As a university student passionate about inclusive design, my team and I were challenged to address the significant barriers individuals with communication and physical impairments face in the job search process. This led to the creation of the Inclusive Design Digital Application - DiversiHire. Recognizing that standard job platforms often exclude users with reading impairments, cognitive limitations, and language barriers, DiversiHire aims to provide an equitable and accessible job search experience.
As a university student passionate about inclusive design, my team and I were challenged to address the significant barriers individuals with communication and physical impairments face in the job search process. This led to the creation of the Inclusive Design Digital Application - DiversiHire. Recognizing that standard job platforms often exclude users with reading impairments, cognitive limitations, and language barriers, DiversiHire aims to provide an equitable and accessible job search experience.
Project Outcome
Rooted in thorough user research and a commitment to inclusive design principles, DiversiHire focuses on simplifying job descriptions, providing multimodal communication options, and personalizing the job search. Through iterative design and a deep understanding of user needs, we sought to create a platform that empowers a wide range of individuals to navigate the job market confidently. By prioritizing accessibility and user-friendly interfaces, DiversiHire strives to redefine the job search experience, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to achieve their career goals.
Rooted in thorough user research and commitment to inclusive design principles, DiversiHire focuses on simplifying job descriptions, providing multimodal communication options, and personalizing the job search. Through iterative design and a deep understanding of user needs, we sought to create a platform that empowers a wide range of individuals to navigate the job market confidently. By prioritizing accessibility and user-friendly interfaces, DiversiHire strives to redefine the job search experience, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to achieve their career goals.
How can we enhance job searching to address all individual needs?
How can we enhance job searching to address all individual needs?
Several job seekers endure significant challenges using standard job search platforms as a result of reading impairment, cognitive limitations, or language barriers. The current systems lack accessibility features that accommodate many user needs. These issues are created because of the emphasis on reading, lengthy and complex descriptions, and the lack of voice or translation assistance. The post on the right is a clear example of this problem in the real world.
Real Life Example
Real Life Example
1.2 Defining Goals
Research served as the foundation of my redesign strategy, encompassing a comprehensive exploration of user behavior, preferences, and pain points.
Research served as the foundation of my redesign strategy, encompassing a comprehensive exploration of user behavior, preferences, and pain points.
Promote Equitable Job Search Opportunities
Enhance Accessibility for Diverse Communication Needs
Simplify Job Search Information and Processes
Simplify Job Search Information and Processes
To reduce the complexity of job descriptions and application procedures, making them easier to understand and navigate for users with cognitive limitations or language barriers.
With these goals identified. It was time to make a decision on how we were going to tackle making DiversiHire accessible for all its users.
1.3 Competitive Analysis
There are several job search platforms however Indeed and LinkedIn dominate the industry. Although these platforms provide networking opportunities and job listings, unfortunately, they fail to accommodate people with different communication needs. Some individuals have communication limitations and find it challenging to approach these platforms due to their heavily written communication aspect, which can be daunting. This can be difficult for those with dyslexia, who have difficulty reading and writing in a fluent state, as well as for those who may have speech impairments, and who may struggle with effective written communication. These platforms also have accessibility barriers that have the potential to restrain certain individuals from getting the full usability experience of their site, limiting their opportunity to land a job.
Part Two
2.1 Ideation
To fully grasp the DiversiHire's potential and user needs, particularly for those with communication impairments, an Affinity Map was created. This process identified crucial barriers and sparked innovative solutions, ensuring accessibility was foundational. It directly influenced the DiversiHire's design and go-to-market strategy, prioritizing inclusivity and empowering diverse job seekers to navigate the job market effectively.
Enhance Accessibility for Diverse Communication Needs
2.2 Understanding the Journeys
This journey map visually outlines a typical experience using DiversiHire and highlights how its accessibility features address the frustrations and barriers one would typically encounter. Each connected square represents a step in their journey, showing the progression of their interaction and emotional state.
This journey map visually outlines a typical experience using DiversiHire and highlights how its accessibility features address the frustrations and barriers one would typically encounter. Each connected square represents a step in their journey, showing the progression of their interaction and emotional state.
We were able to break down our Accessibility Features into four main categories - Text & Reading, Visual Display, Navigation and Interaction, Motion & Distractions.
We were able to break down our Accessibility Features into four main categories - Text & Reading, Visual Display, Navigation and Interaction, Motion & Distractions.
Focusing on features like (Text-To-Speech) allowed us to connect with users who are visually impaired. Carefully thought-out Information Architecture allowed us to create a visually appealing Visual Hierarchy to limit cognitive overload in certain individuals.
Part Three
3.1 What does the journey look like, tangibly.
3.1 What does the journey look like, tangibly.
Low-fidelity wireframes were created to visualise the user flow, identifying key elements and interactions essential for Meetup's functionality.
Through our Ideation stage, we discovered many different barriers that needed to be broken down. These gaps needed to be filled. For example, users of similar platforms are unable to access personal accessibility needs. We wanted to fix this issue by creating a personalized experience for our users. Introducing a fully customizable dashboard, specifically tailored to the individuals profile, allows them to match with companies that meet their needs seamlessly.
Through our Ideation stage, we discovered many different barriers that needed to be broken down. These gaps needed to be filled. For example, users of similar platforms are unable to access personal accessibility needs. We wanted to fix this issue by creating a personalized experience for our users. Introducing a fully customizable dashboard, specifically tailored to the individuals profile, allows them to match with companies that meet their needs seamlessly.
DiversiHire aims to break down accessibility barriers by creating a fully personal experience for its users.
DiversiHire aims to revolutionize the job seeking industry by breaking accessibility barries
3.3 Designs
Building upon extensive user research and a commitment to inclusive design, the final mockups for InDApp present a user-friendly and accessible interface tailored for individuals with communication impairments.
Enjoy this case study? Have a look at some of my other work!
Enjoy this case study? Have a look at some of my other work!
To create a platform that provides an equitable job search experience, ensuring that individuals with communication impairments have the same opportunities as others.
To significantly improve the accessibility of the job search process by implementing features that accommodate individuals with reading impairments, cognitive limitations, and language barriers.
March 2025 - University Project
Redefining Job Search Through Accessibility: Empowering Careers for All.
Redefining Job Search Through Accessibility: Empowering Careers for All.
