intro

The freelance, or gig, economy has grown substantially in the U.S. over the past few years. For many, gone are the days of trekking to a corporate office to be tied to a desk for eight to ten hours per day. The workforce appears to be changing and freelancers are becoming a major contributor to the U.S. economy.

Recognizing this, I set out to create a tool to help freelancers reach their potential and gain control of their time.

Introducing ON/OFF, an on-demand platform that enables freelancers to quickly and efficiently get hired with a simple swipe - all without relying on recruiters.

Research Process

I began my research plan by conducting a series of interviews with creative freelancers to collect information on my targets’ backgrounds, their job search experiences, and what tools they use.

My research showed strikingly low overall satisfaction with recruiters and the pay rates being offered.

Additionally, “getting to work quickly” was among the highest ranked features.

Next, I developed a journey map to help synthesize the data gathered from the user interviews to find patterns and start forming some key insights.

Throughout the journey one of the main findings was that recruiters would put candidates forward for a role, and then never follow up. Additionally, job hunters found the process overwhelming and time consuming.

These discoveries revealed opportunities to create a more seamless experience with fewer pain points.

Problem Statement

Freelance creatives are routinely hassled by dealing with recruiters who lead them on, with a never-ending waiting game that causes frustration with every experience they have.

Design Process

In the design phase I begin addressing the problems discovered in the research phase by ideating through sketches & wireframes. The core idea is to keep the experience as seamless as possible with minimal steps.

Below is a list of core features added to the product. The main feature of the product is an interface where talent can be hired within a few hours with a simple swipe. With geo-location, the app lets users find available gigs within their area; and with a mutual feedback system, freelancers and hiring managers are able to track performance.