Designing a Smarter Search for Skill-Building Programs
Organization/ UC Irvine Continued Education
Role/ UI/UX Designer
Tools/ Figma, Miro, Trello
Timeline/ 4 weeks
Intro
AltEd is a concept mobile app designed to help users browse curated programs (such as bootcamps), read authentic reviews, and build a shortlist to aid their decision-making.
This began as a three-week team project. Seeing its potential, I continued beyond the sprint by redesigning the entire UI independently for another week.
Context
My colleagues and I discovered a shared challenge in finding the ideal program before earning a specific certificate in a field of study (UI/UX Design!).
This common pain point became our motivation for this project.
Finding the Right Bootcamp Felt Like a Guessing Game
Bootcamps are a fast way to gain industry knowledge or earn certifications to help land a job. They offer focused, practical learning without the time commitment of a traditional degree.
But finding the right one shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. People rely on word of mouth, open too many tabs, and still walk away unsure.
Well, that was our experience. But we knew not everyone’s journey looked the same. You can’t solve a problem if you only see it from your own corner.
So we started with user research. We set clear goals and crafted interviews to hear from people who hadn’t found the right fit yet.
User Research
We talked to 10 people we knew outside of our own program.
Each interview was kept brief, 10~15 mins.
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Right away, location came up as one of the biggest deciding factors when exploring programs.
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6/10 relied on Google to search and enroll on their own. The rest leaned on word of mouth, asking friends or people they trusted.
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The hardest part was comparing programs.
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It took the most time and left them feeling anxious, stressed, and unsure if they were making the right choice.
We used these insights to shape a user persona, someone who could be a potential AltEd user trying to make a confident, informed decision.
However, this still didn’t answer many of the problems we uncovered from user insights.
For example, what if some well-known career platforms already had solutions that neither we nor the interviewees were aware of? 😬
We needed a strategy. Without one, the user journey is just an assumption at the end of the day.
So I ran a competitive analysis as part of our market research to figure out where AltEd could offer real value.
Market Research: Direct & Indirect Competitors
By looking at what competitors did well and where they fell short, one big takeaway was clear and simple: AltEd could really stand out as a mobile app focused on easy program discovery and honest reviews.
Clear listings and real user feedback were the keys. 🔑🔑
Making Program Search Simple and Personal
I focused on a few core features to make program search easier and more personal.
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My Preferences page where users can enter their needs and get matched with programs
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Filters for price, category, and location
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A list of alumni reviews to bring in honest, lived experiences
These ideas were brought into the rough, early-stage user flow to start shaping the experience.
Making Sense of The Term "Alternative"
One of the challenges was breaking down the broad idea of “alternative programs” into something more useful and meaningful.
So I went back to the research and used it to turn rough sketches into testable prototypes.
We narrowed in on four categories that kept coming up: bootcamps, trade schools, online classes, and military programs. These were the ones people looked at most when trying to build real-world skills.
To help users get started, we also added an Edxplain page to onboarding, a quick walkthrough of what AltEd is and how it works.
What Testing Showed Us
We asked five users in their 20s~30s to try signing out, bookmarking, and finding Adult School info on the mid-fi prototype.
They completed the tasks easily but shared similar feedback.
They wanted a simple tutorial instead of Edxplain, a share option, and bookmarks that save progress. Quick surveys worked better than long ones. UI-wise, they asked for clearer icons, better star ratings, a visible bottom menu, less yellow, and a fresher logo.
This gave us clear steps to make AltEd better.
I realized sometimes user feedback can line up perfectly with what the business needs without challenging the objectives. That made the process pretty smooth, in my opinion.
Things Didn't Feel Right So I Kept Going
After we updated the design based on user feedback, I took the mid-fi prototype and decided to keep exploring on my own.
To be honest, I didn’t feel fully satisfied with how it looked. It felt a bit disjointed, which made sense since we all came from different backgrounds. Some teammates were still new to design. I had a bit more experience with color and layout, so I wanted to see if I could make it stronger.
I revisited the style tile and started fresh. I pulled inspiration from platforms like LinkedIn and Dick’s Sporting Goods, where discovery feels natural, search is easy, and reviews help guide decisions. That gave me a clearer direction to build from.
Rethinking The First Touchpoint
After revisiting the initial flow, I realized users needed a clear starting point after logging in. Something that didn’t feel overwhelming but gave them direction right away.
That’s how the Categories page became the default Home.
It gave users a way to browse by interest instead of landing on an empty screen. From there, they could dive into specific categories, explore programs, and check out the details.
The idea to add a save function came directly from our interviews. People wanted a way to keep track of programs they were interested in and revisit them later. So I added a Saved page where everything gets collected in one place. To keep the experience smooth, users can also unsave a program right from its detail screen.
It’s a simple flow idea, designed to reduce friction and help users move forward with confidence.
A Small Page That Deserved More Thought
Previously, the Account page felt like an afterthought. So I gave it more purpose. Now, users can check their profile info, review recent activity, and adjust their preferences. I also added an App Settings section to give people more control over how things work.
I have not measured success metrics here yet, but this was a design decision made with care.
Design Challenges and Lessons
Users came from all walks of life, each looking for something different in alternative education. For some, a “great” program meant strong job placement and practical skills. For others, it was all about quality instruction. This made figuring out what users really needed feel like trying to hit a moving target.
I learned that sometimes less can be more confusing. We tried cutting down clicks to simplify the app, but that hid important navigation words and caused users to get lost. Working under a tight deadline made finding the right balance even harder. Iterating and testing quickly became the key to improving the experience.
I took an extra week to polish the design based on what I learned with the team. And along the way, I realized how I work best. Brainstorming solo helps me dive deep and focus. But when it comes to refining ideas, teamwork brings fresh eyes and better solutions.
That mix of solo and team work keeps things moving forward at a start up environment!