Google UX Design CertificateHi! Designer
Creating a new tool to support career change in the creative industry and designing a responsive website for an online design school.
Most people change careers at least once in their lives.
Source: “How many career changes in a lifetime?”, The University of Queensland Australia, Published 19 Jun, 2023
Overview
The Hi! Designer concept and the responsive website design were developed independently by me as part of the Google UX Design Certificate course. In this project, I applied the principles of the design thinking process, which allowed me to empathize with users, challenge initial assumptions, redefine problems, and create user-centered design solutions.
Challenge
The constantly changing demands of the job market increasingly lead people to switch their careers. The creative industry is an interesting, and therefore frequent, choice for many; however, its complexity can be overwhelming. Those who have decided on such a change struggle with lack of professional guidance in choosing a future career path.
Solution
Hi! Designer is a community-based online design school that helps people to find the right career path in the creative industry. The concept involves creating a virtual meeting space that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experiences between individuals seeking to change their current jobs and professionals in specific fields within the industry.
Competitive analysis
To understand the market and the needs of the target audience, I reviewed and compared two direct competitors – Domestika and Skillshare, and two indirect competitors – Coursera and Udemy. Identifying their strengths and weaknesses served as the starting point for creating a competitive and unique product. The analysis led to the following benchmarks:
Domestika – diverse design courses from various creative fields with specialization options available.
Skillshare – strong community engagement through active forums and supportive group interactions.
Coursera – professional career counseling program along with personalized mentoring sessions.
Udemy – flexible access to educational materials allowing for comfortable and self-paced learning.
Core features
Hi! Designer aims to bridge the gap between online design course providers and individuals who need guidance in choosing a future profession. To provide comprehensive support during the job change process, the designed product combines an online learning platform with career counseling, professional mentoring, and user community support.
Online design courses
Career counseling
Professional mentoring
Information architecture
The information on the website has been organized in a way that allows users to navigate their own path. The content is linked in a few alternative ways, so users can freely explore it depending on actual needs. This approach results in an efficient information architecture, which has become the key to achieving an intuitive and seamless user flow.
Sign up for a course
or schedule a meeting in 8 clicks.
Layout
The developed grid system adapts to accommodate various page layouts through a consistent square-based module and a fixed column gap of 48 pixels. The flexibility of this solution allows for the harmonious integration of different types of content and compositions throughout the website, while maintaining a clean and consistent visual rhythm.
Usability study
I conducted a basic usability test with 6 participants from the target audience. Using a high-fidelity prototype, participants navigated the entire user journey, from selecting a field of study, through choosing a course, to completing the checkout process. The study validated the effectiveness of the design solutions and identified areas for future enhancement:
Flow
All participants found the step-by-step flow intuitive, reducing confusion during course selection.
Clarity
4 out of 6 participants appreciated detailed course info, boosting confidence in enrollment decisions.
Match
2 out of 6 participants suggested personalized course and tutor recommendations based on interests.
Status
2 out of 6 participants missed a checkout progress indicator to improve transparency and clarity.
Key visual
Lato typeface seems transparent when used in body text, but displays unique traits at larger sizes. Its semi-rounded details add warmth, while the underlying structure provides stability. The proposed color scheme is dominated by sparing colors complemented by a strong accent that highlights interactive elements, to help users recognize them.
