Shift

Role
UX Designer & Researcher

Time
8 Weeks

Tools
Figma

How might we empower at-risk high school students to explore and pursue their career goals, despite the obstacles and challenges they may face in their current circumstances?

One in five Ontario youth face poverty and limited resources, impacting academic success and higher education. Mentoring programs offer benefits, recognized by 95% of grade 4-12 teachers. At-risk students in Ontario mentoring programs are 68% more likely to pursue post-secondary education and 84% less likely to engage in risky behaviours. Empowering students with knowledge about career and education pathways is crucial. This case study researches at-risk high school students in Ontario and their potential to improve their chances for success.

The objective of this research is to identify effective ways to empower at-risk high school students with knowledge about career and education pathways in order to help them make informed decisions about their future.

Shift empowers at-risk high school students by providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about their future. Our platform is designed to guide students through the crucial stages of their educational and career journey, offering comprehensive support in the following areas:

Guidance and Course Selection: Shift helps students navigate their academic path by offering personalized guidance and course selection recommendations. We understand that each student's needs and interests are unique, and we tailor our advice to help them excel academically.

Career Exploration and Planning: With Shift, students can explore a wide range of career options and create a strategic plan to achieve their professional goals. We provide valuable insights into various career paths, helping students make informed decisions about their future.

Process Overview
1. Secondary research (reading articles, documentaries, news, reports) helped contextualize the problem and understand potential pain points
2. User research (interviews and personas) aided in empathizing with individuals who have first-hand experience in the problem space
3. Sketching and mid-fi wireframing helped transform abstract interview insights into tangible solutions
4. User testing permitted me to continue to iterate my design
5. Visual brand identity development
6. Final design

1. Secondary Research

One in five Ontario youth face poverty and limited resources, impacting academic success and higher education.

Campaign 2000's Ontario Child Poverty Report Card 2020

Only 54% of Ontario high school graduates from low-income neighbourhoods enrolled in post-secondary education in 2016, compared to 82% of graduates from high-income neighbourhoods.

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (2019).

Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and racialized students were less likely to apply for university or college, even if they had the academic qualifications.

Toronto District School Board (2019), "Student Census 2019":

2. Interview Insights

Conducting semi-structured interviews with three at-risk high school students allowed me to identify valuable patterns and insights concerning our users. These participants, who face various challenges such as poverty, low academic achievement, low self-esteem, mental health challenges, and other factors that can impact their ability to succeed in school or make informed decisions about their future, shared their stories and experiences.

Each of these interviews provided a window into the unique struggles and aspirations of at-risk high school students. They openly discussed their educational journeys, career aspirations, and the hurdles they face on their path to success. These insights serve as a foundation for the development of our platform, which aims to empower at-risk students with the guidance and resources they need to achieve their educational and career goals.

Affinity Map: Plotting all interview insights and themes

Interview Insights

Lack of guidance and resources for career exploration: Despite the importance of career exploration, students face a lack of guidance and resources in navigating the process, leaving them feeling lost and overwhelmed.

Uncertainty and anxiety about the future: The future is an uncertain and anxiety-inducing concept for many students, who feel pressure to make important decisions about their careers and lives with limited guidance and support.

Desire for personalized guidance and support: Students want personalized guidance and support in their career exploration process, tailored to their unique needs and interests, in order to feel more confident and empowered in making decisions about their future.
Importance of digital tools and resources: Digital tools and resources are crucial in helping students navigate the career exploration process, providing accessible, interactive, and personalized support to help them make informed decisions about their future.

Persona

I used my interview findings and research to shape the persona for this project. This persona helps me better understand the user I'm designing for.

Rosanne Park

"I need guidance through the process of planning for my future. It's overwhelming trying to navigate everything on my own, and I don't want to make the wrong choices.

Roseanne is a hardworking and driven 17-year-old high school student living in a low-income community with her parents and younger brother. Despite facing several challenges that impact her ability to explore and plan for her future, Roseanne is determined to pursue higher education and achieve her career goals. She recognizes the importance of digital tools and resources but feels like she lacks guidance and resources for career exploration and the lack of personalized guidance. Despite these obstacles, Roseanne remains motivated to overcome them and find the support and resources she needs to succeed.

Pain Points

Lack of guidance and resources for career exploration
Uncertainty and anxiety about the future
Desire for personalized guidance and support
Limited access to digital tools and resources

Motivation

Desire to pursue higher education and achieve her career goals
Determination to overcome the challenges she faces
Aspiration to improve her family's financial situation and provide a better life for them
Passion for helping others and making a positive impact on her community
Long-term vision of building a successful and fulfilling career
Ambition to learn new skills and expand her knowledge
Hope for a better future and the opportunities it may bring

Goal

Strives to be independent and take control of her future despite challenges

Behaviours

Researches potential career paths and higher education opportunities online
Seeks advice and guidance from school counselors and teachers
Works hard to maintain good grades and academic performance
Takes on part-time jobs to support herself and contribute to her family's finances

Experience Map

3. Solution Sketches

4. Usability Testing

USER TESTING ROUND ONE Conclusion:

Fix the glitch in the accordion component to ensure it closes properly.
Provide clear and intuitive instructions or visual cues for saving inputs, making it easier for the user to understand the process.
Enhance the user interface for entering marks, ensuring it is intuitive and user-friendly.

By addressing these issues and improving the user interface, the overall user experience can be enhanced, leading to smoother navigation, reduced frustration, and increased user satisfaction.

USER TESTING ROUND TWO Conclusion:

Users easily moved between app sections like "My Courses" and the homepage, indicating an intuitive user flow.
Users could effectively read and review content on the "Economics marks" page, suggesting clear presentation.
Users successfully edited and saved marks, indicating user-friendly controls.
Users accomplished tasks like favoriting the University of Toronto and adding new tasks, confirming accessible and functional features.

By addressing these findings and enhancing the user interface, we can significantly elevate the overall user experience. This improvement will result in more seamless navigation, decreased user frustration, and heightened user satisfaction.

5. Visual Brand Identity

Why I chose the name "Shift"?

Shift

Verb - To move or change position: Shift can also mean to move or transfer something or someone from one place, position, or state to another. It implies a transition or alteration in location, direction, or arrangement.

While the other words on the list have their own merits, "Shift" specifically conveys the essence of transformation and growth that is central to career and education planning, making it a strong name for an app targeting students in this context.

Moodboard

Colour Theme

#7966FE: This color is a shade of blue with a mix of purple undertones. Blue is often associated with qualities like trust, stability, calmness, and intelligence. Purple, on the other hand, is linked to creativity, spirituality, and ambition. Combining these traits, #7966FE may evoke a sense of intellect, creativity, and serenity.

#9FB7FE: This color is a lighter shade of blue, leaning towards a pastel hue. Light blue shades are commonly associated with tranquility, clarity, and open-mindedness. This particular color may suggest a calm and receptive atmosphere, fostering an environment of learning, understanding, and exploration.

#F1EFFA: This color is a pale shade of lavender or lilac. Lavender typically represents elegance, grace, and femininity. It is often associated with calmness, harmony, and introspection. #F1EFFA may convey a sense of gentle sophistication, peacefulness, and introspective qualities.

Integrating these shades into my moodboard adds depth and meaning to the app's visual appeal, enhancing the overall user experience.