A new applicant tracking system
A lighter, faster, and more unified employer experience
The problem
The recruitment process is hindered by a scarcity of qualified candidates, a lack of responsiveness, and a slow, cumbersome workflow, leading to frustration for both applicants and recruiters. Additionally, collaboration challenges and an overreliance on disconnected tools further exacerbate these inefficiencies, impacting the organization's ability to attract and secure top talent.
My role
I worked as a Senior UX Designer, leading the design for the Active Candidate Tracking team. My team was composed of a Product Manager, Engineering Manager, and several UXDs and SWEs. I worked alongside the Indeed Sourcing team, and several other collaborators, including Collaboration, Messaging, and Inteview teams, to create a unified experience.
A successful candidate tracking experience will:
Support workflows for reviewing resumes as they come in, or in batches
Surface information to help employers evaluate candidates quickly
Make it clear what the employer’s next steps are
Design and evaluation
In the very beginning, we started validating our ideas in a RITE Study (Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation). We tested 2 different framework concepts that provided solutions to our core user problems: Two-Pane and Kanban. I led the UX for the Two-pane concept, working side by side with another UX Designer to collaborate and iterate.
Final prototype concept: Kanban
- Strong cross-status applicant view
- Easy to rearrange applicants
- No need for a dedicated ‘Upcoming interviews’ panel
- Focused applicant view
Final prototype concept: Two-pane
- Quick sequential review of candidates (no back and forth)
- No need to duplicate content/actions on list and details
- Resume and contact buttons are always front and center
RITE study results
Our RITE study confirmed that the Two-Pane concept, also known as Candidate Inbox, was the clear favorite due to its intuitive, user-friendly design and alignment with users' mental models.
Launching a new applicant tracking product to beta users
Once we validated the frameworks, we unified the sourcing and active teams to create an entirely new product for a group of beta employers to use for hiring.
Unifying sourcing and active candidates
We took our Candidate Inbox concept a step further. We merged Active Candidates with the Sourcing to create a unified experience across the 2 spaces, and worked on giving the UX a new, refreshed look.
Inbox framework
The redesigned ATS centralizes candidate management, messaging, filtering, note-taking, and actions in one unified space. Key innovations include an activity library that prioritizes urgent tasks and upcoming interviews, streamlined filters, and automated status updates through critical stages like Screening, Interviewing, and Shortlist
Candidate activity
I led the creation of a new candidate activity library. The most up-to-date activity on your candidate pool will always be reflected within the 'Activity' column. I built a logic around this system to always display the highest priority information to ensure upcoming interviews and urgent matters are surfaced first.
Left filter panel
Filters now live in simplified and consolidated panel on to the left of the screen.
Automated statuses
Candidates will automatically move through the status workflow, including New, Reviewing, Screening, Interviewing, Shortlist, and Undecided.
Timeline
The timeline is now front and center in the framework, so you can leave notes and keep track of historical candidate data.
Interviews
Upcoming interviews are surfaced above the timeline, and past interview information is captured in the timeline below where employers can review past interview data.
Sync candidates
Sync candidates between Indeed and your ATS. The most up-to-date information will be reflected in both ATS experiences.
