Project Timeline
Tools
Impact
My role
January 2025 - June 2025
User Researcher
UX Designer
Project Manager
Figjam
Figma
Google Forms
Tableau
Guided redesigns of the
candidate intake flow for
the NITW website.
Neurodiversity in the Workplace (NITW) reduces hiring barriers for neurodivergent job seekers by matching them with inclusive employers. However, its passive job-matching process includes long waiting periods without transparent status updates. This creates frustration, missed opportunities, and a sense of isolation — especially for those who value clear communication and support during their job search.
How might we improve the waiting experience for NITW applicants to ensure they feel supported and connected?
PROBLEM SPACE
SOLUTION
Skip to Final Designs
A one-stop job portal where neurodivergent job seekers can sign up to be matched, view their status updates, and access professional development resources while they wait to hear back.
RESEARCH
Before wearing our design hats, we wanted to dig deep into the problems that NITW users were facing with the service. So, we surveyed 21 people and interviewed 7 users. We recruited self-identifying neurodivergent job seekers through the NITW database, and asked them about their recent job search experience. We intentionally kept our research criteria open to anyone who identified as neurodivergent and had job seeking experience to ensure that we captured a diversity of user experiences. Survey respondents who indicated they were interested in a follow-up were invited for an interview.
What features do neurodivergent users look for in a job matching service?
How satisfied are neurodivergent job seekers currently with their job searching process?
How are neurodivergent users currently finding job opportunities, and what tools or platforms do they use, if any?
How do current job platforms meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals? Where do they fail to meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals?
Key Research Questions
Early Thematic Analysis of Interview Data
2
RESEARCH INSIGHTS
Not knowing when I'll hear back
8
Not knowing what to do while I wait to hear back
3
Not knowing what my application status is
10
Survey Question:
What is the most frustrating aspect of the job search process for you?
Professional Development
Participants also emphasized that they don't know what to do while they wait to hear back. Users expressed a clear desire for more professional resources in the meantime.
"Applying feels like sending my [information] into a black hole."
Market Analysis
Job-matching platforms that worked well for neurodivergent job seekers had clear transparency, immediate job browsing, and direct application steps. Our market analysis included Mentra, Equity at Work, and Neurodiversity Career Connector. Through this process, we discovered that the candidate experience for NITW is more opaque with limited visibility into the job pipeline, unclear matching timelines, and no dashboard tracking status. While NITW only utilized an initial intake form to match candidates, other competitive tools had a more established system where job seekers could view updates. There is a missed opportunity to keep candidates in the loop instead of letting everything happen behind the scenes.
90% of survey respondents said they wanted more updates about where they are in the job matching process.
Community
Users expressed feeling isolated in their job search process.
Average satisfaction rating: 2.3
Satisfaction Ratings for the Job Search Platform
1 = not satisfied, 5 = highly satisfied
Data Visualizations I made using Tableau
We designed a dynamic portal where users can create a profile, track their progress in the matching process, and connect with a like-minded community —fostering transparence, confidence, and belonging.
DESIGN SOLUTION — A JOB PORTAL
Final Prototype
1
Early Sketches and Wireframes
Final Designs and Prototypes
Our initial design ideas focused on an interface where users could log in and see where they're at in their job-matching journey. Currently, NITW has an intake form where a user signs up to be matched to a job in their field of interest. Our initial idea of a "login" feature was an elevated version of what the NITW website currently does. Eventually, that initial idea evolved into a more established portal that would 1) allow them to check in on their status 2) help people access resources while they wait AND 3) create a sense of community throughout the process.
Customization of the Portal Dashboard User fills out a brief profile indicating where they are at with their job search journey— to help customize the portal dashboard resources based on the job seeker's interests. Through the portal, the user can access information about their job matching, view resources, and connect with a community on Discord.
In our early sketches and wireframes, we worked on ideating on the key functions of the portal - offering transparency around job matches, providing resources throughout the waiting period, and allowing job seekers to meet community.
Our goal was to design a job portal that creates more permanence in the user experience - addressing frustrations around "information going into a black hole."
Transparent Status Updates
Job seekers can see clearly which companies they've been matched with and where they are in the process. They can also view past matches.
Transparency, Growth, and Community
Our design of the NITW job portal emphasizes transparency. Job seekers are also empowered to utilize professional resources that NITW provides while they wait for updates. Furthermore, they can connect with other neurodivergent job seekers and feel a sense of belonging.
Previous NITW Sign Up Form with No Follow Up
Our design iteration with a sign up process that leads to a job portal
PROJECT OUTCOMES AND IMPACT
Transparent Communication Builds Trust for Neurodivergent Job Seekers
Aligns with their Career Development Goals
Community Aspect Reduces Isolation
Reduces Uncertainty in the Job Search
Customizable Resources Allow for Flexibility
WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY + REFLECTIONS
When I began working on this project, it was initially challenging to streamline who our research participants would be. Since neurodiversity is so broad, we were worried that our research might generalize people's experiences with the job search. However, after discussing our concerns with Sean (our client at NITW), we realized that it would in fact be beneficial to keep the research criteria open because NITW seeks to target users from all experiences of neurodivergence. This would ensure that we were capturing diverse user experiences.
However, within the timeline that we had for the project, we were only able to interview 7 individuals and survey 21 people. This limited our understanding of the problem space. Getting a head start on recruitment and research early on would have helped us define our problem space and solution quicker.
My team and I presented our final designs to our client at the NITW. They utilized our research findings and design recommendations to implement a website redesign that incorporated a logging-in feature where users could view job matching updates and resources that NITW provides.