Odyssey
Career education system for high school student
Public high school students in America face challenges due to inconsistent and limited access to career education. This unstable and little career guidance has been contributing to high dropout rates during the initial college year. Our initiative addresses these issues by redefining career planning to mitigate these high dropout rates.
Positioned as an inclusive and unbiased industry guide, we transcend the boundaries of a typical app or website. Our impact becomes more profound as we actively reshape the educational landscape itself. Acknowledging the non-linear nature of career paths, we create a nurturing space where students can explore, take risks, learn from setbacks, and engage in informed discussions with their support networks. Our ultimate aim is to influence life choices and overall well-being positively.
Time frame
SMarch 2023 - June 2023 (20 weeks)
Tools
Figma, Miro, Figma jam, Illustration, After effect, Premier ,
Photoshop, Typeform
Project role
Team Project (7 people)
/ Visual production lead
Deliverables
Interaction Design: High-fi interactive prototype
UX/UI design: User Research, System design
Brand design: Logo, Package, Production
outcome
Research
Background Context
Our team's diverse paths to User Experience Design education grant us a deep understanding of the challenges faced by young individuals, especially within resource-constrained public high schools.
The US education system grapples with high college dropout rates (30% within the first year), often tied to how intrinsic motivations impact satisfaction and belonging in chosen majors. These insights led us to ponder: How can we ignite more inherent motivation in high schoolers during complex career exploration?
Our initiative is a comprehensive resource hub, offering inclusive, unbiased guidance to empower young individuals exploring careers. We encourage them to explore options, take calculated risks, and make informed decisions, particularly within the public high school system. We strive to empower individuals with the tools they need to discern suitable career paths, discover their passions, and identify the skills that align with their interests.
Problem Overview
Problem
Young adults struggle to explore various career options, leading to potential mismatches between their talents and chosen paths.
Many students enter college without understanding their interests and career goals, leading to academic disengagement and potential career misalignment.
Without tailored resources, individuals may struggle to identify career paths that align with their natural inclinations and strengths.
Proposed Solutions
Provide seamless access to our comprehensive resources to assist students in making informed career decisions from an early stage.
Provide students with valuable insights into various career fields, emerging trends, and essential skills.
Offer in-depth personality assessments and skill evaluations to help students identify career paths that align with their natural inclinations and talents.
Research Method
Child support is a complex system, and none of our team members have a better understanding of it than non-custodial parents themselves.
Secondary research
We conduct in-depth secondary research to understand current problems and areas of opportunity.
Interview
Conducted interviews with 8 students, 4 experts, and 4 parents who have high school children.
Survey
Gathered the survey answers from 35 high school students and 125 parents with high school children.
Field Research
Participated in college open studio day and conducted card sortring with high school students.
Research Highlight
Survey Highlights
Interview Highlights
Field Research Highlights
For the field research method, we use card sorting to get a closer look at high school students' preferences and feelings about their current career education. The card sorting exercise, involving a diverse group of over 50 participants, was designed to gain valuable insights into information organization.
5 out of 12
choose personality tests as their last priority
50%
of student choose social media as the last two priorities
7 out of 12
choose job satisfaction for their first priority
High school students are lacking an efficient way to explore possible career paths without real world consequences which leads to college and high drop out rates especially amongst first year students.
Research Findings
Research Insights
Distinctive Positioning: No direct competitor addresses the specific issue at hand, providing an opportunity for our project to fill a unique niche in the market.
Daunting Career Exploration: Finding the right career path is an overwhelming task for many young adults, underscoring the significance of offering a user-friendly and intuitive solution.
Emphasis on Intrinsic Factors: In deciding a career path, intrinsic motivations are more influential than extrinsic factors, suggesting the need to prioritize aspects related to personal fulfillment and passion.
Demand for Enhanced Resources: The majority of young adults expressed a desire for access to more resources to explore potential career paths, highlighting the value of providing comprehensive and diverse information to empower users in their career journeys.
Development
Developing Solutions
With a deeper grasp of the distinct needs and concerns surrounding career education, I've come to recognize the vital role of delineating our target audience and shaping the user persona using these invaluable insights. This strategic approach serves as my guiding compass for design decisions as we steer Odyssey through its developmental journey.
Primary
High schoolers who are looking to explore available post high school options
Secondary
College Aged students who are still exploring options and are looking for clarity
Tertiary
Parents who are invested in finding a well matched path for their high school students
Persona & User journey
1.
June, a ninth-grader passionate about design and social media content creation on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, ponders motion media as a potential career path but remains uncertain.
6.
She receivs a welcoming kit tailored to her design interests amplifies her excitement for the first day of class.
8.
Between Weeks 4 to 16, she discovers her inclination towards graphic design and begins creating projects aligned with the syllabus in this field.
9.
As her experience grows in graphic design, she actively engages with professionals in the field. Approaching the final days of career exploration program, she focuses on compiling her portfolio showcasing her accomplished work.
10.
She receives a takeaway kit featuring a certificate, resume building resources, and access to workshops. The platform also provides guidance on 'next possible steps,' suggesting potential companies and estimated salary ranges.
7.
During the initial two exploratory weeks focused on the design bucket, she delves into various careers within this field.
2.
She receives a letter from her school on behalf of Odyssey, containing a personal code for her to input on the website.
4.
The test results align with design-related careers.
She initiates a conversation with her parents.
5.
She schedules a meeting with the school advisor, and together they conclude that the design bucket aligns well with her strengths and interests.
3.
During the exploration stage, she engages in personality and career tests. Through the results, she gains a clearer understanding of her personality type and potential career fits.
Structuring Framework
Design Concept Approaches
A holistic system that provides our users with a well rounded and thorough journey that offers them multiple pathways and a wealth of information on their potential options
System Flow for wireframe
As a team, we engaged in rapid sketching sessions to brainstorm ideas and selected several sketches. These multiple rounds of rapid sketching on paper unveiled the challenge of simplifying essential tasks while ensuring a personalized experience for various types of target users.
Rapid Sketching for wireframe
As a team, we engaged in rapid sketching sessions to brainstorm ideas and selected several sketches. These multiple rounds of rapid sketching on paper unveiled the challenge of simplifying essential tasks while ensuring a personalized experience for various types of target users.
Final Design
Final Digital Experience
Through an intensive 6-month endeavor of data collection, meticulous analysis, and user testing sessions, we reached the pinnacle of our efforts – the ultimate deliverable.
Clarifying Brand Visual identity
Lesson Learned
Approach to the Problem in a Bigger View: Acknowledging that some problems are multifaceted and embedded within larger systems is crucial. Understanding the systemic nature of issues allows for more comprehensive and effective solutions.
Empathy Towards Users, Especially in Sensitive Topics: Recognizing the importance of empathy, especially when dealing with sensitive subjects like child support, is a key takeaway. Designing solutions that genuinely consider and cater to the needs of the users is fundamental.
Incorporating User Testing for Continuous Improvement: Emphasizing the value of ongoing user testing demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. Recognizing that there's always room for growth and refinement in solutions is a critical aspect of successful design and problem-solving.