FreeHand: Film & Media Volunteer Application
Client
Brainstation Conceptual Project
Timeline
6 Weeks
2021
Role
UX Research, Concepting, Visual Design, Prototyping
Brainstation Conceptual Project
6 Weeks
2021
UX Research, Concepting, Visual Design, Prototyping
For those new to the film industry, volunteer work represents one of the best ways to gain practical work experience. However, it can be difficult for volunteers to identify what positions are available in their department, and equally difficult for recruiters to find qualified candidates. So, how might we provide both users with a platform to connect and collaborate within?
Provide a dedicated platform for volunteer jobs & internships, making it much easier for volunteers and recruiters to find and work with each other.
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Example Screens from the FreeHand Volunteer App
I spoke with 4 people who have volunteered in the film industry within the past 3 years, as well as a recruiter at a large Canadian non-profit film organization. The goal was to find out how people searched for positions/ volunteers today, and learn about their pain points.
“I had no idea where to start...”- Participants had a difficult time identifying where to find internships/ volunteer positions within their particular department.
“There’s too much competition...”- Participants who used facebook to find work could see comments from every other applicant. They felt discouraged by to amount of talented people they were up against.
“It wasn’t professional...”- Some participants found that the volunteer positions weren't professional. There was no way to know who was likely to provide a good volunteer experience before applying.
“I hate cold calling...”- Most participants identified cold calling as a primary method for finding volunteer positions, but felt uncomfortable asking for a position over the phone.
“I feel like they’re going to ask me to go away...”- Recruiters found asking connections to work unpaid on projects feels wrong, and requires them to tread lightly with their request.
“You want the right person for the right story...”- To promote diversity in the film industry and best tell a film’s story, recruiters often want to hire BIPOC or LGBTQ2S+ members, especially for films about their experiences.
“Weeding out submissions is time consuming...”- Recruiters feel they have to spend too much time with their current tools to qualify candidates for projects.
For volunteers, the pain points were primarily based around a lack of information (Where do I apply? Who is reputable?) as well as being uncomfortable with the current popular job search platforms (Facebook and Cold Calling).
Recruiters on the other hand face a moral dilemma- they feel uncomfortable asking their existing contacts to work unpaid. They also feel the need to fill their crew with members of particular communities, which can force them to search across multiple sites instead of one.
These research interviews helped to empathise with the users and identify areas that a new platform could improve upon the volunteer experience for both parties.
Based on the user interviews, I developed two personas to represent the core users: Volunteers and Recruiters. These were used as references throughout the design process, to stay focused on the human side of the design.
The Noah and Sonya Personas helped me stay focused on the user goals and pain points.
See PDF of User Personas
Design a dedicated platform for volunteer work that provides immediate access to information about volunteer positions and candidates, allowing both recruiters and volunteers to find each other and connect.
Understanding the paths for both user groups upfront helped avoid reactionary design during the project. I designed the IA to help with this.
FreeHand's Volunteer and Recruiter experiences are designed to mirror each other- this would help developers implement the designs more quickly, and make for a consistent experience for users that utilize both ends of the app.
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FreeHand App Information Architecture
See PDF of Information Architecture Chart
After the initial user research, I sketched and designed wireframes for multiple task flows within the app. Once these were complete, I was able to rapidly prototype a version of the app to test with users. Testing was vital for determining if I was building the right product.
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Using the wireframes, I was able to rapidly prototype a version of the app to test with users. Testing was vital for determining if I was building the right product.
After the initial user research, I sketched and designed wireframes for multiple task flows within the app. Once these were complete, I was able to rapidly prototype a version of the app to test with users. Testing was vital for determining if I was building the right product.
•The navigation is intuitive and accessible.
•Volunteers and Recruiters are provided with the right information in the job tiles to confidently make decisions.
•Volunteers can use that app to identify if they are qualified for a position.
•Instant Messaging is the ideal method of communication between both parties.
Searching for jobs involves looking through a lot of text and information, and it would be easy for this to get overwhelming. To reduce cognitive load for users, I kept the colours minimal and the typography neutral.
The intent is that bright colours are only used for interactions or to direct users to key information.
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Pain Points
Volunteers don’t know where to find positions within their particular department.
Recruiters struggle to search for applicants that meet their needs.
Solution: Filterable Searches with Recommendations
FreeHand allows users to narrow down their searches using keywords, as well as a variety of industry-specific filters. This aids volunteers in finding jobs within their department that match their career goals. Recruiters can use the filtered search feature to find crew members that closely match their specific requirements, such as experience, location, department and availability.
The app also recommends positions based on the user's preferences, average reviews, and search keywords. By allowing users to filter their searches, and providing curated selections, FreeHand makes it significantly easier than ever for users to find what they’re looking for.
Pain Point
Due to a lack of available information, volunteers struggle to identify which organizations are likely to offer high-quality volunteer experiences.
Solution: Detailed Job Listings & Reviews
The app quickly provides volunteers with the core info- such as dates, locations, and requirements, broken across tabs to minimize scrolling.
The reviews section allows users to anonymously share their experiences with an organization. These reviews aid future applicants in making informed decisions about which organizations they want to apply to. They also help the FreeHand App recommend jobs from reputable organizations.
Pain Point
Recruiters feel they spend too much working through applications and qualifying applicants.
Solution: Job Management System
Using the Job Management feature, Recruiters can view all of their applications in a single place, rather than managing them through various email and IM threads. The app provides them with the tools they need to organize their applications, and reach out to those who pique their interest.
On the volunteer end, users can quickly check the status of positions they've applied to, or pull up jobs they saved for later.
Pain Point
Recruiters are often required to find volunteers for a project quickly, and don’t have the time to set up a job post and await applications.
Solution: Searchable Volunteer Profiles
FreeHand allows recruiters to lookup volunteers and view their profiles, without ever making a job post. The Volunteer Profile is designed to help volunteers appeal to recruiters by providing them with important information about the volunteer. The information includes education, experience, availability, portfolio examples, and driver's license level.
Once a recruiter has identified a candidate that meets their needs, they can get in touch via an instant message on the app.
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