Optimizing Cohort Management with a Scalable Internal Platform
Company
Schwap
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Responsibility
End-to-End Design
Duration
4 weeks
Experience the innovation behind our project with Schwap, a startup where I collaborated with a team of two other designers to develop an internal platform for cohort management operations. Working under tight deadlines, we successfully delivered a minimum viable product in just four weeks, laying the foundation for the startup’s core platform.
Beyond wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing, I played a key role in enhancing design consistency by contributing to a comprehensive style guide and Figma component library, streamlining workflows and improving team efficiency. The result? A scalable roadmap for future development, positioning the startup for long-term success.
Project Details
Schwap: Empowering the Next Generation of Talent
Client: Schwap, a web platform connecting career changers and recent graduates with startup opportunities.
Project Scope: To create a streamlined, efficient administrative experience, ensuring scalability as the platform grows.
Role: UX Design Intern, collaborating with a cross-functional team of designers to deliver a solution that aligns with business objectives and user needs.
The Problem
Scaling the Platform While Ensuring Operational Efficiency
The Problem: As Schwap expanded its user base, the lack of a centralized platform for program oversight created inefficiencies.
Key Pain Points:
❌ Absence of centralized oversight: No system to organize data or track program performance.
❌ Operational bottlenecks: Difficulty managing increasing volumes of students and startup partnerships.
❌ Lack of relationship monitoring: No mechanism to track engagement between students and startups, leading to missed opportunities for improvement.
The Solution
Streamlining Admin Processes for Scalable Growth
Key Features:
✅ Centralized Dashboard: Simplified admin management of students, startups, and internships.
✅ Enhanced Tracking: Monitored student-startup interactions for better relationship management.
✅ Optimized User Flows: Streamlined workflows to reduce friction and improve task efficiency.
✅ Scalable Design: Ensured the platform can grow alongside Schwap's expanding user base.
Result: Improved operational efficiency, enabling Schwap to scale and manage its growing user base effectively.
Research Insight
Understanding Stakeholder Needs to Drive Strategic Design
Initial Research Focus: Conducted in-depth interviews with Schwap’s founder and program administrators to uncover existing challenges.
Key Research Goals:
Evaluate admin experience: Understand how the platform’s current design impacts operational efficiency.
Identify pain points: Gather insights on the frustrations and limitations of current workflows.
Account for business constraints: Ensure the design would align with Schwap's scalability goals.
Establish user objectives: Understand how Schwap’s platform can better support both students and startups.
Competitive Analysis
Identifying Opportunities to Differentiate and Optimize User Experience
Design Audit: Evaluated existing wireframes and user flows to understand current limitations.
Competitive Analysis: Researched other platforms offering internship and work placement services to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
Outcome: Created an affinity diagram to prioritize critical pain points and map out the most impactful user flows.
Strategic Ideation
Aligning Business Goals with User-Centered Design Solutions
Sitemap & User Flows: Developed a unified sitemap and optimized user flows to streamline user interactions, focusing on reducing friction and improving efficiency.
Strategic Focus Areas:
Centralized data management: Enable Schwap administrators to easily track and manage partnerships.
Relationship tracking: Ensure startups and students can monitor progress and engagement with one another.
Scalable design: Design solutions that can grow with Schwap’s expanding user base and evolving business needs.
Design Execution
Delivering a High-Impact, User-Friendly Admin Experience
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes: Moved directly to mid-fidelity wireframes, incorporating core insights and business requirements into the design.
Admin-Centric Design: Focused on a solution that would empower administrators to manage the platform’s increasing user base efficiently.
Outcome: Developed a user interface that facilitates faster, more intuitive management, reducing operational friction.
Usability Testing
Validating the Design: Refining for Maximum Operational Efficiency
Round One Testing: Conducted usability testing with Schwap’s internal team to identify usability gaps and potential inefficiencies.
Key Insights:
✅ Navigation issues: Admins struggled with navigating complex workflows.
✅ Confusing features: Certain features were unclear, impacting user confidence in the platform.
Action: Used feedback to streamline workflows and enhance feature clarity.
Design Refinement
Elevating the User Experience: Scalable, Intuitive, and Consistent
High-Fidelity Wireframes: Based on initial testing, we delivered high-fidelity wireframes that incorporated a refined user interface.
Consistency in Design: Developed a lightweight style guide to ensure brand alignment and UI consistency across the platform.
Outcome: Delivered an efficient, user-friendly interface that facilitates scalable growth and ease of use for administrators.
Final Design & Handoff
Ensuring Seamless Implementation and Future Growth
Round Two Testing: Expanded participant pool to include external users to gauge usability from a fresh perspective.
Testing Results: Final testing confirmed that the redesigned platform was significantly more intuitive and efficient.
Documentation: Produced a comprehensive handoff document detailing design decisions, user feedback, and future considerations. This ensured Schwap’s team could easily implement and iterate on the design.
Business Impact & Next Steps
Driving Operational Success and Preparing for Future Expansion
Business Impact:
✅ Streamlined admin workflows, reducing time spent on manual oversight and allowing Schwap to scale more effectively.
✅ Improved user engagement by providing a more intuitive platform that matches students with startups efficiently.
Next Steps:
✅ Ongoing iteration based on user feedback and platform usage data.
✅ Opportunity to incorporate advanced features like AI-driven matchmaking for students and startups.
✅ Continuous optimization to ensure the platform remains competitive and meets emerging market needs.
Whether you're exploring a new project or just curious to learn more about my work, I'd love to hear from you. I believe great design starts with great conversations—so don't hesitate to reach out with questions, ideas, or anything in between. Let's create something meaningful together.
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