HackerPen is web-based tool built to support software engineers who are preparing for technical interviews. Their primary users are interviewees and interviewers. As HackerPen stakeholders navigate looking into and pursuing a marketplace for interviewees, they requested a proposal for new features that covered about 6 weeks of work.
HackerPen told my research colleagues and I that they were looking into creating a marketplace for interviewees, where the interviewee could book mock interviews with more senior professionals. We moved forward by gathering information about what else is available in the the same market as HackerPen.
Following an introduction and interview with HackerPens stakeholders, our team shared the competitive audit findings with one another. Quickly, I moved into empathy mapping to set up for the next steps.
An important note for this project is that I was attempting to design only 6-7 weeks worth of work for HackerPen's development team.
Following the empathy map, I moved on into journey mapping. Then, based on the stakeholder interview, the user journey map, and the competitive audit, my colleagues and I began brain storming for some feature concept ideas. Shortly after, we all began rapidly designing / sketching some of our top ideas.
Once we each finished our feature cards, our whole team participated in the dot voting method to determine which of these feature cards would be go out in a current HackerPen user survey.
As the survey results returned, we started on a kano analysis. I used this analysis to help me decide which features to select. During this process, my user journey map was adjusted. The survey gave us a few more insights about the current user.
We determined that users are looking to have a greater opportunity to do a mock interview and receive valuable feedback. Users are also looking to be able to coordinate with the correct interview partner for this experience.
HackerPen needs more users to share their experience with the feedback survey for a marketplace with interviewer ratings. Additionally, if payment becomes a requirement, users may need an opportunity to gain help. Lastly, if users begin paying for their interviews, they may find great value in being able to access them later.
Once I adjusted the current user journey map, I added some information for the emotions of a future user if certain features were in place as HackerPen moves forward into the world of marketplace and payments.
As I considered the areas that additional features may be necessary, I also considered what my colleagues were pursuing with our overall project. I decided to pursue features that would assist in the preparation and movement into a HackerPen marketplace.
If I had not been working with a team on this, I would have also pursued the actual marketplace feature. Additionally, If I had more time granted from the company, I would have worked on a feature for a specific form of scheduling with a calendar that users are more familiar with.
Once these features were chosen, moved forward in designing the features and crating the wireframes. One of my main goals in this was to design in a way that users wouldn't have to do a lot of learning when it comes to using the website.
HackerPen values gaining more information on how interviewees are experiencing interviewers. HackerPen can gain this information before releasing the marketplace & payment installments by having the interview feedback survey pop up directly after an interview.
To prepare interviewees for paying for mock interviews, HackerPen could make videos of previous interviews available for users. It is a feature that users would find really useful and valuable.
Another way that HackerPen can encourage interviewees to leave feedback, is to release a point system. And on the same note, if interviews are going to cost, it may bring a lot of value to the user to have an opportunity to ask the interviewer for a more affordable option.
I enjoyed working on this project for HackerPen, and I would happily to do it for you! If you need someone to join you in selecting and designing valuable features for your page, i'm your user experience designer! :)
I would be happy to hear from you.
