I have omitted and obfuscated confidential information in this case study. All information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of the client.

THE CHALLENGE

Explore new ways in dealing with unemployed and long term unemployment issues.

Why?

Research demonstrates that people that are unemployed for a certain amount of time will fall into long term unemployed and a percentage of those will cease to work again (Values demographic dependent). In many cases research demonstrates that this issue can extend to the unemployed individuals family environment, where unemployment may become a generational issue due to the children’s environment and state of the house hold.

Apart from the obvious financial issues that unemployment presents various other issues occur which can be equally as damaging to an individual or family these include but are not limited to;

Mental health issues
General health issues
Social discrimination
Social issues
Education issues
Digital divide

DISCOVERY

After a lengthy discovery process with the client and audience the following objectives were identified;

Encouraging good behaviour & practices until it becomes a habit.
Provide a platform which is easy to use and makes it simple for users to correctly go about their tasks.
Make common tasks associated with the process of finding employment easy, efficient and effective across the three groups;
- Job Seekers
- Consultants
- Employers
Encourage employers to create new employment opportunities.
Encourage employers to fill existing vacancies with Job Ready applicants with a focus on rewarding the employer for helping the long term unemployed gain employment.

Additionally the following was proposed to gain further short and long term data to provide a better picture of the issue and help inform improvements to the program over time;

Data mining to produce positive outcomes into the future;

Increase understanding of specific user behaviour and habits which will help improve existing and future employment programs.
Will expose problem areas which can be fixed to improve existing programs by removing impediments and addressing issues.
Design better employment programs and systems in the future which address specific user needs and market conditions.
Gain greater audience reach by understanding the existing user base better and targeting others with similar characteristics.
Design programs to help specific people from specific areas and backgrounds.

THE DESIGN

The design of the program was scaled down due to budget constraints. This resulted in a phased approach which focused on the design of a jobfit app.

The Jobfit app works a lot like a fitness tracking app, tracking and encouraging job search activity, self development and goal setting. The design utilizes psychology and gamification to motivate, help them learn and provide useful feedback during difficult times.

The features:

   • Rewards for activity
   • Goal setting tools
   • Relevant information to help you find employment
   • Quizzes to support learning key skills
   • Daily motivational quotes
   • News updates
   • And more

The Jobfit app is supported by a full web-based admin and reporting system and can also connect to the Department of Employment's Job Search website to make tracking is easy.

THE RESULT

The Jobfit app helps you stay motivated while you’re looking for work, so you have a better chance of finding a job. You’ll get positive feedback to help you stay motivated. You can also track your progress and earn bonus points for staying Jobfit and smashing your goals.