ALESSANDRA SCHITO
ROLE
Research & UX/UI Design (End to End)
DURATION
3 Months
TOOLS
Figma, Figjam, Adobe XD, Survey Monkey
PROBLEM
College students are facing considerable challenges when it comes to securing their first job after graduation
SOLUTION
Our user research validated the hypothesis, and MentOro was designed to connect college students with experienced mentors which will contribute to faster job placement for college students.
BACKGROUND
In the transition from academia to the professional world, college students often find themselves at a crossroads, seeking guidance, and opportunities to flourish.
MentOro is a responsive website dedicated to empowering students on their journey to a successful career.
This case study will encompass MentOro's personalized mentorship and customizable profiles, schedules and filters to help students transition to the professional world.
Timeline
EMPATHIZE
USER SURVEYS
OBJECTIVE
I gathered data from my survey of college students and fresh graduates looking to enter into the workforce in order to...
1. Validate the need and desire for mentorship
2. Find out how users prefer to connect with mentors
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Most students struggle to find a full time job after college
2. Most students are open to the opportunity to connect with a Mentor
3. Students need the option to connect with mentors via Mobile, Desktop as well as in person
4. Students are mainly looking for mentors by Company and Role
MENTORO'S FEATURES
Mentoro is a Responsive website available on all different screens that allows users to filter by
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Location
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Industry
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School
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Skill
These filters, along with the top search bar, allow users to find their perfect mentor match, whether they chose to meet virtually or in person​.
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USER INTERVIEWS
OBJECTIVE
I interviewed 5 participants in order to...
1. Understand user needs, pain points, goals, and desires for:
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how they currently attempt to enter the professional world
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if/how they currently connect with mentors
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Most students need guidance to navigate the professional world
2. All students struggle to reach out to mentors or feel bad asking for help without returning the favor
3. Some students do not know what they want to do and are looking for guidance to help steer them in the right direction
"I feel like college helped me to network but didn't really prepare me for a real job." - T.
AFFINITY MAP
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H O W M I G H T W E . . .
Make the process of reaching out to a mentor easier
​
Help students get mentorship even if they may not know what they would like to do professionally
MENTORO'S FEATURES
Mentoro features auto generated messages in the chat for users who struggle to reach out to mentors, as well as suggested mentors to invite mentees to easily connect with mentors.
DEFINE
PERSONAS
OBJECTIVE
I created 2 personas that reflect the study participants from the previous phase
JOURNEY MAP
OBJECTIVE
I created a journey map of how Farha connects with a mentor in order to understand pain points and create solutions that Mentoro will solve
KEY INSIGHTS
1. Some students feel nervous connecting with mentors
2. Some students struggle to manage time between academic and personal commitments and connecting with mentors
3. Many students feel the pressure of competition and are uncertain of how to stand out in the job market
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MENTORO'S FEATURES
Montoro calendar feature allows users to schedule meetings that fit just right with their personal schedules. Bookings can be easily canceled or rescheduled without penalty to ensure maximum flexibility with scheduling.
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COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
OBJECTIVE
I conducted a competitive analysis in order to...
1. Understand what is currently available to new professionals and what is missing in the market
2. Find out ways users connect
3. Find out how other platforms attract and retain their users
​​
KEY INSIGHTS
1. LinkedIn and ADP List lack a way to entice users to connect but dating platforms have creative ways to entice users to connect
2. Most Competitors had thorough user profiles from diverse backgrounds in a variety of industries
3. User reviews were not a very popular feature for our competitors
MENTORO'S FEATURES
Mentoro features in detailed profiles to help connect mentees with the right mentors for them.
​
Unlike its competitors Mentoro features user reviews helping to provide insight into mentorship sessions before users commit to a booking.
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IDEATE
INFORMATION ARCHITECHTURE
USER FLOW
PROTOTYPE
WIREFRAMES
DESIGN SYSTEM
THE DESIGN
FINDING MENTORS
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BOOKING
TEST
OBJECTIVE
I needed to understand if users could complete the platform's core tasks
KEY INSIGHTS
1. All participants could easily book a mentor
2. Some participants were not able to find their perfect mentor due to a lack of diversity of roles and job titles
3. None of the participants could schedule an in person meeting or a phone call
4. All participants could find and make adjustments to the bookings
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CONCLUSION
IMPACT
Creating this responsive website is poised to revolutionize how college students transition into the professional world, offering tailored mentorship, invaluable resources, and a supportive community. Its impact will echo in empowering individuals like never before, bridging gaps, and paving the way for brighter, more informed career journeys.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. This project was anything but linear and I went back multiple times to do more research, interviews, and competitive analysis
2. I learned that every decision should be backed up by research. If it isn't, then more research should be done or I need to iterate on alternative solutions.
3. I learned how to comply with WACAG standards and how important spacing is when designing.