G.O.A.T App YoungCapital

Introduction

In November 2023, YoungCapital embarked on a mission to modernize its digital presence by developing the G.O.A.T App. The project, which is ongoing and has spanned six months so far, aims to integrate our new branding vision into a user-centric mobile application.

Timeline:

  • Nov 2023 - ongoing, expected completion June 2024

Role & Team:

  • Role: Design Lead

  • Team: Marketeers, designers, Product Manager, Quality Assurance tester, Front-end and Back-end Developers

Key Responsibilities:

  • Led the design vision and UX strategy for the app.

  • Designed wireframes, prototypes, and UI elements using the G.O.A.T App Design System.

  • Engaged stakeholders through regular meetings and workshops.

Problem Statement

YoungCapital faced significant challenges due to new legislations and evolving needs of job candidates. The company needed to modernize its processes and branding to stay competitive.

Our primary target group, young people aged 16-26, required a mobile-first approach with transparent job details, pay information, and simplified processes for declaring work hours, expenses, and booking holidays. The current processes were cumbersome, causing recruiters to spend excessive time addressing candidates' practical questions.

Research & Discovery

To understand the problem and user needs, we conducted user interviews and usability testing in person. An external party was hired to perform the interviews to minimize biases. Key insights revealed the need for the app to be the central point in our product ecosystem, prioritizing candidates' desires to earn money, stay employed, and receive personal contact from recruiters. We also identified the importance of providing continuous support throughout their work journey.

Strategy & Planning

Analysing the research results, we aligned them with our business goals and vision to create actionable strategies. A key component of this phase was developing a new design system for the app. This system focused on a personal, back-to-basics approach, making our brand modern and flashy while ensuring consistency and scalability across the application.

Design Process

I facilitated numerous workshops involving the marketing team, an external research and design team, and our internal development and design teams. Early sketches and prototypes were created and iterated upon. Collaboration was a key aspect, with a product roadmap developed and regular stakeholder feedback sessions held. Stakeholders were involved directly through Figma, where they could provide feedback on the designs. Over three major iterations, we refined the branding and core features, addressing challenges related to stakeholder alignment and feature prioritization.

Implementation

The final design of the G.O.A.T App included several key features:

  • Home Hub: A dashboard for work candidates.

  • Job Planning: Schedule overview and planning.

  • Support & Contact: Easy contact with recruiters for practical questions.

  • Candidate Onboarding: Compliance steps and initial setup.

The implementation phase was managed by the Product Manager, with my role being supervisory. Our design team worked on the MVP, V1, and V2 designs, ensuring that we stayed on track for the June 2024 launch. Coordinating efforts and keeping stakeholders informed were crucial to making smart decisions on feature inclusion for each version.

Validation & Testing

We conducted usability testing with five real work candidates using a functional Figma prototype. The feedback was generally positive, with users recognizing the branding and appreciating features like payment visibility and scheduling. However, the UI was found to be somewhat busy, and the AI recruiter received mixed feedback. Some users preferred WhatsApp for communication over the in-app chat, finding it not personal enough. The loyalty program with gamification elements was well-received, though the rules were unclear. Overall, the app received a high user experience rating of 8 out of 10. Based on this feedback, we simplified the UI and put some feature ideas, like the loyalty program, on hold.

Outcome & Impact (anticipated)

Although the app has not yet launched, we plan to gather user engagement metrics post-launch in June 2024. Our goals include achieving a 90% adoption rate by 2025, with 80% of questions handled via the app, and each user having a minimum of 15 monthly sessions. We also aim to monitor candidate satisfaction through NPS scores and improve retention rates by better managing job transition notifications. Initial qualitative feedback from usability testing has been positive, with users describing the app as "a solid app, where people can also have some fun while dealing with their work."

Reflection

This project highlighted the importance of assembling the right team from the start and having a dedicated team focused on creating an exceptional app. Creativity played a crucial role in launching something impactful. Stakeholder alignment and buy-in were essential, as even beneficial features require clear communication of their business value to be realized. Moving forward, we will use the metrics gathered from the MVP to inform future features and improvements, ensuring we continuously meet user needs and business goals.