Role: Senior Product Designer

Industry: Career Services · B2B

Duration: 4 weeks

Project Overview

HelpfulHand AI is a job board focused on helping tech job seekers, particularly from Black and African-American communities, by promoting anonymity, community, and skill-based matching. After nearly two years of delay, I was brought on to lead a pivotal shift to a mobile-first design that better aligned with the needs of our users.

The Challenge: Breaking Through Two Years of Stagnation

HelpfulHand AI had been struggling to move forward, initially designed as a desktop-first platform. However, research led by Amber from Black UX Labs revealed that 90% of Black and African-American users access the internet primarily via mobile devices. This insight was crucial in steering the project towards a mobile-first approach.

With only two weeks remaining in a four-week sprint, we had to pivot fast. The challenge wasn’t just shifting platforms—it was maintaining our focus on anonymity, community, and skill-based matching while moving forward at an unprecedented speed.

The Pivot: Adapting to Mobile-First in Just Two Weeks

Making this major pivot mid-project required a tool that could match our speed without compromising on quality. This is where Creatie, an AI-powered design tool, made all the difference.

Leveraging AI for Speed: Creatie’s Role

Creatie enabled me to accelerate the project by 10x. Its wizard-like interface allowed me to select areas on the canvas and quickly generate components—whether it was a date picker, carousel, or breadcrumbs. This eliminated the need to manually create components, letting me focus on the overall flow of the user experience.

I could generate full screens on the fly, making the discovery process faster and more intuitive. Creatie’s free, open-source model was also incredibly lean and cost-effective, which was crucial for a small team working on a non-profit tech initiative. In this context, Creatie was hands down the best tool to move the project forward at this speed.

Results: A 10x Acceleration in Product Delivery

In just four weeks, we transformed HelpfulHand AI from an idea to a fully designed, mobile-first platform ready for development. This 10x acceleration in delivery was a major breakthrough after two years of delay, positioning the platform to meet the needs of Black and African-American job seekers more effectively.

Although the project is currently paused due to external factors, the work we accomplished has set a strong foundation for future development. The redesign aligns closely with user expectations, and the platform is well-positioned for future growth.

User-Centric Focus: Insights From Research

Our design decisions were guided by robust user research conducted through dScout’s tools. The key insights included:

  • Age Distribution: The majority of users were aged 25-34, a demographic that values career progression and networking. We tailored the platform accordingly.
  • Gender Balance: A balanced gender distribution meant that the platform was designed to address diverse user needs.
  • Educational Background: Most participants held a bachelor’s degree or higher, leading us to add features like advanced skill assessments and industry-specific career advice.
  • Feedback on Job Matching: Users highlighted the importance of improving the job matching algorithm, which became a top priority in the redesign.
  • Onboarding and Job Detail Complexity: Streamlining the onboarding process and simplifying the job details helped reduce time on task and enhanced overall user flow.

These insights validated our decisions to focus on user-driven features like improving job matching and simplifying the onboarding experience.

Ethical Considerations: Designing for Anonymity and Inclusion

One of the key ethical considerations was ensuring that HelpfulHand AI remained inclusive and bias-free. A major feature we focused on was anonymity, allowing users to present themselves based solely on their skills—what Amber referred to as their “superpower.” This approach ensured that job seekers were evaluated for their unique value propositions, rather than factors like race, gender, or background.

Going forward, I would recommend integrating a GPT-powered assistant into the platform to help users further define and refine their unique value proposition. This emotionally intelligent, AI-driven assistant would provide real-time guidance and support, making the platform even more inclusive and empowering for its users.

Reflection: A Future Vision for HelpfulHand AI

Looking ahead, if HelpfulHand AI resumes development, I would strongly recommend integrating conversational AI, such as GPT-powered technology, to guide users in their job search. This would provide emotionally intelligent feedback and help users identify their unique strengths, adding a layer of personalized support that goes beyond simple job matching.

By incorporating this next level of AI-driven guidance, we could enhance the platform’s ability to empower users and ensure that they not only find jobs but also discover and present their true professional value.