CareerUp is a mobile app service which aims to help students explore their career path align with their interests and life goals.
CareerUp is a mobile app service which aims to help students explore their career path align with their interests and life goals.
XR
UX
UI
CareerUp is an industry project developed in collaboration with SPARCK, a digital innovation consultancy. The challenge was to design a human-centered mobile app that supports students in navigating their career journey with clarity, confidence, and motivation. The app incorporates AI recommendations, real-world job simulations, and personalized feedback to guide students in exploring roles and aligning them with their values and education.
CareerUp is an industry project developed in collaboration with SPARCK, a digital innovation consultancy. The challenge was to design a human-centered mobile app that supports students in navigating their career journey with clarity, confidence, and motivation.
As the Product Designer, I led UX research, facilitated client meetings, organized brainstorming sessions, and managed project documentation. This time-sensitive challenge emphasized agile methodology, requiring rapid iteration, continuous user feedback, and seamless cross-functional collaboration.
As the Product Designer, I led UX research, facilitated client meetings, organized brainstorming sessions, and managed project documentation. This time-sensitive challenge emphasized agile methodology, requiring rapid iteration, continuous user feedback, and seamless cross-functional collaboration.
Empower students to explore and clarify their career paths by aligning their interests, values, and abilities with potential career options.
Empower students to explore and clarify their career paths by aligning their interests, values, and abilities with potential career options.
Most career tools are too generic and text-heavy, leaving students overwhelmed. CareerUp offers a visual, interactive journey that helps them reflect on themselves and discover clearer, more confident career directions.
Most career tools are too generic and text-heavy, leaving students overwhelmed. CareerUp offers a visual, interactive journey that helps them reflect on themselves and discover clearer, more confident career directions.
Assumption
Assumption
1
If career tools are more visual, interactive, and personalized, students will feel more engaged and confident.
If career tools are more visual, interactive, and personalized, students will feel more engaged and confident.
2
If students access real stories and job expectations, they’ll make more informed, realistic choices.
If students access real stories and job expectations, they’ll make more informed, realistic choices.
3
If students reflect on their skills and interests, they’ll discover career paths that fit them.
If students reflect on their skills and interests, they’ll discover career paths that fit them.
4
If schools and companies offer real-world experiences, students will feel more prepared and motivated.
If schools and companies offer real-world experiences, students will feel more prepared and motivated.
Product Goal
Product Goal
1
Build a step-by-step interface linking skills and interests to careers.
Build a step-by-step interface linking skills and interests to careers.
2
Visualize real career paths for user inspiration.
Visualize real career paths for user inspiration.
3
Present balanced pros and cons of roles for realistic expectations.
Present balanced pros and cons of roles for realistic expectations.
4
Integrate real-world experiences like mentorship and job shadowing through partnerships.
Integrate real-world experiences like mentorship and job shadowing through partnerships.
Motivation
Motivation
Helping students discover careers that align with their strengths and values.
Helping students discover careers that align with their strengths and values.
Pain Points
Pain Points
Existing career tools are too general and role-focused
Students feel overwhelmed and uncertain about where to start
Lack of self-awareness makes it difficult to make informed decisions
Existing career tools are too general and role-focused
Students feel overwhelmed and uncertain about where to start
Lack of self-awareness makes it difficult to make informed decisions
” I don’t know where to start with career planning. ”
” I don’t know where to start with career planning. ”
” I’ve taken personality tests, but they don’t help me make real choices. ”
” I’ve taken personality tests, but they don’t help me make real choices. ”
“ There’s too much info out there. It’s overwhelming. ”
“ There’s too much info out there. It’s overwhelming. ”
“I keep applying for jobs that don’t feel right for me. I’m just guessing at this point.”
“I keep applying for jobs that don’t feel right for me. I’m just guessing at this point.”
Jenny is a 22 year old final-year undergraduate, and she is reaching breaking point because she wants a great career plan, but she feel overwhelmed by LinkedIn, TotalJobs and university careers information.
Jenny is a 22 year old final-year undergraduate, and she is reaching breaking point because she wants a great career plan, but she feel overwhelmed by LinkedIn, TotalJobs and university careers information.
Exploration & Clarity
Exploration & Clarity
Real-World Exposure
Real-World Exposure
Confidence Building
Confidence Building
Peer & Mentor Connections
Peer & Mentor Connections
1
Graduate Student
Graduate Student
At a life crossroads, seeking clearer direction and purpose in her career journey.
2
First-time career explorer
First-time career explorer
Lacks real-world understanding of different roles and needs practical, relatable examples.
3
Low confidence, limited time
Low confidence, limited time
Balancing school and life makes deep exploration hard; she feels unsure about her choices.
4
Seeks connection and hands-on experience
Seeks connection and hands-on experience
Wants to meet like-minded peers and professionals, and gain real exposure to the working world.
1
Real-World Insights and Engagement
Real-World Insights and Engagement
Provide authentic, relatable, and immersive experiences through direct exposure to real-world insights.
Provide authentic, relatable, and immersive experiences through direct exposure to real-world insights.
Real Company Info and User Testimonials
Real Company Info and User Testimonials
Information from Alumni
Information from Alumni
1-on-1 Mentorship Sessions
1-on-1 Mentorship Sessions
In-person Involvement Opportunities
In-person Involvement Opportunities
Vlogs from Real Professionals
Vlogs from Real Professionals
2
Interactive Mini Experiences and Skill Matching
Interactive Mini Experiences and Skill Matching
Engage users with bite-sized experiences and personalized feedback to help them evaluate and discover career interests.
Engage users with bite-sized experiences and personalized feedback to help them evaluate and discover career interests.
‘Mini Jobs’ for Hands-on Experience
‘Mini Jobs’ for Hands-on Experience
Like/Dislike Features to Gauge Preferences
Like/Dislike Features to Gauge Preferences
Career Simulations
Career Simulations
Detailed Role & Industry Information
Detailed Role & Industry Information
Feedback After Each Experience
Feedback After Each Experience
Match Skills with Career Paths
Match Skills with Career Paths
Daily Job Matches Based on User Interests
Daily Job Matches Based on User Interests
3
Personalized Career Exploration with AI
Personalized Career Exploration with AI
Guide users through structured self-discovery and AI-powered mapping toward aligned career goals.
Guide users through structured self-discovery and AI-powered mapping toward aligned career goals.
Explore Diverse Career Paths
Explore Diverse Career Paths
Career Mapping Tools
Career Mapping Tools
Discover User Preferences Through Activities
Discover User Preferences Through Activities
Quick Profile via Job Match
Quick Profile via Job Match
AI-Based Preference Analysis
AI-Based Preference Analysis
Personalized Career Path Recommendations
Personalized Career Path Recommendations
Our business model takes into account economic, psychological, sociological, and ecological factors to deliver value to students, universities, and businesses alike.
Our business model takes into account economic, psychological, sociological, and ecological factors to deliver value to students, universities, and businesses alike.
Psychology
Reducing Stress & Anxiety Through Guidance
Reducing Stress & Anxiety Through Guidance
CareerUp provides users with a structured, personalized journey to help them make informed decisions, reducing uncertainty and emotional stress in their career paths.
CareerUp provides users with a structured, personalized journey to help them make informed decisions, reducing uncertainty and emotional stress in their career paths.
Economy
Supporting Future Markets
Supporting Future Markets
Supporting Skills Development for Future Markets
By offering mini jobs, feedback loops, and real-world insight, CareerUp helps students build relevant skills that align with the evolving job market and future economic needs.
By offering mini jobs, feedback loops, and real-world insight, CareerUp helps students build relevant skills that align with the evolving job market and future economic needs.
Sociology
Fostering Equitable Access & Community Connection
Fostering Equitable Access & Community Connection
We aim to create fair access to career exploration regardless of background, and foster collaboration between students, universities, and businesses for mutual growth.
We aim to create fair access to career exploration regardless of background, and foster collaboration between students, universities, and businesses for mutual growth.
Ecology
Encouraging Eco-Conscious Career Mindsets
Encouraging Eco-Conscious Career Mindsets
CareerUp will promote awareness of environmentally responsible practices by spotlighting green careers and encouraging sustainable values within our platform and partnerships.
CareerUp will promote awareness of environmentally responsible practices by spotlighting green careers and encouraging sustainable values within our platform and partnerships.
Risks
Risks
If career tools are more visual, interactive, and personalized, students will feel more engaged and confident.
If career tools are more visual, interactive, and personalized, students will feel more engaged and confident.
No real-time customer support
No real-time customer support
Data privacy and security concerns
Data privacy and security concerns
Scalability issues as the user base grows
Scalability issues as the user base grows
Monetisation strategy challenges
Monetisation strategy challenges
Relies heavily on technology and AI
Relies heavily on technology and AI
Opportunities
Opportunities
Partner with a variety of educational platforms and employers
Partner with a variety of educational platforms and employers
Enable easy help through customer support
Enable easy help through customer support
Implement clear policies, strong security, and regular audits.
Implement clear policies, strong security, and regular audits.
Invest in scalable cloud infrastructure and micro services.
Invest in scalable cloud infrastructure and micro services.
Create a diversified revenue model
Create a diversified revenue model
Use diverse data, add human advisors, and ensure transparency.
Use diverse data, add human advisors, and ensure transparency.
Learn
Learn
Leading a diverse team throughout this project helped me strengthen my leadership skills. I learned to remain patient and adaptable when managing different personalities and work styles. Coordinating tasks and resolving conflicts in a fast-paced environment pushed me to become a more empathetic and proactive team leader.
Leading a diverse team throughout this project helped me strengthen my leadership skills. I learned to remain patient and adaptable when managing different personalities and work styles. Coordinating tasks and resolving conflicts in a fast-paced environment pushed me to become a more empathetic and proactive team leader.
Reflection
Reflection
I realized that good leadership isn’t about control, it’s about clarity, emotional awareness, and shared ownership. I learned to trust my team and delegate effectively, which made collaboration more productive and enjoyable.
I realized that good leadership isn’t about control, it’s about clarity, emotional awareness, and shared ownership. I learned to trust my team and delegate effectively, which made collaboration more productive and enjoyable.
What can I do better?
What can I do better?
I can continue developing my leadership by improving how I facilitate feedback sessions and by proactively checking in with teammates to understand their perspectives and challenges earlier in the process.
I can continue developing my leadership by improving how I facilitate feedback sessions and by proactively checking in with teammates to understand their perspectives and challenges earlier in the process.
Learn
Learn
Navigating the complex stages of UX, from research to prototyping, taught me the importance of aligning multiple viewpoints. I had to communicate design decisions clearly to ensure everyone, from designers to stakeholders, was on the same page.
Navigating the complex stages of UX, from research to prototyping, taught me the importance of aligning multiple viewpoints. I had to communicate design decisions clearly to ensure everyone, from designers to stakeholders, was on the same page.
Reflection
Reflection
This experience made me more strategic in my communication. I learned to listen actively, simplify complex ideas, and tailor my messaging depending on the audience, whether it was a developer, teammate, or client.
This experience made me more strategic in my communication. I learned to listen actively, simplify complex ideas, and tailor my messaging depending on the audience, whether it was a developer, teammate, or client.
What can I do better?
What can I do better?
I’d like to practice visual communication more intentionally, using diagrams and flows to clarify ideas quickly. I also want to be more proactive in clarifying expectations at the start of a project.
I’d like to practice visual communication more intentionally, using diagrams and flows to clarify ideas quickly. I also want to be more proactive in clarifying expectations at the start of a project.
Learn
Learn
Working within a short timeline deepened my understanding of agile methodology. I learned how to break down large tasks into sprints, prioritize features, and iterate quickly based on testing feedback.
Working within a short timeline deepened my understanding of agile methodology. I learned how to break down large tasks into sprints, prioritize features, and iterate quickly based on testing feedback.
Reflection
Reflection
The fast pace taught me how to balance quality with progress. It made me more comfortable making informed decisions quickly and taught me the value of timeboxing and daily syncs.
The fast pace taught me how to balance quality with progress. It made me more comfortable making informed decisions quickly and taught me the value of timeboxing and daily syncs.
What can I do better?
What can I do better?
I’d like to improve how I scope tasks during sprint planning. I sometimes overestimated what we could deliver in a short time, so better estimation will help create more realistic timelines.
I’d like to improve how I scope tasks during sprint planning. I sometimes overestimated what we could deliver in a short time, so better estimation will help create more realistic timelines.
