Fair Chance: An accessible job search tool for the formerly incarcerated
Project duration: October - January 2022
Christina Laing—UX Research, UX Designer, Visual Designer, Interaction Designer, Motion Designer
Responsibilities included conducting user research, wireframing and prototyping.
According to AmericanProgress.org, More than 70 million Americans—nearly 1 in 3 adults—have a criminal record. As a result, more than 30 million U.S. children—nearly 1 in 2 kids—have at least one parent with a criminal record.
Having a criminal record can severely limit one’s access to employment, as nearly 9 in 10 employers use background checks to screen for applicants’ criminal records. Even when there isn’t a conviction, an arrest record decreases a person’s employment prospects more than other common employment-related stigmas. Moreover, the collateral damage of having a criminal record reaches across generations, as the socioeconomic barriers associated with a parent’s criminal record can harm a child’s long-term well-being and outcomes.
Having a criminal record can severely limit one’s access to employment, as nearly 9 in 10 employers use background checks to screen for applicants’ criminal records. Even when there isn’t a conviction, an arrest record decreases a person’s employment prospects more than other common employment-related stigmas. Moreover, the collateral damage of having a criminal record reaches across generations, as the socioeconomic barriers associated with a parent’s criminal record can harm a child’s long-term well-being and outcomes.
The Problem
Job search sites are geared towards the traditional applicant, with no tools or filtering specific to the needs of the formerly incarcerated, leading to frustrated and unmotivated job seekers who are trying to get back on their feet financially.
The Approach
Website Usability Tests
Competitive & Comparative Analysis
User Interviews
Affinity Mapping
Feature Prioritization
Site Usability Testing
The Goal
Users need an accessible, responsive website, as well as a dedicated mobile app, that allows for specialized search filtering, a secure internal messaging system, and a robust user profile system that better matches the user with appropriate job listings.
User Research: Summary
I conducted user interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. The primary user group identified through research was formerly convicted job seekers whose criminal history disqualifies them from specific jobs.
The majority of research pointed to a distinct lack of transparency in the types of offenses that disqualify one from specific positions, leading to frustration and hopelessness in the process.
Audit
I conducted an audit of applications similar to Fair Chance. The most successful job search tools I found are those that are specifically geared towards the formerly incarcerated population.
Digital wireframing
I began with paper wireframes, then refined the paper wireframes into digital wireframes while referring back to my user research for guidance.
Mockups
After identifying themes in my usability study findings using an Affinity Diagram, I synthesized the themes into insights that I could then solve and iterate on in my mockups.
FINDING: Users needed visual reassurance that the job listing matched their needs
FINDING: Users would rather have a top nav bar than a fly out side navigation
High-fidelity prototype
After refining the mockups, I built interactions between the screens using Adobe XD so that it closely resembled a working desktop and mobile website.
What I learned
With a tool such as this, it's not only about the job seeker facing interface, but also about what is required of the employer posting positions and their continued transparency and honesty towards the seeker.
