Preply
Preply
Preply
Case Study
Product Design
Product Design
Storytelling
Storytelling
Educational
Educational
Preply
Empowering design graduates to ace interviews with confidence and clarity.
Empowering design graduates to ace interviews
with confidence and clarity.
Empowering design graduates to
ace interviews with confidence
and clarity.
Timeline
14 Weeks, May - August 2024
14 Weeks
May - August 2024
My Role
UX Researcher, Product Designer
UX Researcher
Product Designer
Team
Victor Ding, Dakota Shao, Rebecca Jin
Victor Ding
Dakota Shao
Rebecca Jin
Overview
How might we empower graduating design students to feel more connected, confident, and prepared for job interviews by helping them accurately identify and articulate their unique strengths?
How might we empower graduating design students to feel more connected, confident, and prepared for job interviews by helping
them accurately identify and articulate their unique strengths?
How might we empower graduating design students to feel more connected, confident, and prepared for job interviews by helping them accurately identify and articulate their unique strengths?
Research
90% of design students are looking for an employment after completing their bachelor degree. (which is 20% higher than non-design students)
90% of design students are looking for an employment after
completing their bachelor degree.
(which is 20% higher than non-design students)
The success rate of job interviews is 20%, meaning that only 1 in 5 candidates are offered a job after an interview.
The success rate of job interviews is 20%, meaning that
only 1 in 5 candidates are offered a job after an interview.
Interviews
We conducted interviews using tailored questionnaires with professionals across diverse roles, including a CEO, HR manager, portfolio coach, school CPD advisor, UX designer, and designers from various fields such as Automotive UX and Graduate Industrial Design.
We conducted interviews using tailored questionnaires with
professionals across diverse roles, including a CEO, HR manager,
portfolio coach, school CPD advisor, UX designer, and designers
from various fields such as Automotive UX and
Graduate Industrial Design.
Insights
From the interviews, we discovered…
From the interviews, we discovered…
Every respondent (100%) agreed that confidence is key to succeed in interviews.
Every respondent (100%) agreed that confidence is key to succeed in interviews.
90% of students cannot accurately know their strengths.
90% of students cannot accurately know their strengths.
User Type
Using a 2×2 persona segmentation matrix, we identified Self-Doubting Perfectionists as our primary user type.
Using a 2×2 persona segmentation matrix, we identified
Self-Doubting Perfectionists as our primary user type.
Ideate
From there, we mapped their specific traits and challenges into design opportunities, which directly informed the key features of our solution.
From there, we mapped their specific traits and challenges
into design opportunities, which directly informed the
key features of our solution.
Over Preperation
Over Preperation
Structured Practice Modes
Structured Practice Modes
Hesitant Language
Hesitant Language
Mock Interviews with AI Language Feedback
Mock Interviews with AI Language Feedback
Non-Verbal Cues
Non-Verbal Cues
Video Replay and Non-Verbal Communication Tutorials
Video Replay and Non-Verbal
Communication Tutorials
Over-Explain
Over-Explain
Timed Practice and SMART Goal Setting
Timed Practice and
SMART Goal Setting
Low Self-Awareness
Low Self-Awareness
Portfolio Upload and Automated Strength Analysis
Portfolio Upload and
Automated Strength Analysis
From there, we mapped their specific traits and challenges into design opportunities, which directly informed the key features of our solution.
From there, we mapped their specific traits and challenges into
design opportunities, which directly informed the key features
of our solution.
Final Design
Home Page
The home page acts as a personalized starting point, motivating students to begin their preparation journey while providing quick access to practice and company insights.
The home page acts as a personalized starting point,
motivating students to begin their preparation journey while
providing quick access to practice and company insights.
Start Practice and Watch Tutorial
Start Practice and Watch Tutorial
Dream company practice cards to simulate interviews with specific employers.
Dream company practice cards to simulate interviews with specific employers.
Performance dashboard for detailed skill analysis
Performance dashboard for detailed skill analysis
Contact and social links for easy support and community connection
Contact and social links for easy support and community connection
Demo Tutorial
The demo tutorial lowers anxiety for first-time users by offering structured guidance, ensuring users feel supported as they learn key interview skills step by step.
The demo tutorial lowers anxiety for first-time users by
offering structured guidance, ensuring users feel supported
as they learn key interview skills step by step.
Welcome prompt that encourages first-time
users to watch the tutorial before practicing.
Welcome prompt that encourages first-time
users to watch the tutorial before practicing.
Progress tracking across modules, motivating students to complete learning milestones
Progress tracking across modules, motivating students to complete learning milestones
Course notes paired with video lessons
for easy review and reinforcement
Course notes paired with video lessons for easy review and reinforcement
Select Interview Type & Upload Portfolio
By allowing students to choose interview types and connect their portfolio, the tool simulates realistic scenarios tailored to their needs.
By allowing students to choose interview types and connect their portfolio, the tool simulates realistic scenarios tailored to their needs.
Options for different interview formats
Options for different interview formats
Portfolio upload and auto-analysis to surface strengths
Portfolio upload and auto-analysis to surface strengths
Role-based interview simulations
Role-based interview simulations
Adaptive practice questions linked to portfolio content
Adaptive practice questions linked to portfolio content
Presentation Points
This flow helps students structure and rehearse their key points, ensuring they present their strengths clearly and concisely.
This flow helps students structure and rehearse their key points, ensuring they present their strengths clearly and concisely.
Guided prompts for organizing portfolio projects
Guided prompts for organizing portfolio projects
Highlighting key achievements and strengths
Highlighting key achievements and strengths
Timer for practicing concise delivery
Timer for practicing concise delivery
Real-time feedback on clarity and pacing
Real-time feedback on clarity and pacing
Mock Interview
The mock interview creates a realistic practice environment where students can rehearse, receive feedback, and build confidence before facing actual interviews.
The mock interview creates a realistic practice environment where students can rehearse, receive feedback, and build confidence before facing actual interviews.
Prepare Room screen prompts students to gather
design work and mentally get ready for interview simulation
Prepare Room screen prompts students to gather design work and mentally get ready for interview simulation
Mock interview video session with a virtual interviewer to
replicate real interview pressure
Mock interview video session with a virtual interviewer to replicate real interview pressure
Automated scoring system with chart visualizations
to evaluate key dimensions: pitch and tone, etiquette,
active listening, body language, clarity of speech,
and confidence
Automated scoring system with chart visualizations to evaluate key dimensions: pitch and tone, etiquette, active listening, body language, clarity of speech, and confidence
Re-Record
The re-record option gives students the chance to refine their answers, reducing anxiety by turning mistakes into opportunities for improvement.
The re-record option gives students the chance to refine their answers, reducing anxiety by turning mistakes into opportunities for improvement.
Re-record option that allows students to
retry specific answers and track progress over time.
Re-record option that allows students to
retry specific answers and track progress over time.
Detailed feedback notes explaining issues with
improvement suggestions
Detailed feedback notes explaining issues with improvement suggestions
Replay with time-stamped highlights to review
strong and weak moments during the interview
Replay with time-stamped highlights to review strong and weak moments during the interview
What I Learned
• The importance of digging deeper in research — I learned that users’ real struggles aren’t always obvious. Many students were actually over-prepared yet under-confident, which shifted the direction of my design.
• How to translate insights into features — I practiced mapping user pain points directly into design opportunities, ensuring every feature served a clear purpose.
• Designing for emotion as well as function — I realized that building confidence and reducing anxiety can be just as impactful as creating efficient workflows.
• The importance of digging deeper in research — I learned that users’ real struggles aren’t always obvious. Many students were actually over-prepared yet under-confident, which shifted the direction of my design.
• How to translate insights into features — I practiced mapping user pain points directly into design opportunities, ensuring every feature served a clear purpose.
• Designing for emotion as well as function — I realized that building confidence and reducing anxiety can be just as impactful as creating efficient workflows.
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