Balancing supply and demand to maximise hours worked and user engagement
Objective
Controlled searches, low transparency and job ambiguity were some of the pain points Zenjob users had been facing on a daily basis. Zenjob wanted to increase user satisfaction, and create more predictable fulfilment rates for employers.
The objective of this research project aimed to find a solution that balanced supply and demand, promoting increased liquidity and maximising hours worked. A critical component of this research was to understand user behaviours, motivations, and pain points in-depth. A strongly supported hypothesis was to implement an open marketplace, similar to successful examples such as Airbnb, eBay, and Uber. These marketplaces have proven to attract a broader audience, enhance engagement, and capitalise on new marketing opportunities.
The goal was to validate the strategic decision of implementing an open marketplace and assess its ability to facilitate informed decision- making for users seeking new job opportunities.
Methodology
Zenitech implemented a series of design sprints, bringing together a cross-functional team from Zenjob, to brainstorm ideas to improve the user experience.
Design sprints are a quick and cost-effective approach to gaining high quality data from users, before launching new products or services. A typical design sprint will include a cross-functional team of designers, developers, product managers and stakeholders. This team will collaborate to generate ideas, create a prototype and test a solution to a specific problem or challenge. The five-day process will help answer any unknowns, avoid endless stakeholder debates and evolve new opportunities.
Key insights
After analysing the results of our research into user behaviour, it became evident that users wanted a personalised yet open job market. Our research showed that by shifting from an algorithmic job matching approach to a marketplace strategy, Zenjob saw a significant increase in satisfaction ratings to 9.3/10, an increase of 18%.
The proposed changes to the job search UX was described by users as a “Cohesive solution. You can’t make a mistake or waste time with jobs you’re not interested in.” Filters, sorting and job categories were also appreciated, as they made the app easier to use, giving users more control over refining the search results to their circumstances. As one user said: “My availability changes daily, this is a great tool.”
The map view was also valued by users as it allowed them to set a desired radius for results and let them understand possible commutes and decipher location more accurately. “Understanding distance to a job, in parallel with job details, is very important.”
The research engagement was designed to determine how to set the best supply and demand equilibrium in a job marketplace; with the goal of maximising hours worked and satisfaction for both employees and employers. The results speak for themselves. Users prefer a personalised, yet open job market that offers more control for job searches. The UX hierarchy was well-structured, and location was identified as a critical factor for job satisfaction. Available filters exceeded expectations, but defining available working days and hours was considered an important feature too.
Zenitech’s recommendations to implement an open marketplace strategy and cohesive design features has created a personalised job feed experience that promotes both engagement
and interaction.
User research is critical to help reduce risk, improve user experience and increase innovation by understanding the needs, goals and behaviour of your users. The Zenitech Digital Practice is experienced to help deliver data-driven product recommendations and we would love to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.
