Overview
JobAdder is a global, cloud-based recruitment management platform that simplifies the hiring process, making it more efficient and productive for recruiters and hiring managers.
As the sole Product Designer for the mobile team, I led the effort to enhance the app's user experience through user research, usability testing, and rapid prototyping. Working closely with the product manager and mobile engineers, we rolled out incremental updates that significantly improved the app's usability, navigation, and feature set.
By conducting extensive research and redesigning key aspects of the mobile app, we increased the mobile user base from 4,000 to 12,000 users at its peak before COVID, with nearly 60% of users active on a monthly basis.
My Role
Mobile Product Designer -> Product design, User research & testing, Interactive prototyping
Research methods
Competitor analysis, survey, interviews, usability testing, affinity mapping
Team
Kim Boutard (PM), David Dancy & Paul Breckon (Mobile engineers)
Outcomes
Increased User Adoption
Increased mobile user adoption from 4,000 to 12,000 users
Boosting Engagement
Monthly active users (MAU) increased from 30% to 60%
Enhanced Consistency
Improved navigation and user experience to be consistent
The Challenge
When I joined JobAdder in October 2017, the mobile app was in need of a comprehensive overhaul. The mobile experience was inconsistent and lacked many of the features found in the desktop version, leading to user frustration and disengagement. Key problems included:
- Inconsistent UX: The app's user experience was fragmented and not aligned with the desktop version, confusing users.
- Feature Gaps: Users were unhappy with the lack of critical features present in the desktop app but missing from mobile.
- Messy Navigation: The navigation structure was unclear, often leading users into dead-end loops.
- Undefined User Journeys: Certain workflows had no clear user path, leaving users lost in the app.
These issues led to user dissatisfaction and a stagnant user base. The goal was to create a consistent, intuitive mobile experience that mirrored the desktop app's strengths while optimising for the needs of mobile users.
Discovery & Research
Reflection & Learnings
Designing for a complex, feature-rich platform like JobAdder’s mobile app required balancing user needs with technical constraints and business priorities. One of the biggest learnings was the importance of focusing on “quick wins”, features and improvements that could provide immediate value to users, without the need to replicate the entire desktop experience.
Additionally, this project reinforced the value of close collaboration between product designers, engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. By involving the entire team in the design process from discovery to implementation, we were able to ensure that each feature aligned with user needs while also being technically feasible.
