PeopleGrove
Problem
PeopleGrove’s platform is hard to navigate making it difficult for students to find resources and opportunities.
Solution
Revamped the dashboard and search for better clarity and mobile access, resulting in a streamlined UI with quick links and personalized recommendations.
Type
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Capstone at Western Governors University
My Role
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UX research
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UI design
Timeline
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May 2025 (4-weeks)
Tools
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Figma
Project Overview
The Why
This UX redesign case study was part of my capstone for the BS in User Experience Design at Western Governors University. I collaborated with PeopleGrove, an experiential learning and mentorship platform, to identify and solve usability issues impacting student engagement, particularly on mobile.
PeopleGrove's Mission
PeopleGrove is a platform used by Western Governors University (WGU) to connect students with real-world experiential learning opportunities. It aims to help students gain experience, connect with mentors, and build career networks.
Business Goals:
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Increase student engagement with the platform
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Improve usability to align with WGU’s student-first mission
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Ensure accessibility compliance
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Collect positive feedback from students on the ease of use
Understanding The Users
Research Summary
To understand the goals of this project, I sought insights into the challenges users faced with the People Grove platform. This was my first time following specific guidelines, which added complexity to the task.
I conducted research with WGU students and analyzed interface elements. A brief survey revealed pain points in navigation, onboarding, and content relevance, with many users feeling overwhelmed or lost, especially on mobile devices. *See below
User Goals:
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Quickly find experiential learning opportunities that match their interests
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Track their progress and applications
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Navigate the platform easily on mobile and desktop
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Feel confident that the platform is inclusive and accessible
Competitive Landscape
To strengthen my understanding of how PeopleGrove compares within its space, I conducted a brief competitive analysis of similar platforms that support student career development and experiential learning. I focused on Handshake, LinkedIn, and Symplicit, these three platforms that serve comparable functions but differ in usability, features, and user experience.
Strengths: Intuitive search filters, clean interface, personalized job recommendations, and mobile-friendly design.
Weaknesses: Occasionally, cluttered job postings, with some features hidden behind institutional access.
Strengths: Professional networking capabilities, real-time messaging, company insights, and broad opportunity exposure.
Weaknesses: Can feel overwhelming for first-time users; not specifically designed for student internships or mentorships.
Strengths: Focused on higher education career services, with structured workflows and employer verification.
Weaknesses: Outdated UI, less intuitive navigation, and limited mobile optimization.
User Persona
Drawing from survey feedback, peer conversations, and firsthand experience using the platform, I developed Jordan, a 26-year-old UX Design student studying at WGU. In building Jordan’s profile, I paid close attention to recurring themes in the feedback. These pain points surfaced consistently across user input and informed Jordan’s daily struggles when using the platform to search for opportunities.
User Journey Map
After developing Jordan’s persona, I shifted my focus to visualizing their full experience on the PeopleGrove platform. To do this, I created a User Journey Map to break down each phase of their interaction, from initial awareness to post-application reflection. This tool helped me clearly identify where Jordan encountered friction and where the platform could offer more value.
These insights echoed the frustrations captured in the user persona and were supported by direct student feedback. The journey map brought these issues into sharper focus and allowed me to think strategically about solutions, such as implementing advanced search filters, adding a progress-tracking system, and improving the platform’s mobile usability.
Re-design Process
Platform Evaluation: What’s Working & What’s Not
To begin the design phase, I analyzed PeopleGrove’s existing platform to identify which interface patterns could be preserved or improved. My approach was to build on top of what already exists, keeping users grounded in a familiar structure while eliminating pain points through clearer navigation, stronger visual hierarchy, and accessibility-focused enhancements.
Before sketching ideas or building wireframes, I conducted a visual and functional review of the existing platform. Here’s what I discovered:
What’s Working Well ✅
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The platform effectively uses Western Governors University’s visual identity, lending credibility and cohesion.
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Job listings include valuable information such as compensation, deadlines, and mentor involvement, helping students make informed decisions.
What's Not ❌
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The dashboard is dense with information and lacks visual hierarchy, which overwhelms users.
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Users cannot sort opportunities by skill level, relevance, or delivery format (remote, hybrid, or in-person).
Brainstorm & Ideation
After identifying areas of friction, I sketched out early concepts focusing on simplifying the user journey, especially for mobile.
Key goals included:
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Clarifying the dashboard with prominent calls-to-action
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Streamlining search with filters and preview cards
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Creating clear paths for onboarding and mentorship discovery
Artifacts: Initial sketches, hand-drawn wireframes
Wireframing & Prototyping
I translated those ideas into low-fidelity wireframes, focusing on layout, flow, and usability, then built interactive mobile prototypes to simulate the user flow.
I prioritized:
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Entry/login screens
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Job discovery with improved filters
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Saved jobs and user profile with résumé upload
This stage allowed for quick iteration and usability-focused exploration.
Usability Feedback
I shared the prototype with peers for initial user feedback. User testing led to a few key usability insights *See below
I really like the onboarding screen, it’s very user-friendly.
You might consider keeping the bottom nav bar fixed, it feels like you get stuck on the job listings page without a way back.
Users might feel stuck without access to the home button.
Out of curiosity what will the shaded rectangle be on the student login screen?
Heuristic Evaluation
I evaluated the existing mobile experience using four of Nielsen’s usability heuristics and compared it to the redesigned interfaces.
Dashboard
Before
Overcrowded layout with dense text and little visual separation.
After
Clean, card-based design with clear hierarchy and breathing room.
Internships
Before
Labels and links required guessing and hunting for information.
After
Intuitive section titles and icons make navigation quick and effortless.
Final Design
Informed by feedback, I created high-fidelity wireframes that visually align with the existing PeopleGrove branding while improving usability.
Key updates included:
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Sticky navigation bar for accessibility
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Simplified job listing layout
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Refined filters and user profile section
*See Figure: High-Fidelity Screens
Hi-Fidelity Screens
Below are a couple screens of the final design:
Hi-Fidelity Prototype
Check out the final prototype created in Figma.
Tip: If you get stuck, press the mouse to give you pointers on where to click in the prototype. The elements will be highlighted in blue.
*Click the prototype and press F for full screen
Outcomes & Reflections
Project Outcome
The redesign successfully addressed the most pressing usability challenges on the PeopleGrove platform, specifically around job discovery, onboarding clarity, and mobile navigation. Based on feedback from user testing and the PeopleGrove team, the final designs improved:
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Clarity and navigation through a cleaner dashboard and consistent icons
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User confidence and trust via improved onboarding and visual cues (e.g., school name on login)
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Search usability with new filters, card-based listings, and better system feedback
Test users noted that the flow felt more intuitive and less overwhelming, and changes like a fixed bottom navigation bar made it easier to move through the platform.
Stakeholder Feedback
I submitted the full redesign package, including a persona, journey map, wireframes, and prototype, for review by the PeopleGrove team. Their feedback reflected both praise and practical insight:
"A well-structured and thoughtful submission that effectively translates user insights into clean, usable design. The attention to detail and focus on building trust through simple UI choices stands out."
— PeopleGrove Design Team
They also highlighted the effectiveness of the empathy map, journey map clarity, and the addition of the school name on the login screen, which was seen as a smart trust-building decision.
Reflection
While I’ve completed several UX case studies before, covering everything from user research and persona creation to wireframing and UI design, this was my first real-world design project with a live platform and real users. Collaborating with the PeopleGrove team and working within actual constraints gave me a deeper understanding of how UX plays out beyond the classroom.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was prioritizing user feedback. With diverse suggestions coming in, I had to learn how to interpret the underlying problems and make smart decisions that focused on usability and clarity, even if it meant putting aesthetics second. This experience helped me grow more confident in trusting UX principles and user-centered design practices, especially when determining what changes would have the most meaningful impact.
Next Steps
While I have already developed a clickable prototype, my next priority would be to expand and refine features related to mentorship connections and capstone project discovery—two areas users consistently emphasized in surveys. This would involve designing personalized mentor recommendations, clearer capstone listings, and improved tracking tools for user progress in both areas.
I’d also explore:
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Enhancing accessibility with features like screen reader labels
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Adding visual cues for mentorship status and project application stages
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Strengthening onboarding with tailored prompts for students based on their goals
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