Designing an Elevated Search Experience

Based on our mission "Increase visibility of TMP’s broad range of services and resources so that mentoring programs can independently navigate and find useful and relevant information faster without taxing TMP's small team."

We designed a 3-part solution enhances resource and service discovery from TMP for mentoring knowledge seekers. The three parts are an intuitive search bar, a categorized results page, and an enhanced resource page.

01 Intuitive Search Bar

A search bar with a list of suggested queries allows users to preview a broad range of content to reassure users of the diversity of options.

02 Query Auto-Completion and Resource Recommendation

A drop-down menu with instant query completion and relevant resources alleviates users' burden of coming up with specific keywords and minimizes their steps to find resources.

03 Categorized Results Page

A simple filtering system designed to help various audiences quickly find and skim through different types of resources.

04 Enhanced Resource Page

Incorporating action elements such as “copy link to share” button to encourage users to quickly share content, along with suggestions for related content to encourage further resource exploration.

Investigation of Users’ Experiences with Current Navigation

We started by conducting usability testing of TMP’s website with mentors and mentoring program staff to evaluate how well it supports users in finding relevant resources. We found that TMP’s current website posed barriers for visitors to quickly understand TMP’s offerings and find the specific resources they need.

3:16 min

Average time to complete task to find a specific resource on site

Why is this important? Users often leave in 10-20 seconds (via Jakob Neilsen)

System Usability Score
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Why is this important? This is below average usability (via Nielsen Norman group)

We also interviewed users about their common methods of finding resources and discovered that they primarily rely on Google for searching. Based on users’ feedback on TMP’s website and their typical use of Google for searching, we mapped out a search journey map showing their goals, challenges, and emotions. This helped us develop a comprehensive understanding of users’ common mental models and practices when searching for resources.

(A 5-stage user search journey identified through our literature review and interviews)

Exploration of Valued Support in Search Assistance

We then designed and tested various prototypes to understand the needs of users when it comes to search assistance. To uncover the deeper needs, we decided to focus on testing the fundamental needs of assistance rather than the specific digital channels. Therefore, we started broad exploration with the following solutions.

Chatbot

Explored question:
Do users value fast access to answers?

Account Profile

Explored question: Do users value recommendations to help explore relevant content?

Customization

Explored question: Do users value customized resources to assist the application?

Mentoring Hub

Explored question: Do users value learning from peers?

Peer Reviews

Explored question: Do users value knowing what’s credible and what resource has been “tried and true” from another program?

Co-work Session

Explored question: Do users value in-person networking events and learning from other programs?

Through testing these 5 prototypes, we learned that the users most valued:

Fast Access

“I wish to not have to spend too much time finding answers.”

Interviews with mentoring programs and mentors revealed that users highly valued quick and efficient access to information. Many participants expressed frustration with the time-consuming process of filtering through multiple pages of resources and content.

Resource Recommendations

“It makes me wonder what I am missing in my searching…”
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When interviewing participants on their search experience, we discovered that some users feel that they may be missing out on valuable content. Therefore, they appreciated having suggestions that guided them to additional relevant resources.

Tried and True

Users also valued seeing which resources were helpful to other programs as it provided a level of validation and assurance.

Identification of Preferred Channel for Searching Assistance

With a deepened understanding of the type of search assistance users value, we further investigated key moments in the users’ search journey where assistance is helpful.

Our interviews revealed that users mainly seek resources in two channels:
1. Contacting human staff support via email
2. Using website search

Therefore, we developed two prototypes that incorporate the identified values and align with users’ preferred resource channels.

Email Assistant

An AI-assisted automatic response based on users’ queries

Website Smart Search Bar

An enhanced search bar drop-down that provides recommendations based on users’ typed keywords

By conducting concept testing with these two prototypes, we learned that the users valued following functionalities in these two search channels.

Helpful starting points

Users often face challenges in coming up with specific keywords to articulate their interests or needs. Therefore, having support that helps them find the right words to start the search process is highly valued.

Suggestions for Queries

Based on our participant interviews, we found that users prefer suggestions based on their queries as they can save time by eliminating the need to navigate through a list of resources to find the most relevant one.

Direct links to resources

Users also value direct access to resources, as it minimizes the steps needed to find the specific resources they are interested in.

We also learned that placing an AI assistant with automated replies was unexpected and unwanted by most participants. This led us to eliminate the AI email assistant and focus on a site of intervention that is more natural to support client independence, namely the website.

Based on all insights that we have gathered, we designed our final solution.

DESIGN

TMP Resource Navigator
Elevating Search for Learning and Exploration

01

Intuitive Search Bar

A search bar with a list of suggested queries allows users to preview a broad range of content to reassure users of the diversity of options.

02

Query Auto-Completion and Resource Recommendation

A drop-down menu with instant query completion and relevant resources alleviates users' burden of coming up with specific keywords and minimizes their steps to find resources.

03

Categorized Results Page

A simple filtering system designed to help various audiences quickly find and skim through different types of resources.

04

Enhanced Resource Page

Incorporating action elements such as “copy link to share” button to encourage users to quickly share content, along with suggestions for related content to encourage further resource exploration.

DESIGN

TMP Resource NavigatorElevating Search for Learning and Exploration

01

Intuitive Search Bar

A search bar with a list of suggested queries allows users to preview a broad range of content to reassure users of the diversity of options.

02

Query Auto-Completion and Resource Recommendation

A drop-down menu with instant query completion and relevant resources alleviates users' burden of coming up with specific keywords and minimizes their steps to find resources.

03

Categorized Results Page

A simple filtering system designed to help various audiences quickly find and skim through different types of resources.

04

Enhanced Resource Page

Incorporating action elements such as “copy link to share” button to encourage users to quickly share content, along with suggestions for related content to encourage further resource exploration.

TMP Resource Navigator
Elevating Search for Learning and Exploration