Revolutionising AEC Talent Acquisition: How the Novatr User Profile Increased Hiring Efficiency

Revolutionising AEC Talent Acquisition: How the Novatr User Profile Increased Hiring Efficiency

Revolutionising AEC Talent Acquisition: How the Novatr User Profile Increased Hiring Efficiency

Image Credit : All the stunning illustrations are brought to life by the exceptional visual design team at Novatr.

Image Credit : All the stunning illustrations are brought to life by the exceptional visual design team at Novatr.

👁️ Project Summary

I spearheaded this project as the sole designer, driving its vision and execution. I wore many hats, brainstorming feature ideas, optimizing the user experience, crafting visual designs, and collaborating with stakeholders.


This holistic approach resulted in positive business outcome i.e. significant increase in user engagement, improved hiring efficiency for employers and measurable growth in platform conversions.


Throughout the process, I had the support of my product and tech counterparts, who provided valuable feedback and reviews.

  • Project Timelines: May‘24 (2 weeks)

  • Project Category: Placements and Hiring

  • Stakeholders: Product Manger, Product Designer, Developers, Placement Operations Team, Hiring Partners.

What did I do?

Research (Heuristic analysis, identifying constraints)

Research (Heuristic analysis)

Competitive analysis

User interviews

Identifying key metrics

UI / UX

High fidelity prototype

Developer Hand-off

About the company

Novatr is to architects and engineers what launchpads are to rockets. As India's leading AEC-focused ed-tech platform providing online training, it helps fast-tracking careers with industry-certified courses and collaborative learning, propelling professionals towards success in the ever-evolving AEC industry with tech-first and future-proof skills.

Team & relevant stakeholders

I was the sole designer who owned this project and worked on it from start to finish. But I did collaborate with a lot of other people to bring our ideas to life.

1 PM, 1 PD, 5 engineers + more

Product Manager

Roshan Rathore

Product Designer

Advitiya Sodha

Tech Lead

Apoorv Singh

Product Analyst

Nikita Kundu

Placement Ops

Akash Nogia

Product Analyst

Nikita Kundu

Placement Ops

Akash Nogia

Product Designer

Advitiya Sodha

Product Analyst

Nikita Kundu

Placement Ops

Akash Nogia

Product Manager

Roshan Rathore

Product Designer

Advitiya Sodha

Product Analyst

Nikita Kundu

Placement Ops

Akash Nogia

Objective

Revolutionise Novatr user profile to become the go-to platform for connecting top AEC talent with leading employers. This will be achieved by creating a dynamic, data-driven experience that increases candidate visibility, streamlines the hiring process for employers, and ultimately drives a increase in platform conversions.

Overview of the project

Imagine a LinkedIn profile on steroids, but specifically designed for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.


Novatr's User Profile goes beyond a static resume. It's a dynamic platform that showcases a learner's skills and achievements, much like a designer's portfolio. Think of it as a one-stop shop for AEC professionals:

  • Build & showcase: The platform becomes a repository of their project work, certifications, and accomplishments, acting as a visual testament to their expertise. (Think of Behance for creative professionals, but tailored for the AEC industry).

  • Effortless Candidate Sourcing: Help Hiring Partners skip the resume shuffle and empower them to make informed hiring decisions faster by showcasing a candidate's proven abilities – all readily accessible on their profile. (Similar to GitHub Jobs where code contributions showcase a developer's skills).

Business Context

Novatr offers learners a public profile for direct sharing with potential employers. This profile serves as the sole source of information for recruiters during the placement process. As placements are a key focus and expected outcome from the course, creating a strong public profile ecosystem directly impacts company growth.

Why did we need a User Profile v2?

Novatr already offered user profiles for learners, but they were underutilised due to a lack of optimization and insufficient motivation for learners to maintain them.


  • For learners, their profiles failed to effectively showcase their unique skillsets and achievements in a way that grabs the attention of employers.

  • For employers, they grappled with a cumbersome hiring process due to a lack of comprehensive insights into candidate qualifications, leading to wasted time and potentially missed out on top talent.


🚨 This resulted in missed opportunities for both learners and potential employers.

Drag to see before & after.

User Profile v1 & the problems associated with it

During platform migration (Oneistox to Novatr), profile design wasn't fully transitioned. As a result the page is visible to some user cohorts but not all.


The current profile format suffers from information overload. This excess of often irrelevant details makes it difficult for hiring managers to quickly grasp a candidate's core skills and qualifications, hindering efficient decision-making.


The current process relies on HP manually opening numerous individual URLs via email, which is a cumbersome and inefficient way to review candidate details. There's no way to confirm if HP even receives or reviews the profiles sent via email.

😢 Learner Pain Points

Learner don't have a direct touchpoint to access their ‘User Profile’, no idea how does their public profile look, as a result lack motivation to update it.

The current user flow just let’s the user ‘edit’ their profile with no touchpoint to see what potential public profile would look like. This results in incomplete profiles and a lack of motivation for learners to update them.

There is no nudge to inform them about what % of profile is completed.

They don’t have visibility regarding as to who (peers, IGs, mentors, hiring partners etc) is viewing their profile.

Learners are unable to customize their profiles with personal touches to reflect their unique identities and experiences.

😢 Hiring Partner Pain Points

Hiring partners don’t find relevant information about the candidate on first glance i.e. software tools, skills and workflows a candidate is proficient in.

Difficult for hiring partners to asses a learner's soft skills before an interview.

What different and unique data points does Novatr provide a recruiter from other hiring portals? What is our platforms's USP to make decision making easy for HPs?

Candidate branding: How does a Novatr learner or user profile can be differentiated from other competitors?

😢 System Pain Points

There are technical issues with the current user profiles i.e. slow load time of Portfolio and CV, Zoom doesn’t work after scrolling down on the page, no option to preview CV / Portfolio on a full screen or a new tab.

Generic learner profiles fail to showcase individual skills and lack social proof, making it difficult for hiring managers to trust a learner's credibility.

Placements Ops shares multiple User Profile URLs to hiring partners over email. HPs have to manually open every profile and check the candidate details.

There are major data discrepancies.

Data - related issues

🎓 Learner Side

We don’t have data / insights regarding:


• average profile completion % by a user

• what % profiles are at what stage of completion in a cohort

• no data around how many times a particular profile is viewed

• what is the average scroll %.

💼 Hiring Partner Side

We don’t have data / insights regarding:


• how many profiles did HPs open

• what is the average time spent on each profile

• which profiles did HPs view or not view.

User Interviews : Diving Deeper

💼 To understand hiring partner priorities when evaluating learner profiles, I conducted user interviews and also gathered their feedback on current Novatr profiles.

Software skills (technical tool knowledge) given primary weightage while selecting a candidate.

HR views Portfolio first. It gives them a comprehensive view of the learner’s skills and capabilities.

HPs look for not only Novatr projects but consider academic portfolios also really helpful while making a decision.

Soft skills are assessed through how the candidates present themselves in the interviews.

Candidate hard and soft skills provided by Novatr doesn’t influence decision making by the recruiters.

🎓 To gain insights into learner self-presentation, I reviewed learner CVs and portfolios, analyzing information they emphasize to attract potential employers. This approach helped bridge the gap in learner interviews due to time constraints.

Software skills (technical tool knowledge) given primary weightage while selecting a candidate.

HR views Portfolio first. It gives them a comprehensive view of the learner’s skills and capabilities.

HPs look for not only Novatr projects but consider academic portfolios also really helpful while making a decision.

Soft skills are assessed through how the candidates present themselves in the interviews.

Candidate hard and soft skills provided by Novatr doesn’t influence decision making by the recruiters.

Software skills (technical tool knowledge) given primary weightage while selecting a candidate.

HR views Portfolio first. It gives them a comprehensive view of the learner’s skills and capabilities.

HPs look for not only Novatr projects but consider academic portfolios also really helpful while making a decision.

Soft skills are assessed through how the candidates present themselves in the interviews.

Candidate hard and soft skills provided by Novatr doesn’t influence decision making by the recruiters.

Learning from others

Feature

Inspiration & Examples

  • Comprehensive Profiles

Description : Allow users to create detailed profiles highlighting skills, experience, education, and project involvement.

  • LinkedIn: Provides a structured profile format for professionals to showcase their experience and skills. (General)

  • Architizer: An online architecture platform with detailed user profiles showcasing past projects and awards. (AEC Specific)

  • Dynamic Project / Portfolio Showcase

Description : Enable users to upload high-quality visuals, 3D models, and insightful project descriptions.

  • Behance: A creative portfolio platform allowing users to showcase their work visually with rich descriptions. (General)

  • Issuu: A digital publishing platform allowing for interactive presentations with multimedia content. (General)

  • BIMForum: An online platform for Building Information Modeling (BIM) professionals featuring project galleries with 3D model uploads. (AEC Specific)

  • Search & Networking Tools

Description : Facilitate connections with other professionals through search functions, messaging, and group formation.

  • LinkedIn: Helps individuals and companies search by industry, job title, company, location, skills, education etc. It even shows the 'people you may know. (General)

  • Upwork: Connects freelancers with clients for project-based work, offering search and messaging functionalities. (General)

  • Engineering.com: An online platform for engineers with a member directory and networking functionalities. (AEC Specific)

Competitive benchmarking

Solving for multiple stakeholders

New and simplified user flows

New and simplified user flows

New and simplified user flows

Creating different user journeys for all the relevant stakeholders helped me identify any edge or left-out cases, prioritise information and flag any additional logic requirements from the product manager for the project. It also helped me take all the cases in a step-by-step manner.

Creating different user journeys for all the relevant stakeholders helped me identify any edge or left-out cases, prioritise information and flag any additional logic requirements from the product manager for the project. It also helped me take all the cases in a step-by-step manner.

Creating different user journeys for all the relevant stakeholders helped me identify any edge or left-out cases, prioritise information and flag any additional logic requirements from the product manager for the project. It also helped me take all the cases in a step-by-step manner.

📌 User Scenario 1:

Logged-in User Edits Their Profile

📌 User Scenario 2:

Not Logged-in Hiring Partner Views a Profile

📌 User Scenario 3:

Logged-in User Interacts with Another Learner's Profile

Problem Statements (to address all pain points, we pre-empted the following issues)

Expected outcomes

Points of Consideration

Increased Engagement from Hiring Partners: Enhanced profile clarity and aesthetics will boost visibility, leading to more profile views, inquiries, and job placements.

  • Mismatched Expectations: Hiring partners may have expectations for certain data points or presentation styles that the platform does not meet.

  • Integration with Existing Systems: Hiring partners might find it challenging to integrate the Novatr platform with their existing HR systems.

  • Feedback Loop: Lack of a robust feedback mechanism to understand hiring partner needs and preferences can lead to less effective updates.

Data-Driven Insights: Analytics will track user behavior and profile interactions, providing actionable insights to optimize the match-making

  • Incomplete Profiles: Users may not complete their profiles, leading to insufficient data for hiring partners.

  • Outdated Information: Profiles may become outdated if users do not regularly update them.

  • Inaccurate Data: There could be inaccuracies in the data provided by users, affecting the reliability of the matchmaking process.

Enhanced Profile Customisation: The redesigned profiles will automatically highlight learners' strongest attributes and experiences, ensuring that the initial impression on hiring partners is impactful and aligned with industry demands.

  • Complexity in Profile Setup: A complex or time-consuming profile setup could deter users from completing their profiles.

  • Overwhelming Customization Options: Too many options and features could overwhelm or confuse users, leading to suboptimal usage of customization features.

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Novatr User Profile

Novatr's user profiles are more than just a digital resume. They're a powerful platform for showcasing individual qualifications, building a strong online presence, and attracting the attention of top employers. By revolutionizing the user experience, we've created a dynamic, data-driven platform that connects AEC talent with leading companies, streamlining the hiring process and driving platform conversions.

Profile Badges

By adding a touch of gamification with dynamic badges, we aimed to create a more immersive and rewarding learning environment. These badges not only celebrate achievements but also serve as powerful incentives for learners to stay involved and connect with potential employers, ultimately leading to increased engagement and retention on the platform.

Other Components

To enhance the user experience, we developed a range of mobile and web components such as link attachment functionality, informative empty states, certification displays, success messages, visually infographic skills showcase and many more!

Retrospect and Next Steps: Elevating User Profiles for Hiring Success

In the next phase of the project, we're focusing on creating a user profile experience that truly helps candidates stand out, build their individual brand value and get hired. Here's what we'll be working on:

⚡️ Elevating First Impressions

  • Video Introductions: We'll be introducing video introductions, allowing candidates to showcase their personalities and communication skills beyond static text profiles.

⚡️ Leveraging AI for Efficiency

  • AI-powered Biographies: We're looking to implement AI that generates draft bios based on a candidate's profile information. This will save them time and ensure their bio highlights their most relevant skills.

⚡️ Building Trust and Credibility

  • Credential Verification System: We're planning to integrate a system to verify the authenticity of certifications and achievements listed on profiles. This will build trust with employers and strengthen each candidate's credibility.

⚡️ Streamlining the Hiring Process

  • Interest and Shortlist Flags: We'll be introducing features allowing hiring managers to easily mark profiles as "interested" or "shortlisted" for targeted follow-up. This will simplify the hiring process and help them prioritize top candidates.

⚡️ Encouraging Profile Engagement

  • Tailored Profiles: We'll be encouraging candidates to tailor their profiles for specific job descriptions, highlighting relevant skills and experiences. (Placement Ops led)


  • Ranking System: Depending on our platform's goals, we may implement a ranking system based on profile completeness, skill endorsements, or project engagement. This could incentivize users to maintain and update their profiles.

⚡️ Advanced Search and Filtering

  • Job Role/JD Matching: We'll be implementing a robust search and filter system that allows Hiring Partners (HPs) to filter profiles based on specific job roles and job description (JD) criteria. This will save both candidates and HPs valuable time and effort by ensuring only the most relevant profiles are displayed.

⚡️ Enhancing Visual Engagement

  • A Dynamic Skills Showcase (Inspired by GitHub): We're exploring a unique visual representation of a learner's skill development, inspired by platforms like GitHub. This dynamic display will automatically update based on a learner's progress within a cohort, showcasing their skill acquisition in a fun and engaging way. This approach aims to move beyond static data by providing a more organic and visually compelling representation of a learner's journey.

Closing thoughts

While individual features within the Novatr LMS ecosystem like performance tracking, skill maps, and leaderboards offer unique insights, their true value lies in contributing to a single, holistic learner profile. I was entrusted with the incredible opportunity to lead this project from initial concept to execution, an accomplishment made possible by the unwavering support and valuable guidance of my product lead and design manager.

Thank you for reading! 🤍

Thank you for reading! 🤍

Thank you for reading! 🤍

  • Let's work together!

Reach out to me via :

Friday, January 10, 2025

©

advitiya / portfolio'2024

6:34:52 AM

  • Let's work together!

Reach out to me via :

Friday, January 10, 2025

©

advitiya / portfolio'2024

6:34:52 AM

  • Let's work together!

Reach out to me via :

Friday, January 10, 2025

©

advitiya / portfolio'2024

6:34:52 AM