https://schairer.design KELLY SCHAIRER / UX Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:03 +0000 https://schairer.design en https://schairer.design/INDEX-2026a Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:22:33 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/INDEX-2026a Kelly Schairer is a product designer based in Brooklyn, New York. Case Study #1:RiseKit Career Navigator Dashboard Case Study #2:Admiral Dashboard Redesign https://schairer.design/DESIGN Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:55:17 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/DESIGN DESIGN <img width="1440" height="900" width_o="1440" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/155bcc082df50f46d60ff0fddb994bc4746d4bfb4466b87564c578af8133514e/ad-preview.png" data-mid="78752336" border="0" data-no-zoom src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/155bcc082df50f46d60ff0fddb994bc4746d4bfb4466b87564c578af8133514e/ad-preview.png" /> Case Study #1: Admiral Dashboard Admiral is a SaaS Platform that provides digital publishers with tools to increase and maintain the revenue they earn through site traffic. How can a redesigned user dashboard help “The Visitor Relationship Management Company” deepen their relationship with clients?Read Case Study ➔ <img width="1710" height="730" width_o="1710" height_o="730" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/10e3e785defa49ca2f57f4d0939f441afe6dd9461709484df86a60156544850b/mm-preview.png" data-mid="78753608" border="0" data-no-zoom src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/10e3e785defa49ca2f57f4d0939f441afe6dd9461709484df86a60156544850b/mm-preview.png" /> Case Study: MoodmirrorMoodmirror is a native mobile mood log that demystifies the relationship between a user’s mind and body. How can tracking patterns in physical and mental health help millennials develop better habits?&nbsp;Read Case Study ➔ <img width="1440" height="900" width_o="1440" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8e573731616e6f3ff321075c2b21ceb792758e10533fb12fbdd582cfa1d2c1ba/sb-preview.png" data-mid="78753622" border="0" data-no-zoom src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8e573731616e6f3ff321075c2b21ceb792758e10533fb12fbdd582cfa1d2c1ba/sb-preview.png" /> Case Study: SkillboxSkillbox is a web-based platform where independent instructors can organize classes and connect with students. How can an event management platform provide hobbyist educators with the resources they need to earn a living from their passion?Read Case Study ➔ https://schairer.design/Case-Study-Jobseekers Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:46:11 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/Case-Study-Jobseekers <img width="2043" height="889" width_o="2043" height_o="889" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e0416d1f1f92f661d7cf2b327cdf3f428a085caf65a7790a46b9a754c6f1c4ae/TopGraphic.png" data-mid="252809440" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e0416d1f1f92f661d7cf2b327cdf3f428a085caf65a7790a46b9a754c6f1c4ae/TopGraphic.png" /> Case Study: RiseKitJobseekerExperienceRiseKit is a workforce development platform connecting jobseekers with right training, resources, and opportunities at the right time.&nbsp; How we help young jobseekers find a path forward with a system that speaks their language?Written by Kelly Schairer https://schairer.design/Jobseekers_Intro Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:47:46 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/Jobseekers_Intro Introduction&nbsp; The Team I led design for this project in collaboration with a product manager and the head of product. Timeline and Tools The project was completed in 8 weeks. We conducted remote ideation and synthesis workshops in Miro, leveraged Vercel for rapid concept generation and prototyping, and used&nbsp;Figma as the primary design tool to carry designs from wireframes to high-fidelity mockups.&nbsp; My Role User Research and Synthesis I moderated user interviews with our clients in the form of a conversation about their current work flow, goals, and pain points. I also synthesized the qualitative data collected through these interviews into insights to guide the direction of the design. Product Marketing I coined narrative langage that shaped the delivery of this user experience, identifying and leveraging key phrases from the user research to establish product terminology that resonated with our research participants’ goals for the user experience.&nbsp; Wireframing and High-Fidelity MockupsI created every stage of the designs for this project in Figma, using our generated concepts as a reference to draft the inital wireframes, the initial set of MVP designs, and the final iterative high-fidelity mockups after collecting user feedback. https://schairer.design/Jobseeker_Challenge Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:50:30 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/Jobseeker_Challenge Challenge Targeting the Job Hunt Understanding Opportunity YouthThis redesign focused on a user type we call opportunity youth: young adults ages 18–24 who were interested in, currently enrolled in, or had recently completed a workforce development program or support service. Our users want to level up and find a better job, but need a little help figuring out a path on how to make that happen.&nbsp; Distrust in Job PlatformsThe job search has left young people feeling resentful and fatigued. They’re tired of filling in the same forms over and over again and then never hearing anything back.&nbsp; RiseKit and their nonprofit partners also need all of that information they’re tired of sharing, as we can only help them establish career goals if we’re familiar with their background and employment history. We’d need to build back trust in exchange for feedback and results.&nbsp; Life Gets in the WayOpportunity youth are balancing their career aspirations with insecure access to crucial resources like childcare, housing, and transit, and these real-life barriers impact morale and confidence in even the most highly motivated people. Though many jobseekers are referred to RiseKit through our nonprofit partners, the focus of that organization may not be the only support they need. Candid disclosure and discussion of these life barriers would help our users set and achieve realistic and attainable career goals.&nbsp; https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Approach-copy-copy Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:56:34 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Approach-copy-copy The ApproachGathering Research Insights 40Young, underemployed jobseekers participated in our user research “I had no direction and no idea where to start”- D.C., Opportunity Youth research Participant “I feel like I’m shouting into the void when I apply for jobs”- T.T., Opportunity Youth research Participant User Research We leveraged our nonprofit partnerships to recruit 40 reseach participants ages 18-24 who were currently enrolled in supportive service programs with the foak training for and finding work. We conducted a total of 3 in-person research workshops with our participants,&nbsp; [NEED TO WRITE THIS] Interviews were structured as open-but-guided conversations, focusing on the topic of building and maintaining client relationships, and tools used in daily workflow. Here’s what we learned:Young people lack Next Steps, not Motivation Our research particpants were self-aware and ambitious.&nbsp;They tended to know what they liked and were good at, just not necessarily how to turn it into a marketable skill or a career path.&nbsp;People Build Trust, Platforms Can Undermine ItOur conversations confirmed our initial assumptions about jobseekers’ skepticism toward job boards and similar digital tools. A platform that felt impersonal, extractive, or like "just another form to fill out" would face instant resistance. Brick By BrickParticipants broadly expressed interest in highly personalized mobile experience that tailor what they see to what they’ve explored in the past, and expressed satisfaction at the idea of building their own algorithm “brick by brick”. This would be a crucial for us to leverage in our effort to incentivize users to share key information for their jobseeker profile. Open Communication With Career Navigator&nbsp;We wanted every corner of the jobseeker experience to provide an open door to discussion with a career navigator. [NEED TO WRITE THIS] &nbsp; Easy to start a conversation with a career navifator and ask questions about anything on the app.... https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Discoveries-copy Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:58:17 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Discoveries-copy DiscoveriesForging a Design Path Defining the Problem Here’s the problem statement we developed to connect our research findings to our design goals:Young disadvantaged jobseekers need to feel comfortable and confident sharing their barriers, skills, and interests so that they can receive personalized support and guidance toward clear, realistic career goals. Approaching the SolutionWe also established four design principles to inform the direction of this user design: <img width="400" height="400" width_o="400" height_o="400" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a9ba42c46fb2c5cdf207aab08503cb4dc700908a77a9a7a3cff96bb25b59d0d2/Conversation.svg" data-mid="253345999" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/400/i/a9ba42c46fb2c5cdf207aab08503cb4dc700908a77a9a7a3cff96bb25b59d0d2/Conversation.svg" /> CONVERSATIONWe have limited control over the feedback a jobseeker can get during the job hunt, but our user experience provides opportunities to check in and troubleshoot along the way with a trusted authority familiar with their situation. <img width="400" height="400" width_o="400" height_o="400" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cbaa3f9f72b2bf786315a824cf61a611cafdaa26c65fca7202e7be7eff7e9638/Transparent.svg" data-mid="253346865" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/400/i/cbaa3f9f72b2bf786315a824cf61a611cafdaa26c65fca7202e7be7eff7e9638/Transparent.svg" /> TRANSPARENCYLow trust in institutions makes jobseekers less willing to part with their personal information. Our user experience will be as forthcoming as possible about why we need the information we’re asking for and how it’s going to help them. <img width="400" height="400" width_o="400" height_o="400" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e89e5ae5e6bfecec1efdba0be0fd1ca3d4ce98b829db8edabf45dcdb47d9554e/Anchored.svg" data-mid="253346119" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/400/i/e89e5ae5e6bfecec1efdba0be0fd1ca3d4ce98b829db8edabf45dcdb47d9554e/Anchored.svg" /> ANCHOREDCareer development stalls when a goal is too vague to act on, or too distant to feel real. Our experience helps users establish a long-term goal, then leads them there with a series of steps they can focus on one at a time. <img width="400" height="400" width_o="400" height_o="400" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/468dd68b37679fa10868013bfd3c571754ffb145bdf749dca4ba15a8e0875a21/Shock-Resistant.svg" data-mid="253537350" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/400/i/468dd68b37679fa10868013bfd3c571754ffb145bdf749dca4ba15a8e0875a21/Shock-Resistant.svg" /> SHOCK-RESISTANTWe get that life life doesn’t always go according to plan. Users need room to adjust when a barrier is blocking their progress, and should also feel comfortable changing their mind along the way and establishing new goals. https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Solutions-copy Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:58:29 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Solutions-copy SolutionsIdeation &amp; Validation Concept Prototyping I produced rapid sketches for this design concept during an ideation workshop with my product team and then leveraged Vercel to punch them up into higher-fidelity wireframes.&nbsp; Jobseeker Profile My first focus was to ideate for the jobseeker profile, where users report personal information relevant to their career development case, respond to custom intake surveys sent by their associated nonprofits, and upload/manage job search artifacts like resumes and cover lettersThe priorities for this design: Incenctivize participation with unlocksAllow space for the RiseKit resume and cover letter generation experiences to develop on the side Rapid Concept: Jobseeker ProfileRapid sketches and Vercel concept refinements&nbsp; <img width="2161" height="784" width_o="2161" height_o="784" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5b949ae3e603d84e629b0c92655cc016653012cd61130fefba10c15a9f15085c/Concept-to-AI-Prof.png" data-mid="253396162" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5b949ae3e603d84e629b0c92655cc016653012cd61130fefba10c15a9f15085c/Concept-to-AI-Prof.png" /> &nbsp;Extra words. Goal-Setting ToolMy second focus was to ideate for a goal-setting experience,&nbsp;where jobseekers define a career goal based on their interests and generate an actionable path toward that goal based on their reported work experience and education.&nbsp; <img width="2162" height="812" width_o="2162" height_o="812" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/90afdddbc44a020bd779d09b82f44cd489ddda120aa12e2d0f0d4f23990da067/Concept-to-AI.png" data-mid="253387700" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/90afdddbc44a020bd779d09b82f44cd489ddda120aa12e2d0f0d4f23990da067/Concept-to-AI.png" /> Rapid Concept: Goal-Setting ExperienceJobseekers define a career goal based on their interests and generation an actionable path toward that goal based on their work experience and education.&nbsp; 15Opportunity youth users walked through early designs during concept testing Concept Testing[NEED TO WRITE THIS] Here’s how the direction for this redesign changed after presenting concepts for feedback: The Goal Before the GoalFeedback participants challenged us on the limited scope of our goal-builder experience concept, and compelled us to focus more on the idea of a goal before the goal. By expanding the types of goals that could be set and explored beyond specific job roles, this feature could also provide guidance for opportunity youth who had more immediate barriers to address before they could think about their dream job.&nbsp; Make Profile Completion [Exciting]This round of feedback was also an opportunity to begin refining and look and feel of our personal information form flows. By asking users about their favorite apps and mobile experiences, we were able to&nbsp;Personality quizzes&nbsp; [NEED TO WRITE THIS] Resume BuilderAs we continued to probe incentives to&nbsp; Our conversations about the profile experience and our userbase’s motivation to engage with it kept bringing us back to a project we’d already been working on--a resume builder. We decided to increase the scope of this MVP to include the resume builder tool.A resume builder would work in tandem with the jobseeker profile to profile completion goals We wouldn’t have to re-invent the wheel for this, in fact we would keep our resume builder as close to the competition as possible.&nbsp;[NEED TO WRITE THIS] We headed back to the drawing board to iterate with more confidence in our direction. https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Outcomes-copy Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:59:37 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/RiseKit_Outcomes-copy Outcomes MVP Designs &amp; Reception Wireframes I created a full set of mobile wireframes to represent our design of the jobseeker experience. <img width="1440" height="800" width_o="1440" height_o="800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f0c79d88772f2eb4921c63f43a37e160b6f7d76c268797ac85b818a779b9bd59/Dash-Final.png" data-mid="252809329" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f0c79d88772f2eb4921c63f43a37e160b6f7d76c268797ac85b818a779b9bd59/Dash-Final.png" /> <img width="1440" height="800" width_o="1440" height_o="800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d171835c1aaac4b3c8260b81895d403b2e9e348242b9e1a42fd30d08c66178b3/Dash-Final---Missing-Outcomes.png" data-mid="252809330" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d171835c1aaac4b3c8260b81895d403b2e9e348242b9e1a42fd30d08c66178b3/Dash-Final---Missing-Outcomes.png" /> <img width="1440" height="800" width_o="1440" height_o="800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/37875c51ee9325dd1e2cf28a3e4a59a769d7692091fb5e078126cfdd88599ccb/Dash-Final---Customize.png" data-mid="252809328" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/37875c51ee9325dd1e2cf28a3e4a59a769d7692091fb5e078126cfdd88599ccb/Dash-Final---Customize.png" /> [NEED TO WRITE THIS]&nbsp;[NEED TO WRITE THIS]. Jobseeker Profile[NEED TO WRITE THIS]&nbsp; <img width="2390" height="1664" width_o="2390" height_o="1664" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/41681ebbfa1bcf9d2c66a28bc21389f59b939dbacadf2729b67e3946a44c1479/Designs---Profile.png" data-mid="253750126" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/41681ebbfa1bcf9d2c66a28bc21389f59b939dbacadf2729b67e3946a44c1479/Designs---Profile.png" /> Profile Completion[NEED TO WRITE THIS] Resume Builder[NEED TO WRITE THIS]. <img width="1793" height="1248" width_o="1793" height_o="1248" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d9a1997905050655f28d7178180d40c36713362985c203ffa2b7644aced4ea2/Designs---Resume-Builder.png" data-mid="253750008" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2d9a1997905050655f28d7178180d40c36713362985c203ffa2b7644aced4ea2/Designs---Resume-Builder.png" /> <img width="2390" height="1664" width_o="2390" height_o="1664" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/84d533672808f794344f0f84be99a21585e7bad9cf74548951b9eaefc0e30f23/Designs---Goal-Setting.png" data-mid="253750079" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/84d533672808f794344f0f84be99a21585e7bad9cf74548951b9eaefc0e30f23/Designs---Goal-Setting.png" /> Goal-Setter[NEED TO WRITE THIS] Career Navigator ChatKeep lines of communication open with career navigators&nbsp; 12OUT OF 15 Surveyed Opportunity Youths Connected to Relevant Resources 20%INCREASE in profile completion by RiseKit jobseeker users&nbsp; Client Feedback We reconnected with some of the opportunity youth who participated in our initial research to show them the new user experience and let them click around on their own.&nbsp; [NEED TO WRITE THIS]:&nbsp; “Everyone should join, you might find your dream job and there are plenty of good resources.”- D.H., Feedback Participant “I would say it is a great way to deep dive into different career options based on your skill and trade.”- J.G., RiseKit Client “If you don’t know what you wanna do yet, RiseKit is a good place to start. It breaks things down and gives you real options.”- M.J., Feedback Participant https://schairer.design/Conclusion_RiseKit-copy Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:03 +0000 KELLY SCHAIRER / UX https://schairer.design/Conclusion_RiseKit-copy Conclusion Final Thoughts Future RecommendationsTrophies[NEED TO WRITE THIS] NEED TO WRITE THIS[NEED TO WRITE THIS] Takeaways and ObservationsLooking back on this project, here’s what I learned:Intuitive Means Familiar[NEED TO WRITE THIS] Lead with The Edge Case[Typically, you’d treat an edge case for a as an edge cas]. For opportunity youth, life factor instability isn’t an edge case. Designing for the ability to change goals, and re-enter without penalty was a baseline requirement for this product, rather than a nice-to-have. A Companion In The VoidThe goal for this redesign wasn’t to solve everything that‘s wrong with the job market, but we did have an opportunity to change how the job search makes someone feel. &nbsp; ☁ ← Back toPortfolio Index ↑ Jump to Top of Page → Next Case Study: RiseKit Jobseeker Experience