Industry
Blockchain
Client
Vara Group, India
Certcheck - document verification Web application
My Team
Arindam R (Product Manager) Javed S (Front End Devloper) Vivek V (Blockchain Developer) Aditi S (Marketing Head)
Tools
Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, VSCode, Github, Jira
Timeline
15-18 weeks (From Conception to Deployement)
Revolutionizing Document Verifications: Platform to verify background credentials of students and jobseekers.
Brief
Certcheck is a digital platform designed to streamline the verification process for students and job seekers who are applying to universities or seeking new employment opportunities. Employers and educational institutions often require a reliable method to verify the authenticity of documents for background credibility. Certcheck addresses this need by providing a secure and efficient platform for document verification using blockchain technology, ensuring that credentials are validated swiftly and accurately.
My role
I led the design of Certcheck from the initial concept to the final deployment. My tasks included market research to identify common issues in similar products, creating user personas and customer journey maps for in-depth user research, brainstorming on features, prototyping in Adobe XD and later in Figma, and conducting user interviews to test the product.
Problem
User research revealed that the existing process for verifying backgrounds was manual, lacking transparency, delayed responses and document security. To address these issues, the client required a platform that could automate these processes, enhance security, and build user trust, ultimately making the verification process hassle-free.
Goals
1. Streamline Verification: Design an interface that simplifies and accelerates the document verification process.
2. Enhance Accessibility: Make the management and sharing of credentials intuitive and efficient within the platform.
3. Leverage Technology for Trust: Utilize Blockchain technology within the design to underscore the security and reliability of the platform.
Research Insights
I researched some competitors’ platforms to find inspiration. What I took away were:
1. Complex Navigation: Competitors’ dashboards often had cluttered interfaces that made navigation confusing for users.
2. Insufficient Information Architecture: Information was not logically organized, making it difficult for users to find what they needed efficiently.
3. Limited Customization: There was a lack of personalized dashboard options to suit the varied needs of different user types.
Ideation Insights
Based on my research and insights from user personas, it became clear that a marketing website was essential to engage our target audience. This site would outline our product's benefits, present pricing to inform potential users, and provide a seamless sign-up flow to our web application. Utilizing the robust security of Blockchain, the application would cater to three distinct user types: students and job seekers would upload and manage their documents, receiving a unique hash key; verifiers could use this key to authenticate document legitimacy; and issuers, such as universities and employers, would verify the original documents. These solutions emerged from stakeholder meetings and ideation sessions, where I created a detailed list of features, organizing them thoughtfully. This informed the wireframing process, ensuring every design decision was aligned with stakeholder expectations and client approval.
Prototyping process
Following the approval of my initial concepts, I embarked on developing high-fidelity prototypes, initially using Adobe XD before transitioning to Figma to leverage its user-friendly features and collaborative environment. The journey began with the design of a marketing website, serving as the initial touchpoint for users. After user authentication, the platform offered tailored dashboards for different user types—students, job seekers, verifiers, and issuers—each designed to enable efficient task completion.
Throughout the prototyping phase, iterative design was pivotal. Each feature underwent multiple iterations based on user feedback and heuristic evaluations. This iterative approach not only refined the user interfaces but also enhanced the functionality of critical features like the reports and analytics section. By continuously iterating, I was able to align the design more closely with user needs and business goals, significantly improving decision-making processes and overall user satisfaction.
User Testing
I utilized a click-through prototype on Figma to conduct usability tests, aiming to understand user interactions with the interface. Over two weeks, I performed 20+ tests with potential users and stakeholders. The process involved a structured user testing plan where participants completed specific tasks while I observed via screen sharing sessions. Through the user tests, I got a mix of thumbs-ups and raised eyebrows — all of which were golden. Every "aha" and "hm, that's tricky" from the users pointed me to tweaks and changes that made the design better. Engaging with users and witnessing their genuine responses was enlightening; It's this real, raw input that drives me to craft designs that genuinely resonate with users.
