Project Overview

Problem Statement

Understand how Tech Fleet can better serve its volunteers in terms of equipping them for the job market. With that, we set out to learn about Tech Fleet’s volunteers’ needs, expectations, and career goals and compare their answers to the market needs.

HIGH-LEVEL GOALS

• Validate the value proposition of Tech Fleet for its volunteers, given the current market needs.
• Understand the differences between in-house and agency-type UX roles.*
• Identify any gaps between what UX candidates think they need vs. what the industry professionals are looking for.
• Based on the research findings, provide recommendations to Tech Fleet on how it might better serve its volunteers.

*The goal was revised during the process. See below.

My Contribution

• Conducted preliminary research of the UX job market and created UX skills datasets to support subsequent stages of the research;
• Developed surveys and card sort studies.
• Wrote interview scripts, moderated interviews, and led qualitative data analysis.
• Developed and presented a portion of the final presentation.

Research Limitations

• The small sample size for hiring managers and recruiters made a quantitative comparison between the two target groups inapplicable.
• The data we gathered was limited in organization types prompting us to pivot away from the initial idea to distinguish between agencies and in-house UX roles.

Process

Step 1: Understand the job market.

We collected job descriptions on LinkedIn and compiled our data into two categories – UX Researcher and UX Designer. Each team member collected job postings specific to their location to capture the range of the existing variations across the US.

Step 3: Compare the skills that candidates and professionals perceive as essential for landing a job in UX.

Card Sort

To compare how UX candidates and UX professionals rate specific skills, we created a Card Sort study. Using the Word Frequency Analysis results, we asked the participants to sort the skills (32 cards) into four categories in order of importance. Meaning: the higher the skill was placed within a category, the more important the skill was.

Survey

Additionally to the card sort, participants filled out a Survey. While the card sorts were identical, survey questions were group-specific and designed to screen and segment the participants according to the target audience parameters.

Further, we used post-study questions as a recruiting tool for the follow-up interview.

Analysis Method

We compared* the results of both groups side-by-side in terms of:

• Results for all UX professionals.
• Results for all UX candidates.
• UX research candidates compared to the UX research-centered professionals.
• UX design candidates compared to the UX design-centered professionals.
• UX professionals, hiring for research roles vs. design roles.

*We omitted the comparison by the organization type due to the small sample size.

Findings

We concluded from the card sort results that UX candidates and UX professionals involved in the hiring process have a relatively homogeneous view of the required skills for the entry-level UX candidates.

Selected findings:

• Soft skills, such as problem-solving, communication, and collaboration, were the highest rated in the must-have category list by both groups.
• Regarding hard skills, 70% of hiring managers ranked 'Understanding the Differences of UX Deliverables' as a must-have skill, followed by wireframing (60%), design thinking (60%), and qualitative research methods (50%).
• 51% of UX Candidates placed 'Personas' and 'Usability Evaluation' in the must-have category. At the same time, most hiring managers and recruiters ranked those as must be familiar with or nice to have skills.
• Both groups ranked skills like coding, knowledge of Adobe creative suite, and a degree in HCI or human factors as nice to have or unnecessary skill.

Step 4: Understand participants’ pain points, needs, and wants.

Interviews

Qualitative Data Analysis

We analyzed interview data, first looking at the UX candidates and UX professionals as two separate groups and then comparing them to each other. Tool: Reframer by OptimalWorkshop.

• We looked for patterns, common themes, and individual narratives.
• The qualitative coding and grouping of the data ensured we followed a systematic approach and curbed arbitrariness.
• To help us capture the emotional level, we focused on how something was said, the tone, and the emphasis.

Findings

UX Candidates

We discovered three common themes:

1. Role level + years of experience.
2. Role title + skills required.
3. Portfolio requirements.

Together these points are a source of frustration contributing to the imposter syndrome that many candidates reported.

How do the candidates address these frustrations?

• They connect with peers on various platforms and channels.
• Seek advice and help from the networks that they are actively building.
• They volunteer, create self-initiated projects, participate in hackathons, and design challenges to get experience.

Check out this Miro board for an interactive experience with the data.

UX Professionals

In the interviews with UX professionals, we addressed the pain points of the UX candidates. Our findings suggest that

To summarize:

• Job descriptions are a general guide and are used by recruiters for creating a repository of potential candidates.
• Networking and referrals play an important role in finding the right candidate.
• A portfolio is instrumental for assessing the candidate’s competence and potential.

Key Takeaways & Recommendations

This research began with a question:

How relevant is Tech Fleet's value proposition for its volunteers, and what can the organization do better to serve its base of aspiring UX designers and researchers?

The results show that entry-level UX candidates must have a portfolio of projects to showcase their experience. Hence, they need a place to gain experience. In this regard, a platform such as Tech Fleet serves an essential function on the market, providing a space for aspiring UX professionals to obtain experience beyond education (university degree, boot camp, or self-learning methods).

Recommendations

EXPLORE UX ROLES & FUNCTIONS

Tech Fleet could further explore the area between UX education and industry employment. For example, by establishing a "greenhouse" where volunteers can experiment with various roles and responsibilities –

• with no risk of losing their job,
• have the opportunity to get mentorship.

This way, the future candidates could better learn about the strengths and functions they are best suited for.

LEARN ABOUT THE VARIABILITY OF UX RESPONSIBILITIES

Because responsibilities within UX roles can vary depending on the organization's size, Tech Fleet could be a place for candidates to learn which type of working environment they are looking for in their next career opportunity.

ACTIVATE NETWORK

Tech Fleet is a community that can function as a network for UX candidates to share opportunities, get references, and a place to help one another to get "their foot into the door" of the UX industry.

Outcomes

Because of the efforts tied directly to this research to gain more exposure within the UX community, Tech Fleet has been dramatically expanding its members' and clients' base.

Additionally, Tech Fleet has sought to build partnerships with some boot camp programs leveraging the potential for growth within the niche space between UX education and industry employment for entry-level UX professionals.

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You can find the final result of the presentation deck here.

To watch the presentation, go here.