This case study looks into the three years I’ve spent with Connectr, who they are, how far they’ve come and a look at the work I’ve done for them.
Connectr is a company that makes mentoring software that drives real results in DE&I, Retention and Engagement.
They currently have two web apps with a range of features — one for candidate engagement, and the other, employee engagement. At the core of both products are two integral features: ‘Mentors’ and ‘Modules’. Connectr is a white-label product allowing our customers to add their logo and brand colour to personalise and create ownership.
Recently, Connectr launched an admin portal that empowers customers to track engagement and impact in real time, and create and manage module content for their users.
When I started working with Connectr, they were called MyKindaFuture and were an early talent candidate engagement company. They specialised in helping underrepresented talent get into work, excel, and find a sense of belonging in their professional environment. They would connect university students and other young talent with businesses looking to hire. They did so with workshops, going onsite at universities, giving talks etc.
They also had a product called Connectr, which helped students prepare for interviews, learn more about the company they would be applying to, and allow them to talk to employees.
The business realised the potential and value of this product and started investing more time and effort after gaining venture capital investment. This is where I became involved, in late 2019. The business was looking for a designer to take the product forward. Up until this point, the product was built by developers and a product manager with no designer involved.
I helped with the complete redesign and rebuild of the product in early 2020. We continued to iterate on the product later that year, including the addition of three new features: Forums, Jobs and Events. I then helped them come up with a plan to repurpose the product for L&D personas, a new budget pot which focuses on retention and progression of employees, by launching a new version of the product called Connectr for Employees — this was focused on employee engagement and targeted a wider range of customers.
I’d been championing bringing in an external branding specialist since we started working together and when the business agreed, they went through a huge restructure to support their SaaS growth. We designed an admin experience as part of this shift, as a way for customers to manage their own products.
As the Lead Product Designer for Connectr for over three years, I’ve worked across all products and helped the business grow exponentially. I’ve also developed a design system to bring consistency and cohesion to our products.
I led the business through a rebranding project by bringing in an external branding specialist to help position Connectr as an HR tech company that helps businesses build a sense of belonging and creates a culture where everyone is included. The project also consisted of a new visual identity and a brand-new marketing website designed by myself and the marketing team.
When I joined Connectr there was just one product, Connectr for Candidates, which consisted of only two features. The user interface and experience were dated with UX issues, and it wasn’t accessible.
Today there are two versions of the product with many new features, and an admin experience to allow customers to manage their own platforms. The business now considers one of its USPs to be a balance of visually aesthetic, modern UI with an experience that’s simple and easy to use. Our products are also WCAG 2.1 AA certified, making them accessible to everyone.
Let’s take a look at the impact I’ve had on the company via the data and feedback from customers.
We've won two awards (linked below) and have been finalist for many more.
