Navigating Success: Revamping FreelancerMap for Freelancers

FreelancerMap, a veteran player in the industry for 17 years, recognized the need to enhance their platform's design to better meet user expectations. Our primary objective was to improve the user experience for freelancers searching for work. Through a meticulous examination of the user journey, identification of pain points, and analysis of industry trends, we embarked on the design challenge of creating an intuitive and user-friendly platform that streamlines the job search process and delivers a positive and efficient experience. With this challenge in mind, we developed a design solution that empowers freelancers to find suitable projects and access all features seamlessly.

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Understanding Freelancers' Needs

To kickstart our design process, we conducted an extensive analysis of the FreelancerMap platform. Through usability tests with potential users, we requested them to create profiles and search for work. The findings confirmed existing communication issues on the site and highlighted user flow challenges during the job search process. Users expressed confusion surrounding the project alert function due to its multiple naming conventions. Additionally, we conducted surveys and interviews with freelancers to gain deeper insights into their job searching experiences. We discovered that freelancers heavily rely on online platforms to find work, prioritizing ease of use and the ability to create job alerts. These conversations shed light on their frustrations and difficulties in the constant search for projects, underscoring the need for accurate filters and a streamlined browsing process.

Based on our comprehensive UX research, we developed a user persona named Lotte Schultz, a 35-year-old freelance web designer. Lotte yearns to reduce the time spent on administrative tasks related to job searching, while consistently securing engaging remote projects with clients who align with her interests. She expressed frustration with the time-consuming nature of finding relevant work due to agency fees, inaccurate search results, and the abundance of job listings. Lotte's primary goal is to have a trustworthy job search platform that displays pertinent projects, eliminating the need for manual searches. To capture Lotte's perspective, we defined her user story as follows: "As a freelancer, I want a job search platform that displays relevant projects to eliminate the need for manual search."

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Identifying FreelancerMap's Opportunity

Following an in-depth analysis of the job search market, we observed that each platform has a unique approach, lacking strong conventions across the market. However, we recognized FreelancerMap's strength lies in its ability to provide deep search functionality for freelancers without imposing membership fees or attempting to be a social media platform. Based on these findings, we defined our problem statement as follows.

Freelancers require guidance and support throughout their job search process to effectively find relevant projects and save time. Our hypothesis posits that by providing an informative and supportive job search experience for freelancers, FreelancerMap will increase the likelihood of them securing suitable projects. To validate our hypothesis, we set a goal to track a 25% increase in the number of freelancers applying for projects on the platform.
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Transforming the FreelancerMap Experience

In our pursuit of redesigning the website, we initiated the process by creating a clear and well-defined sitemap, segregating areas dedicated to freelancers and companies to prevent any overlaps or confusion. Subsequently, we developed a mood board that encapsulated the desired emotions of hopefulness, ambition, and connection, while aiming for a modern, urban, and dynamic visual aesthetic. The creation of a style tile enabled us to establish the overall visual style of the website, instilling confidence in our design direction.

After reimagining the structure and user flow of the website, we conducted multiple rounds of low-fidelity testing to validate our design concepts. Incorporating the feedback received, we made minor tweaks to the design to ensure its effectiveness. With these refinements in place, we proceeded to finalize our minimum viable product (MVP).

The MVP revolves around the essential user flow of our user persona, Lotte, a freelance web designer. Lotte, facing the challenge of bridging the gap between her expiring contract in June and her next project in August, logs into her FreelancerMap account with high hopes. With the ability to set personalized filters, she fine-tunes her search results to match her preferences, making the job hunt more efficient and tailored to her needs. As she navigates through the platform, Lotte bookmarks projects that pique her interest, ensuring she can easily revisit them later. Finally, after thorough exploration, she discovers a project that aligns perfectly with her skills and aspirations, prompting her to submit an application with confidence and excitement.

Through meticulous UX research, thoughtful design considerations, and the implementation of user-centric features, we successfully revamped FreelancerMap's platform to enhance the experience for freelancers seeking work opportunities. By addressing pain points, streamlining the job search process, and delivering an intuitive user interface, FreelancerMap can now empower freelancers like Lotte to navigate their path to success with ease. Our redesigned platform offers comprehensive project filtering, eliminating the need for manual searches and providing relevant project recommendations. By embracing user-centric design principles and staying attuned to the needs of freelancers, we are confident that FreelancerMap will continue to be a trusted and valuable resource for freelancers in their pursuit of professional success.

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