KONNECT: The app that's facilitating employment opportunities for newcomers to the workforce.
The project offers a remedy for newcomers in Canada who encounter challenges in securing employment in their chosen domains. It does so by creating a community-driven network that aims to link them with established immigrants. This connection serves to provide guidance and assistance, ultimately facilitating a smoother journey for newcomers. Additionally, valuable resources pertaining to job hunting are made available to aid in their employment search.
School project:
my role:
UX Research, UX/UI Design, Art Direction, Project Management
deliverables:
Mobile App Design, Clickable Prototype, Brand Identity
duration:
5 months
Overview:
In school, when tasked with choosing a final project, I sought guidance from my teacher on selecting the right topic. Her advice was to observe the challenges people face in their daily lives and identify what matters most. I noticed several pressing issues, but two stood out prominently:
- 1. The communication gap between cancer patients and doctors, leading to extended appointment wait times and potential treatment delays. This hit close to home as my husband’s cancer diagnosis had been delayed, allowing it to progress from the first to the third stage.
- Newcomers to Canada face significant hurdles in finding jobs in their chosen fields. My experience moving to Canada in July 2016 and facing unanswered job applications due to unacknowledged certifications and a lack of Canadian experience highlighted this issue.
I initially tackled the first problem, attempting to establish communication with doctors. To my surprise, I found it impossible to engage with medical professionals. Despite reaching out and explaining that I was a student conducting research, I received no responses, even from the Canadian Cancer Society. This setback led me to shift my focus to the second problem.
Understanding the struggles newcomers encounter when settling in Canada and pursuing careers in their respective fields, I was determined to address this challenge effectively and make the transition smoother for them.
Problem:
The newcomers in Canada face different challenges and have a hard time settling here especially finding jobs in their desired fields
Solution:
- To develop a platform which will help the newcomers to settle here by connecting them with the settled immigrants who have been living here for some time and who know the challenges they face when they arrive in Canada. Now they have experience and they know the ways of living here. They can help and guide the new immigrants in the right direction.
- Provide them with enough resources which can help the newcomers to settle here and to get a job.
- Collaborate with non-profit organizations, that help newcomers to settle here and to find employment.
Connect and Collaborate
- Three Main Groups: There are three main groups on the main screen, which can be expanded and then there will be sub-groups with related information.
- DISCUSSIONS: These are public groups available to all the users. The aim of these public groups is to provide a platform for open and constructive dialogue.
- PRIVATE: These would be the private groups for the user. The aim of these groups is to create a secure environment to connect, share ideas, and engage in meaningful conversations.
- SERVICES: These groups will be specifically dedicated to non-profit organizations. The goal of these service groups is to meet the specific needs of the user and to provide a positive and satisfactory experience. To be successful, services must be well-designed, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the user.
These three groups are colour-coded which will help the user to know which group they are in.
Categorized Resources
As mentioned earlier one of the main goals of this app is to provide the users enough resources to help them ease their journey. They don’t have to browse the internet to find specific information and waste their time.
These resources are taken from different places of the government and other organizations.
The categorized resources are then sub-categorized according to the related information. This will ease the users search to find a specific topic.
Job Tracker
Job Tracker feature can help the user to easily record and follow up with the jobs that they have applied for.
Jobs are categorized as labels. The label is represented with a colour. On each label, there will be a list of the related jobs. One job can have multiple labels. This will ease the search criteria.
DESIGN PROCESS
PROJECT TIMELINE
GOALS & APPROACH
This project has three primary objectives.
INITIAL RESEARCH
Canada has a long history of immigration. Millions of people from all over the world have chosen, and continue to choose, Canada as their new home. Annually, Canada welcomes thousands of immigrants seeking to embark on a new chapter in their lives. While these numbers are substantial, each immigrant arrives with a unique set of challenges. Among these challenges, employment-related hurdles stand out prominently. The abundance of resources pertaining to job hunting is often scattered and overwhelming, making it a daunting task for newcomers to access valuable information.
// denotes a break in the historical series
Note(s): The lines within the bars in the shaded area of the chart for the years 2026 to 2041 indicate the interval between the minimum and maximum values projected for all 11 scenarios combined.
Source(s): Census of Population, 1871 to 2006, 2016 and 2021 (3901); National Household Survey, 2011 (5178); Population projections on immigration and diversity for Canada and its regions, 2016 to 2041 (5126); The presented data are based on the reference scenario.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/g-a001-eng.htm
*Respondents allowed to cite more than 1 reason; hence, percentages do not total 100%
Source: Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada, 2005
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-008-x/2007000/9627-eng.htm
HYPOTHESES
- Newcomers don’t have enough knowledge about the Canadian job market due to cultural and language barriers, which can make it difficult for them to communicate effectively in the workplace.
- Newcomers don’t have much social and professional connections, which can make it difficult for the newcomers to find job opportunities.
- Newcomers may not be familiar with the Canadian job search process, which can lead to frustration and confusion.
- Newcomers qualifications, certifications and previous experience is not recognized which can limit their job prospects.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Based on the problem and given solution, there are two target audiences.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
I analyzed the competition to know how to stand out in a specific need. This was completed in the form of S.W.O.T. I downloaded three apps, one of which is my direct competitor and two are indirect.
NOTE: There were a few more apps that I analyzed, the ones that deal with job search, one of them was LinkedIn.
USER INTERVIEWS
I conducted user interviews to gain valuable insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points. This deeper understanding of the target audience allowed me to create more effective and user-centric solutions.
I interviewed the newcomers and the settled immigrants. In total, I interviewed 16 participants. Questions changed according to the behaviour of the participant, but there were key main questions that were asked from the participants.
Interviewees Profile
DATA POINTS FROM THE INTERVIEWS
Key Findings from the Interviews
- Previous experience and degrees are not accepted here in Canada.
- Have to do different survival jobs not related to their own field.
- Finding a companionship or someone from their community, they feel more comfortable and connected.
- Settled immigrants can help and guide the newcomers.
- Don’t know where to look for the resources and where to search.
After the interviews and key findings, all the hypotheses were validated.
HOW MIGHT WE…
- Create a social and professional network for newcomers.
- Facilitate connections between newcomers and established professionals.
- Provide accessible resources to support the integration of newcomers.
- Provide better support for immigrants seeking employment in Canada.
PRIMARY ARCHETYPE
I crafted a comprehensive profile for the primary archetype. By anticipating their challenges, aspirations, and habits, I was able to create diagrams that accurately capture their mindset and desired outcomes. This process allowed me to develop an intuitive understanding of their needs and provided invaluable insights into how our platform can serve them best. I created the Empathy Map, JTBD, User Journey, and Mental Model to fully understand the user’s needs.
SECONDARY ARCHETYPE
I did the same for the secondary archetype to better understand the needs and the pain points.
STYLE TILE
LOGO DESIGN
ICONS
COMPONENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
FLOW CHART
ITERATIONS
THE FINAL DESIGN
This is not a full app. Here are the screens of the few flows.
DEMO
VIDEO CASE STUDY
Lessons learned:
- As an immigrant myself, I deeply understand the challenges newcomers face when settling in a new country. Engaging in conversations with numerous newcomers has provided me with invaluable insights into the formidable hurdles that these individuals confront in their pursuit of gainful employment. This first-hand understanding underscores the arduous nature of the employment search process for newcomers and the urgency of addressing these challenges effectively.
- It is imperative that the problem statement be meticulously defined with precision, avoiding overarching generalizations.
- In the realm of design, seeking input and insights from fellow designers proves to be an advantageous approach. By engaging in this collaborative process, designers can harness diverse perspectives and innovative ideas. This practice encourages a free exchange of thoughts, fostering a creative environment where design concepts can be enriched and refined through collective expertise. Embracing the feedback and viewpoints of fellow designers not only enhances the final product’s quality but also promotes a culture of continuous improvement, driving the design process toward excellence.
Next steps:
- Address language barriers by providing multilingual content and language support features. Ensure that the language used in the app is clear and understandable to non-native English or French speakers.
- Recognize that the app is an ongoing project. Continue to adapt, improve, and expand its features based on the changing needs of newcomers and the job market.
- Enhance accessibility by developing a Progressive Web App (PWA) to accommodate users who predominantly utilize desktops, particularly older individuals who may not extensively use mobile devices.
- Present this proposal to non-profit organizations as a compelling initiative that has the potential to be implemented for the benefit of newcomers seeking employment opportunities aligned with their professional aspirations. The app’s integration into the services provided by non-profit organizations can serve as a valuable resource, aiding newcomers in their job search endeavors. By collaborating with non-profits, we can leverage their expertise and reach to ensure that this app effectively supports and empowers newcomers as they navigate the Canadian job market. This partnership not only strengthens the app’s impact but also aligns with the mission of non-profit organizations dedicated to aiding newcomers in their settlement journey.
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