boonHire App
THE CASE
Research consistently reveals that women are insufficiently represented at all strata of employment, and those reentering the workforce encounter numerous systematic obstacles. The aim of this investigation is to grasp how modern companies address the issue of 'Returners'.
We aim to identify the variety of mechanisms - such as 'Returners' services, programs, evaluations, events, workshops, networking opportunities, training, and coaching - that are employed to facilitate women's reintegration into the workforce following a career hiatus.
Drawing insights from our competition, we recognize the imperative of establishing a well-defined roadmap for our business. This includes solidifying our user and content strategies to effectively design and develop the boonHire application.
boonHive is committed to this comprehensive planning process to ensure the successful delivery and reception of our product.
boonHive Ltd is an innovative startup focused on designing and developing mobile applications utilizing advanced AR (Augmented Reality) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies. One of our flagship product, known as "boonHire," is at the heart of our enterprise.
CLIENT
Product Designer
User Research, Interaction, User Interface Design
Prototyping & Testing
ROLE
Evaluation of pertinent marketing elements and website functionalities, providing insightful information about current tactics and trends.
PROJECT
November 2022 - Ongoing
TIMELINE
Pros:
iRelaunch is well-established and respected in the field, having been founded in 2007. They have a range of offerings, including events, coaching, and courses.T hey host the iRelaunch Return to Work Conference, a significant event in this field. They've established relationships with many employers specifically interested in hiring relaunchers.
Cons:
Their services might be less accessible to people who are not based in the United States. It appears that the cost of some programs may be relatively high, which could be a barrier for some individuals.Pros:
Reboot Accel offers a variety of options, including online courses, boot camps, and other resources to help women returning to work. They emphasize upskilling and offer resources for learning current digital and social media tools.
Cons:
While they do offer some free resources, some of their more comprehensive programs and courses can be quite expensive. They may not have as wide a network of partner employers as some other organizations.Pros:
WBW offers a comprehensive program that includes one-on-one coaching, mentoring, networking opportunities, and access to partner employers. They have relationships with companies in various industries, offering a wide range of potential job opportunities.
Cons:
Their program might not be as accessible to those outside the Silicon Valley area, where they seem to be based. As a relatively newer organization (founded in 2016), they may not have the same level of established reputation as some others.Pros:
They specifically cater to UK women, which can be beneficial given differences in the job markets and cultures between the UK and the US.They offer a range of resources, including coaching, workshops, networking events, and a regularly updated list of returnship programs.
Cons:
As a UK-based organization, their resources and programs may be less relevant or accessible to women based outside the UK. They seem to focus heavily on returnship programs, which may not be suitable or desirable for all women seeking to return to work.
Reboot Accel aims to assist women returning to work by providing resources and training to boost their confidence and update their skills. They offer boot camps, workshops, career services, and a community of supportive peers.
REBOOT ACCEL
iRelaunch is a career reentry firm that specializes in helping professionals return to work after a career break. They offer a variety of resources, including career reentry programs, webinars, and a podcast.
iRELAUNCH
Based in the UK, Women Returners is a consulting, coaching, and network organization that helps companies develop 'returner' programs to recruit and support professional women returning to work after an extended break.
WOMEN RETURNERS
Women Back to Work is an initiative dedicated to assisting women who are looking to return to the workforce after taking a career break. They offer resources, networking opportunities, and partnerships with employers to facilitate job placement.
WBW
USER FEEDBACK
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3 relaunchers
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2 employers,
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1 partner
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Age range 29+ to 50+
Who tested the sites?
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Highly educated women:
According to iRelaunch's website, 90% hold Bachelors degrees and 63% have graduate degrees. -
Motivated women:
93% are interested in returning to full-time employment -
Experienced women: 70% have a least 10 years of experience, 32% have at least 15 years of prior to their career break, 12% have at least 20 years of prior to their career break
Who are the Relaunchers?
Companies that are fully on board with hiring relaunchers. These organizations offer, returnships, training and onboarding programs that support relaunchers to return into a corporate environment.
Who are the employers?
Universities, professional associations, communities that connect relaunchers to valuable resources and advice.
Who are the partners?
Interviewed users to gain a better understanding of their experiences and their perceptions of iRelaunch, WBW, Reboot Accel and Women Returners.
Users were asked to freely explore the sites for a few minutes to capture their initial thoughts and then were given a number of tasks to carryout.
After the tasks, users were given a questionnaire to encapsulate their overall thoughts and then engaged in a conversation to get feedback on their experiences.
How we structured the sessions?
HOW WE INTERPRETED THE FINDINGS
What users like & dislike about each website:
I looked at the feedback received for each platform and categorize them into "likes" and "dislikes." Positive feedback can include aspects like intuitive user interfaces, easy-to-navigate layouts, and comprehensive resource sections. Negative feedback might relate to a lack of clear organization, difficult navigation, or spread-out resources. By understanding these, I could highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each platform from a user's perspective.
I paid close attention to users' responses when they successfully found relevant information - was it due to clear website organization, effective search tools, or something else? Similarly, I observed reactions when users have difficulty in this process. Do they feel frustrated, lost, or overwhelmed? Understanding users' emotional responses in these situations can provide deep insights into what works and what doesn't for a user-friendly experience.
Every user found the process of registering and establishing an account with the company to be intuitive and efficient. The calls to action were unambiguous and easily identifiable.
Register
Users assigned with the task of posting job vacancies have found that the iRelaunch job portal simplifies the process. In contrast to other websites that provide a variety of services to employers, including pay-as-you-go job postings. Women Returners employs a distinct approach. Instead of offering an external solution for job postings, all operations are handled internally, offering a more streamlined process for employers.
Post a Job
Users appreciate that both iRelaunch and Women Returners websites provide comprehensive lists of events. They could easily join these lists and register for the events that match their interests and needs.
Find and join an event
Search for talents is different for each platform. It is done internally. On iRelaunch, users must partner with iRelaunch to gain access to a pool of experienced professionals who are returning to work after a career break. On Reboot Accel, users must collaborate with Reboot Accel to access their community of women returning to work. On WBW, users must connect with WBW to reach out to women who are seeking flexible and remote work opportunities. On the Women Returners, users access a network of professionals returning to work by engaging them with their communities through events and programs.
Search for talents
Users appreciated having comprehensive information and resources to aid their return to work in one consolidated section. They preferred when these resources were grouped together under a section named "For Relaunchers or Returners". In contrast, users reported difficulty navigating sites such as WBW, where information and resources were dispersed throughout the platform without a clear organizing strategy. This scattered layout can make finding pertinent information more challenging for users.
Find relaunchers services
iRelaunch, WBW, and Women Returners offer specialized roadmaps, usually accessible for a fee. These platforms provide structured plans that include workshops, mentorship opportunities, and actionable tasks to prepare relaunchers for their career comeback.
Find Roadmap for Relaunchers
NAVIGATING JOB PORTALS: USER INSIGHTS AND KEY FINDINGS
If users are finding it difficult to navigate the site or locate resources, it could indicate a need for clearer, more intuitive information architecture. Categories and pages should be logically structured and easy to find.
Clear information architecture
If job posting is difficult for employers, this process might need to be streamlined and made more user-friendly. Clear instructions and guidance can be provided.
Streamlined Job Posting Process
If resources are scattered around the site, users may struggle to find what they need. Consider creating a dedicated, easily-accessible section for resources.
Consolidated Resources
If events are important on these platforms, make sure the process for joining and registering for events is clear and easy to find.
Visible Event Registration
If users have to browse through long lists, it might be helpful to have a more advanced search function that allows users to filter by job type, company, location, etc.
Improved Search Capabilities
As some users might not be tech-savvy, the site must ensure the platform is user-friendly. This includes clear fonts, easy navigation, and user-friendly design elements.