Following the economic slowdown caused by COVID-19, many recent college graduates faced significant challenges in securing employment. In addition to a highly competitive job market, many young adults lacked the resources and guidance needed to successfully transition into the corporate workforce. FutureMap seeks to bridge this gap by connecting students and recent graduates with industry professionals for mentorship, helping them build meaningful networks and fostering relationships that can lead to valuable career opportunities.
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The goal of this project was to identify an organization in need of user-centered innovation, understand their key challenges, and determine how I could contribute as a planner, conceptualizer, designer, form maker, storyteller, and inventor. I was tasked with turning their current situation into a preferred future by creating a meaningful, adaptable, and sustainable solution.
The organization
FutureMap is an organization dedicated to helping first-generation college graduates successfully navigate the early stages of their careers. Their network of volunteers—accomplished professionals across various industries—is committed to leveling the playing field. FutureMap focuses on professional development, mentorship, and providing tailored support to address the unique challenges faced by first-generation and low-income students.
My role
Throughout this project, I wore many hats: UX designer, researcher, branding strategist, and interaction designer. As this was a semester-long academic project, my primary focus was to act as a strategist and showcase a comprehensive design process. My goal was to develop a thoughtful, research-driven solution, culminating in a functional prototype that demonstrated clear, end-to-end problem solving.
Defining the problem
Recent college graduates who are struggling to secure entry-level jobs, face intense competition and a lack of professional network connections. Many feel unprepared to transition into the workforce, especially during the economic slowdown following COVID-19.
The impact
Building a strong network, especially through mentor-mentee relationships, can open doors to internships, jobs, and long-term career growth. For students and recent graduates, mentorship offers crucial guidance, industry insights, and support in navigating a competitive job market. For mentors, it provides an opportunity to give back, share their expertise, and help shape the next generation of professionals.
Our approach
I used a user-centered design approach, starting with research to understand the challenges first-generation college graduates face. Through user interviews, competitor analysis, and journey mapping, I identified key pain points and opportunities. I then created personas and user flows to shape an intuitive experience, refining the platform through iterative prototyping and usability testing to foster meaningful mentor-mentee connections.
Fruits - meet labor.
The high-fidelity prototype is the culmination of my research, ideation, and design development. It provides users with five core features designed to support and simplify the networking process:
The Handbook – A quick, practical guide covering interview preparation and professional etiquette.
Events – A curated list of upcoming networking events tailored to the user’s goals and career interests.
Discover Page – A personalized feed of professionals to connect with, based on shared interests, location, or educational background.
Job Finder – Recommended job listings aligned with the user's career goals and profile.
Chat Function – A messaging tool to initiate and maintain meaningful professional connections.
The user research
A preliminary survey revealed that college students often avoid networking because they don’t know who to approach and feel intimidated by professionals. These insights led to the creation of two user personas to guide the design.
To gain KPI insights, I conducted a focus group where participants completed key tasks within the prototype. Both students and professionals achieved an 85% success rate, indicating a solid starting point. However, further research is needed to refine features and improve engagement across both user groups.
The obstacles.
With a limited project timeline, this case study served as the foundation for a much larger, long-term solution. While I was able to explore core user needs and build a strong initial concept, there’s still significant room for growth. Given more time, I would conduct deeper user and competitive research, especially to validate long-term engagement strategies. I would also expand the design to include a more robust experience for mentors—an essential part of the platform—ensuring that both sides of the connection are equally supported and empowered.
The takeaway
Time Constraints Shaped Scope
This project was developed under a tight timeline, so I focused on building a strong foundation rather than a fully comprehensive solution.
Validated the Core Need
Initial research confirmed a clear user need for better networking tools and mentorship access among first-generation college students.
Mentorship Is a Two-Sided Experience
While I focused primarily on the student experience, it's clear that the mentor side of the platform deserves equal attention to ensure meaningful engagement.
Next steps
Deepen User & Competitive Research
Conduct follow-up interviews and usability testing to validate design decisions and explore long-term engagement patterns.
Build Out the Mentor Experience
Design and prototype mentor-facing features, including onboarding, dashboard views, and communication tools tailored to their needs.
Expand the Design System
Flesh out additional screens and states for both mobile and desktop platforms, ensuring accessibility and responsiveness across devices.
Test & Iterate
Run usability tests on the full prototype and use insights to refine both the UX and visual design for launch readiness.
