Elevating Indeed’s virtual video interview
Visual Systems: enhancing the Indeed Virtual Video Interview Room app beyond its MVP feature set. Our clear objective—elevate the visual and interactive quality of the Interview Room to create a premium, memorable, modern experience that aligned with Indeed’s brand identity while remaining functional and user-friendly.
Challenge
The MVP of the Video Interview Room had proven successful but relied heavily on competitive dark theme patterns. While functional, this approach posed a significant challenge: Indeed’s design system wasn’t optimized for dark themes. This led to inconsistencies and potential accessibility issues that could undermine the user experience. With Indeed’s ambitious goal of hosting 8 million interviews in 2021 at a 75% quality rate, it was crucial that our design not only met but exceeded the expectations of job seekers and employers.
Objective
Our primary goal was to leverage existing design system patterns and develop new ones that would ensure a seamless and branded experience across the Interview Room. We recognized a significant opportunity to uplift the visual quality and make the experience more distinctive by defining a look and feel that was unmistakably Indeed—premium, modern, and aligned with our design principles.
Approach
User experience consistency
A light theme allowed us to seamlessly integrate existing design system components and maintain a consistent user experience across Indeed’s product ecosystem.
Brand differentiation
The bright, white surfaces provided a canvas that not only adhered to accessibility standards but also allowed for unique design elements, such as illustrations and distinctive button styles, enhancing brand recognition.
Enhanced usability
A light theme offered a more engaging, professional, and less distracting environment, which aligned with Indeed’s values of ease of use and focus on the important aspects of the job search process.
Execution
We tested our hypothesis by developing a prototype of the Interview Room in light mode and conducted a thorough user research test. Participants were guided through an end-to-end interview experience, exploring key features and usability aspects. We also conducted a qualitative comparison between light and dark modes, gathering insights on user preference, brand alignment, and overall satisfaction.
The analysis showed:
Improved completion rates: The light theme not only maintained the interview completion rate but improved it by 3.1%.
Higher satisfaction scores: User feedback indicated higher overall satisfaction across key metrics, including professionalism, ease of use, and engagement.
Distinctive brand presence: Users consistently identified the light mode as feeling more like Indeed, reinforcing our brand identity in a competitive space.
Results & impact
Following the successful testing phase, we shipped the light theme to 100% of Indeed’s customers. The results were significant—interview task completion rates increased, and user satisfaction saw a marked improvement. This uplift in performance validated our strategic direction and solidified the Indeed Virtual Video Interview Room App as a critical component of the Employer Hiring Platform.
Contribution
Vision: Define and champion the overall design vision, ensuring that the project aligns with Indeed’s brand identity and strategic goals while pushing for innovation and excellence.
Strategy: Identify key opportunities to elevate the user experience, particularly by transitioning from a dark theme to a light mode, and aligning design components with broader business objectives, such as improving interview completion rates and user satisfaction.
Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, user research, and development, to ensure a seamless integration of design elements with the technical and functional requirements of the app.
Customer-centric: Prioritize the needs and preferences of users by leading extensive research and testing to validate design decisions, ensuring the final product is not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and effective.
Scope sensitive: Address and overcome design challenges, such as adapting the Aurora design system for a new theme, while maintaining accessibility and consistency across the app’s user experience.
Leadership: Lead and inspire the design team, providing clear guidance, feedback, and support to ensure that all team members contribute to a cohesive and high-quality end product.
Management: Focus on delivering measurable business impact by ensuring that the design improvements lead to tangible benefits, such as increased interview completion rates and higher satisfaction scores.