PREFACE
A recruiting platform that helps employers find the right candidates faster. Instead of vague applications, candidates complete role-specific courses and earn certificates. Employers get a clear picture of skills and readiness before interviews.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
PROJECT DETAILS
TEAM MEMBERS
Rajit Goel
Wireframing, Prototyper, Coder
Burak Bas
Researcher, Filmmaking, Graphic Design
Silas Solomon
Project Manager, Designer, Event Planner
Nathan Lee
Storyteller, Logistics, Logo Designer
Cole Jesberg
Synthesizer
COURSE
Applied Experience Design
TEAM NAME
Five-Leaf Clover
TOOLS USED
Canva
Figma
FigJam
Adobe Premiere Pro
Next.js
TypeScript
React
Vercel
METHODS USED
User Interviews
Surveys
Competitor Research
Empathy Mapping
User Journey Mapping
Wireframing
High-Fidelity Prototyping
THE PROBLEM
hiring is broken for everyone involved
The hiring process for early career roles is slow, unclear, and impersonal. Candidates feel discouraged when companies take too long to respond or stopped responding completely. Now we know that this is a two-way problem, and needs a solution that works for both sides of the equation.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Here's a look behind the scenes of some of our research, both in-class and out of class. (FigJam was a lifesaver for this project!) We started by surveying candidates about their job search frustrations. 87% said they relied on LinkedIn, 80% felt ghosted by long response times, and 40% struggled just finding relevant opportunities. Our interview questions dug deeper into what actually blocks people during hiring. We also analyzed how companies like Fidelity, Fisher Investments, Charles Schwab, and Raymond James present career info on their sites, looking at what they emphasize and where candidates might get lost.
KEY FINDINGS
GHOSTING & SLOW TIMELINES
Candidates felt discouraged when companies took too long to respond or stopped responding completely.
COOKIE-CUTTER INTERVIEWS
Interviews often felt scripted and didn't let candidates show personality, values, or real fit.
VAGUE "ENTRY-LEVEL" EXPECTATIONS
Many roles were labeled entry-level but still expected experience, making requirements feel unclear or unrealistic.
PLATFORM DEPENDENCE
Most candidates relied heavily on sites like LinkedIn/Indeed, which made the search feel repetitive and crowded.
USER EMPATHY
We built empathy maps for different types of candidates to understand how the hiring process actually feels. They show what people see and hear in their search, and how they think, feel, speak, and act when they apply for roles. We also created 2x2 grids that chart traits like confidence, experience, and hope so we could design for real mindsets instead of averages.
THE USER JOURNEY MAP
15-step candidate journey from discovery to hire
THE SOLUTION
proof over promises, skills over resumes
We built a platform where employers define what they actually need for a role and candidates prove they can do it through structured learning. Instead of guessing what a resume means, recruiters see real preparation and earned certificates. Candidates can feel more confident knowing exactly what's expected, and both sides waste less time on mismatched interviews.
DESIGN PROCESS
01 // WIREFRAMES
Our early sketches tried a lot of ideas, like a dating app style matching concept and an Action Center for tracking every step. Exploring those versions made it clear that extra dashboards would slow HR teams down instead of helping them. That pushed us toward the simpler course based flow I described earlier in our solution section.
02 // FIGMA HIGH FIDELITY SCREENS
These high fidelity screens in Figma helped us explore different feature sets and layouts before building anything. They kept us focused on what actually blocked candidates in their search, like unclear expectations, weak human connection, and unpredictable communication. Designing these flows also made it clear that employers needed a simple way to scan assessment scores, compare candidates at a glance, and see who was truly prepared. It pushed us to frame the experience as a benefit for candidates beyond one company, since they could show their certificates on LinkedIn and carry that proof with them.
03 // BUILT PRODUCT SCREENS
These are the final product screens from the live site we built with TypeScript and Next.js. Together they show the full Preface flow from job discovery to skill proof to shareable results.
VISUAL IDENTITY
For Preface's brand identity, we aimed for a look that feels credible enough for finance but still welcoming for users. The purple based palette and soft gradients helped us balance "professional" with "approachable," so the product feels trustworthy without looking cold or corporate. For the logo, we moved from quick sketches to a simple mark that mixes the P with subtle check and X cues, so it hints at preparation, proof, and completion while staying clear at small sizes across the app, certificates, and profiles.
PROJECT SUMMARY
turning the hiring problem into a two sided solution
Early career hiring is broken. Candidates wait weeks for responses that never come. HR teams spend hours screening resumes without knowing who can actually do the work. The process is vague, impersonal, and inefficient for everyone involved.
Preface turns potential into proof. Companies design role-specific learning paths with the Preface team. Candidates complete the coursework and earn certificates that demonstrate real readiness. Recruiters get detailed skill assessments that make hiring decisions faster and more accurate.
This approach replaces guesswork with evidence. Both sides build trust through transparency. Strong candidates stay engaged instead of dropping out. Teams hire with confidence instead of crossing their fingers. The platform scales while keeping the process human.