I partnered with a client to design a mobile app for Penn State’s semiannual career fair, enabling students to locate employers on a dynamic map. I led the project through its full lifecycle, starting with a competitive analysis to validate the market need for such an app. Working closely with the client, I authored and refined a comprehensive requirements document to guide brainstorming. From those insights, I developed wireframes and an interactive prototype. I then conducted user testing to gather feedback on usability and overall experience. In response to the findings, I iterated on the prototype and compiled a detailed usability report. This end-to-end process ensured the final design was research-informed, user-tested, and aligned with both client expectations and student needs.
I developed a comprehensive career fair app that integrates student profiles, an interactive map, and a versatile search function filtering by skill, academic year, and profession to deliver a seamless and cohesive user experience. This offering was especially critical given the complexity of navigating career fairs and the need for an inclusive solution that served students of varying levels of familiarity with such events. During user testing, I observed that freshmen participants struggled with interpreting the fair map, leading to significant usability errors. Recognizing that map understanding varies based on user experience, I added a simple yet impactful feature: a green-highlighted path guiding users directly from their current location to the exhibitor table. This adjustment immediately transformed testing outcomes and participant feedback, demonstrating how small design choices grounded in human perception can dramatically enhance user experience.
I conducted a rigorous research phase that began with a competitive analysis to map the landscape of career fair apps and identify key opportunities. I then developed and administered usability testing sessions, which included collecting System Usability Scale (SUS) responses to quantify the prototype’s ease of use. The SUS, a reliable 10-item Likert scale tool, generates a single usability score (ranging from 0 to 100) and is well-established for benchmarking design performance. The prototype achieved an outstanding A+ grade, reflecting strong positive feedback. However, testing also surfaced an important insight: many users struggled to interpret the map effectively, revealing a crucial usability gap. Addressing this issue became a priority in subsequent iterations.
Below you will find the design files from my process, highlighting sketches, wireframes, iterations, and prototypes that tell the story behind the final product.
Career Fair App Requirements.xlsx
Career Maps Usability Report.pdf
During the usability testing phase, participants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. One user noted it was “an easier way to navigate the tables at the career fair, especially for someone who doesn’t know the layout of the tables,” while another commented that the app was “easier to use than the packets they give you [at the career fair] with just a list of everyone there.” These insights directly informed my design improvements. Based on this feedback, I added a map guideline to help users navigate more intuitively, as well as a scrollable list feature on the homepage to make recruiters easily accessible. The finalized prototype achieved an impressive SUS score of 85.00, which translates to an A+ grade, placing it well within the top usability tier according to industry standards.
Following the user testing phase, where the prototype earned an impressive A+ SUS score of 85 and revealed critical map comprehension issues, the revamped design made a profound difference. Students who had previously attended the Behrend career fair reported overwhelmingly positive reactions. Many conveyed that the app “made navigating the tables so much easier” and appreciated having everything consolidated in a single, intuitive interface. The addition of a map guideline clarified routes instantly, while the homepage scroll/list feature enabled quicker access to employer information, making the experience both more efficient and more enjoyable for fair-goers. These enhancements significantly elevated the user experience, ensuring that students arrived confident, informed, and ready to engage, ultimately increasing the fair’s success both in turnout and satisfaction.
Throughout this project, I encountered several challenges that deepened my understanding of user-centered design. One significant hurdle was identifying why participants struggled with certain tasks without them explicitly stating the issue. Feedback often pointed to vague concerns like "this needs to be easier," without specifying how. This ambiguity made it challenging to pinpoint exact usability problems. A notable example was the map feature; users had difficulty interpreting it, yet their feedback didn't clearly indicate the nature of the confusion. Addressing this required adaptability and creativity. I learned to approach such challenges with an inquisitive mindset, seeking innovative solutions to enhance user experience. This project reinforced the importance of clear communication and the need for designers to be proactive in interpreting user feedback to create intuitive and effective designs.