I’ve created a new set of wireframes to help the user enter the profile page through a new “My Mentor” icon on the nav bar. Once the user clicks on the icon, it’ll take them to a page where it has a list of mentors that the user has connected with and all the user’s upcoming/past bookings. By clicking on the “View Profile” button next to a mentor under the list, it’ll take the user to the mentor’s profile page where the “Access Calendar” button is. 

5. Access to Calendar (Secondary Route)

The messaging route path for accessing the calendar and joining the meeting won’t be deleted. Rather, it’ll act as a secondary route for accessing these 2 features. 

6. Video Chat System (Primary Route)

Video Chat System 

Integrate a video chat system within LinkedIn’s profile page so that the conversation can easily be done with just a click of a button on the interface

• Resources Within the Chat (call/meeting)
  • Files/resources that were shared during the call/meeting can be exported for the user’s reference later on

The user can join the video meeting by clicking on “Join Meeting” under the Bookings (includes all the user’s upcoming/past bookings) tab on the sidebar under the “My Mentors” page.

6. Video Chat System (Secondary Route)

The messaging route path for accessing the calendar and joining the meeting won’t be deleted. Rather, it’ll act as a secondary route for accessing these 2 features. 

Redesigning LinkedIn’s profile page interface is challenging as that requires exploring a territory that already has so much established – what other problem(s) still exist for users? Figuring that out was the first step, implementing the solution of a mentorship platform alongside all existing features, and ensuring that they coexist in harmony meant constantly reviewing the feedback from participants. 

With today’s competitiveness in the job market, a person new to a career field faces many challenges. Through conversations with participants, this redesigned web application is something they see themselves finding useful and actually using.

Below, I’ve listed a few metrics to consider in the future for this project. 

KPIs to Track for Real Users Should/When this Product does Launch

1. Sign-up rate for LinkedIn Mentorship:

• Reasoning:
  • To gauge if there’s interest and demand for the product

2. Engagement Rate of Mentors

• Reasoning: 
  • Mentors actively engaged on the platform ensures the success of the mentorship platform 

3. Conversion Rate of a Mentee Connecting with a Mentor upon Viewing the Mentor’s Profile

• Reasoning:
  • Connection is the first step to a conversation! Making sure that conversions are happening can ensure that mentees are interested in the mentor’s profile, and if not, explore further why conversions are lower than expected.

4. Conversion Rate of a Mentee Booking a Time to Chat with a Mentor upon Connecting

• Reasoning: 
• • The purpose is making conversations happen! Measuring that will help track to see how many conversations are being created.

5. Conversion Rate of a Connected Mentee Booking a Group Mentoring Workshop Hosted by the Mentor

• Reasoning:
• • • Group mentoring workshops brings the LinkedIn Mentorship community together. It’s a great opportunity for mentees to meet and interact with each other and build community and continuous interest of the platform.