Research

My research plan involved understanding challenges, brainstorming questions and creating an interview outline as well as a survey. I posted the survey to the Homeless Reddit forum and conducted user interviews through local shelters.

Key Takeaways:

Facing Challenges
Users face significant barriers to accessing job training and certification programs, including a lack of awareness, technical challenges, and overwhelming options.

Practical Outcomes
They prioritize tools that are simple, mobile-friendly, and offer practical outcomes like job-specific skills and certifications, along with support mechanisms such as mentorship and community connections.

Motivating Tools
Despite their challenges, users are highly motivated to improve their circumstances and seek tools that build confidence, independence, and lead to stable employment.

Affinity Mapping

After sifting through the user interviews, I created an affinity map and organized the insights into five areas:

1. Challenges
2. Desired features
3. Usability impact
4. Behavioral drivers
5. Broader observations.

Competitive Analysis

I looked at top competitors like edX, Coursera and Goodwill's Certificate Training Programs but they all had one thing in common -- they weren't geared towards people experiencing homelessness.

OurCalling is an app with resources for homeless, but there weren't any jobs listed under the job boards.

User Personas

Through interviews and survey analysis, I identified key challenges users face with existing platforms. By understanding their frustrations and needs, I was able to develop personas that highlight their goals, pain points, and motivations, ensuring the app is designed to truly support them.

Let me introduce you to Maria.

Maria, a transitionally homeless individual who has recently lost stability but is determined to rebuild her life quickly. She has basic technological proficiency, access to a smartphone, and a strong drive to gain skills that lead to employment. Maria's needs focus on practical tools, efficient access to resources, and features that function within her limited connectivity and mobility constraints.

Now let's meet James.

James, a chronically homeless individual who faces long-term barriers to employment, including physical limitations and low digital literacy. He relies on community support systems like shelters and nonprofits, seeking job opportunities that align with his current abilities. James's primary needs include clear guidance through simple, accessible tools and emotional encouragement to rebuild confidence and regain a sense of purpose.

Ideation

The user personas and research led me to a big question:

How might we create a simple platform that bridges the gap between education, resources, and employment to empower individuals experiencing homelessness to gain skills, certifications, and self-sufficiency?

The answer lies in communicating value by focusing on addressing access challenges, offering cost-free certifications linked to jobs, and providing emotional support and mentorship through nonjudgmental interfaces.

By developing creative and prioritization matrixes, I narrowed down three main areas of focus: low-tech accessibility, support systems, and free courses.

User Flows & MVPs

I began to narrow down the user flows to showcase the learning process for the user, specifically how they select and begin a course for a certificate and work through the first lesson.