Launching a content portal for Workforce Singapore
Using the UX process to launch a content portal that provides career advice and tips for unemployed PMETs in Singapore
Background
In 2016, Workforce Singapore’s Careers Connect (WSG CC) underwent a rebranding exercise with the goal of increasing the centre’s relevance to mature PMETs. Since then, WSG CC has undertaken a series of efforts to digitalise and transform its services to support the larger public to find a job and grow in their careers.
My role was a Project Manager and Content designer, where I partnered with an agency to redesign the app, and worked with in-house Career Coaches to write content on job search advice.
From native to content management system
The first attempt to digitalise our resources was via a native application, deployed on large interactive screens and computers at the Career Centres. As the nature of the content required regular updates, this became a problem for operation managers. We also observed that the app had a low viewership rate due to these reasons:
- People were unaware that the app was interactive, and did not think to touch the large panel display
- Job-seekers were concerned about privacy and disliked using the app in an open space
- Overall image of the app seemed kiddy and basic, where many job-seekers felt the career advice and tips were basic
Against this backdrop, we sought to build a CMS and redesign the screens and content display.
Understanding our end-users
User research was done through 4 key phases, built on prior research conducted by WSG with their clients.
- In-depth interviews with 8 job-seekers to understand user’s motivations, goals and pain-points
- Interviews with 4 front-line staff to understand mental models and map out the customer journey
- Surveys with 255 members of the public to see their understanding of Career Coaching and content preferences
- Surveys with 189 WSG clients to validate user stories and identify desired features
The findings were consolidated in a journey map and distinct personas. We found that WSG’s clients and the general public had distinct behaviours in job-hunting. Hence, we decided to prioritise the WSG’s clients, specifically the mid-career unemployed PMET as the primary users of the website.
Insights from journey maps
- Job loss search can be a highly emotional: with feelings ranging from shock, frustration, depression, disillusion, to gradual acceptance
- The initial awareness and engagement of Career Coaching activities is highly crucial as job-seekers tend to be angry and frustrated, having faced the brunt of job-rejections
Insights on user needs
- I want to be assured that career coaches are qualified, approachable, and sincere so that I can get help that matches my past success and achievements
- I want to have more than the current basic services so that I can achieve something that I cannot do by myself
- I want to have a listening ear to my problems first without judgment nor superficial diagnosis so that I can trust your help is genuine
Defining the content pillars using card sorting
The next step was to ascertain how job-seekers search and categorise information on a website. Through an open-card sorting process, we engaged 7 job-seekers to organise 60 content topics into categories that made sense to them.
Apart from aiding us the laying out the site map, we uncovered the following:
- We observed that users only categorised topics that were relevant to them, and ignored the rest. This led us to create an IA that allowed the personalisation of content based on common jobseeker archetypes.
- While our original content structure was based on a 4 stage job search process, we found that our users preferred concrete and actionable categories.
Content Strategy and Development
The user research informed us that users preferred short and concise articles with straightforward copy and actionable advice. Working with a team of Career Coaches, we repackaged the existing career content (which was more theoretically written) into listicles and short articles with actionable titles and bite-sized tips and advice.
Wireframing and Usability Testing
We were now ready to develop the initial set of wireframes. The first set of low-mid fidelity wireframes were shown to 5 of WSG’s existing clientele, where we gauged the usability of the website through the users’ navigation of key tasks.
Key Insight: Users have a poor understanding of Career Coaching, and were baffled that the Career Coach would assign them tasks (eg. Update resume) as they were only “here for a job/advice”
Outcome: Inserted a page and pop-up to explain what Career Coaching services entail, and the partnership approach between Coach and client
Marketing and Communications
In the early launch stages, our goal was to inform past and existing WSG clients and stakeholders on the use of the new content portal. By preparing new marketing assets, we were ready to evangelise about the portal!
- New social media assets, web and email banners
- Refreshing of the computer terminals and interactive screens at the service centre
- Refreshing of brand assets (e.g brochures, slide templates)
- Print leaflets on career tips to cater for a mature, blue-collared audience
In the first 6 months of launch, the portal saw an average of 12,000 visitors a month. There’s a been many great changes since the launch in Jan 2020, visit the current website.
