Timeline
2022-2023
Team
Project Manager
Project Strategists
Developers
UX Research
UX Design
Content Writers
BACKGROUND
Career planning is more of a challenge given the safety and security threats to LGBTQ+ people in the workplace
Where do mentors come in?
Inclusive representation is one way as queer students lack role models. Trusted advisors facilitating conversations about careers and decision-making increase confidence and combat onlyness.
Mentors are eager to empower
GOAL
Define and build a MVP to develop a mentorship platform that will encompasses Sean’s Legacy’s mission
Provide a compelling website for the client to secure organization funding
Bring in unique visitors to Sean’s Legacy & increase newsletter sign-ups through platform value proposition
USERS
18 years and older who identify as LGBTQ+ and are either preparing for college/early career, or professionals in the workplace who are in need of LGBTQ+ mentors to facilitate and provide advice that are unique to their needs
Research
Understanding mentee goals and expectations for a digital LGBTQIA+ mentorship platform
Insights:
Transparency & Connection
All mentees seek to view mentors' qualifications, establish a personal connection through shared interests or backgrounds, and find mentors that best match their needs
Planning and Progression
All mentees wanted structure, guidance, and the ability to measure their growth
80% of mentees wanted to establish long-term mentoring relationships
Privacy Options
20% of mentees want to feel secure that their personal information and activity on the platform isn’t shown publicly
80% of mentees who are open about their identity wish to choose how much information they share for greater transparency and better matching
Research themes were generated into the following user stories:
Based on interview findings and themes that emerged, the following mentee user stories were generated:
Safety & Transparency
As a mentee, I need....
to know who my mentor is and what their qualifications are so that I trust meeting with them
there to be privacy options, so that my identity and personal information is not shared
my sessions to be a judgment-free space
Mentor Relationship & Matching
As a mentee, I need....
my counterpart to be enthusiastic to build a relationship, so that I feel more invested
a mentor who I have shared interests and life stories with and thus can form a connection with
a mentor who will provide me with advice and support so that I may advance my career
Ideating booking to meet the user and project’s needs
One area I specifically worked on was profile for mentees to easily assess mentors' qualifications and interests and provide a strong stepping stone for mentorship. To meet project requirements, I integrated a booking system exploring various APIs with Calendly as the top choice. I studied the API’s functions, interaction design, and limitations to create a seamless design where the calendar fit right in.
Mentor Profile Concepts
Testing
Identifying LGBTQIA+ expectations for a professional mentor relationship
Testing Logistics
Unmoderated test via UsabilityHub- 8 participants
Moderated testing via Vowel - 6 participants
Aged 18 - 25
With mentorship experience
Identifes as LGTBQIA+
Objectives
Determine content comprehension, impressions, and usability
Do we do good job of educating users on benefits and purpose of the platform
Identify safety features to account for in-the-closet prospects
Identify motivating factors that promote engagement in LGBTQIA+ youth on a professional mentoring platform
Addressing user needs of connection, safety, and transparency
Working on the latest research findings and addressing mentee concerns, we developed HMWS questions, organized them in an impact-effort prioritization matrix, and created new user flows for potential solutions.
How might we questions
Prioritization Matrix
Some HMWS included:
How might we establish a mutual connection between mentor and mentee?
How might we ensure users feel safe and secure?
How might we provide clarity and transparency for users?
How might we provide guidance to users throughout the process and reduce any confusion in our user flow
Changes made based on user testing
How might we clarify mentor-mentee matching criteria?
One major area of confusion both with test participants and within the team was matching process which was initially through the profile. This approach lacked clarity on the basis of matching for mentees and mentors and failed to uphold the desired mutual connection, transparency, and guidance sought by mentees.
NEW user flow based on feedback
Solution: I proposed two things to the design team
1) We get Minimum Required info upfront so users can get started on exploring the site and booking without having to fill out profile. While keeping it quick to reduce user drop-off, I took the focus areas question from the initial questionnaire to set users up for success and provide relevant mentor suggestions.
2) A match questionnaire that is separate from the profile creation process
Post-testing changes
Mentor Profile: balancing safety, transparency, and flexibility in the Mentee Experience
I revamped the user experience by removing the questionnaire process and introducing an updated, intuitive UI that highlights the optional profile details. Users can curate their profiles and explore personal growth and identity.
The design shift, from text-heavy to prompts and grouping, encourages users to add their information. Users can now flexibly choose and preview information visible to mentors as they edit, ensuring a heightened sense of control and confidence.
Before
After
A closer look at the Profile Modals
To add to our design system I created modals starting with a versatile base and leveraging existing components for the diverse forms. The base maintains a consistent size, accommodating longer forms through scroll functionality. For data transparency,the header includes clear explanations why and to whom mentee’s data will be shared.
About me
Share your story so mentors can get to know you better.
Where does your story begin?
Since I was 13 I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I came out when I was 17 with the support of my LGBTQIA+ community.
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What are you looking for in a mentor?
I want guidance on how to break in to web development as a queer person, and how to share my identity in a way that makes me feel safe and valued.
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What’s your favourite weekend activity?
I love baking, hiking, and karaoke. I volunteer at my local animal shelter every week.
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Interests
Share your hobbies and the industries you’re interested in to find common ground with mentors.
Hobbies
What hobbies are your interested in? (select up to 3)
Hobbies
Industries
What industries are your interested in? (select up to 3)
Education
Healthcare
Construction
Agriculture
Finance
Utilities
Arts
Education
Manufacturing
Save
Education
Add your experience to share with mentors.
Education type
High school, University, Trade school etc
School
School name
Degree/Major
Degree
Start and end date
Start date
End date
Save
This can only be seen by the Sean’s Legacy team and your future mentors.
Profile Picture
Social Links
http://
Portfolio
http://
Save
Select modal examples
Match Questionnaire
In designing the Questionnaire, I consulted with the Content team for text-dependent design and discussions with Development on search functionality, technical feasibility, and data set size.
By separating the Match Questionnaire from the Profile, users can understand and control what goes behind the match process between them and mentors.
Mentor Cards: helping users find the right mentor
Responding to users' desire for more context to compare mentors with, we prioritized highlighting mentors' unique focus areas over location. This aligns with our initial business focus on local mentors and aids mentees in decision-making through match tags in the upper left corner, directly linked to their results.
Before
Lana Steiner
(they/them)
Manufacturing Chemist | Biotechnology
Mitchell, Arizona
After
Great match
Sasha Peers
(she/her)
Nutritionist at Providence Medical Center
Job search
Career after hs
Early car...
Next steps
At the time of my departure from Thrive Out Loud, these designs were in development. The team currently is working on syncing up the designs of the mentee and mentor of the two-sided platform to create a cohesive experience.