Details
Role: UX Designer
Team: Another UX Designer and UX Researcher
Tools: Figma
An HR platform to connect freelancers and project owners.
Marketplace Redesign
Project Overview
This project aimed to enhance the usability of Mrkt365's freelance marketplace by addressing key design issues. The focus was on conducting a thorough competitive analysis and redesigning crucial elements such as freelancer profile cards, filter systems, and overall navigation. Using Figma, we reimagined the user experience to improve the platform's functionality and streamline user interactions.
The Problem
Concept
Inefficient Filter System
The existing marketplace presents an overwhelming number of filter options, which lack intuitive organization. Users struggle to find relevant freelancers due to the cluttered and confusing filtering system, hindering their search efficiency.
The current design of freelancer profile cards is disorganized and fails to highlight freelancers’ expertise or showcase their past projects effectively. This clutter impacts the user’s ability to make informed hiring decisions.
Cluttered Profile Card Design
Unstructured Navigation
There is no structured process for project or business owners to filter freelancers based on specific fields or skill sets. Instead, all freelancers, regardless of their specialization, are displayed on a single screen, making it difficult for users to locate the right talent for their needs.
The current design
The new design
Identifying Key Pain Points
In this phase of the design sprint, we focused on identifying users' pain points at each step by creating a detailed user journey map. The MRKT365 marketplace serves two primary user groups: project owners and freelancers. Each group has distinct goals. Understanding these goals helped us highlight key friction points in the hiring and profile presentation processes.
Project owners: aim to quickly and efficiently find and hire the right freelancer for their projects.
Freelancers: seek to showcase their skills and projects effectively, and stand out from their competitors.
However, due to time constraints and the focus of our design sprint, we decided to map the journey primarily for project owners, as they are the main user group for this process. Any solutions derived from this analysis would ultimately benefit freelancers as well, improving their experience in the long run.
User Journey Map
Brainstorm
UI Improvements for Enhanced User Experience
After mapping the user journey and identifying pain points, we proposed a series of UI elements to address the issues in the hiring process:
Pre-selection Step: Introduce a step before displaying the list of freelancers, allowing users to either search based on project requirements or select the relevant hiring category. This helps streamline the freelancer search and ensures more accurate results.
Profile Card Redesign: Simplify and enhance profile cards by:
Adding a thumbnail showcasing recent projects for a quick preview.
Removing less critical information, such as the freelancer's country.
Adding explanatory copy next to the video icon to clarify its purpose.
Including a bio section for a personal introduction.
Displaying badges for verified profiles.
Showing freelancers' online status to indicate availability.
Category Navbar: Incorporate a top navbar for easy access to different freelancer categories, allowing users to switch fields directly from the same screen.
Breadcrumbs for Navigation: Add a breadcrumb trail to show users their current location in the interface and provide a quick option to navigate back.
Relocating the Filter Menu: Move the filter menu to the left side for better accessibility and a more intuitive layout.
Final Product
A Refined Marketplace Experience
