Gamification widget Enhancv
Role
UX/UI Designer I Project Manager
Tools
OVERVIEW & CONTEXT
Enhancv is a modern résumé-building platform designed to help users navigate their job searching journey, by helping them create visually engaging CVs and cover letters, keeping track of their job applications and training for effective interviews.
From its core of Resume Builder and Cover Letter generator, Enhancv is currently developing further components:
✔ Enhancv Resume Builder – an intuitive editor where users craft, customize, and format their résumés.
✔ Enhancv Cover Letter Builder – a tool that creates and tailors effective cover letters to pair with CVs.
✔ Enhancv Job Tracker – spreadsheet style tracker, to help users keep track of their applications and the application process.
✔ Enhancv Job Tracker Chrome Extension (WIP) – chrome extension to facilitate users in importing directly job application details from every major platform.
✔ Enhancv Interview Help – an interactive interview suggestion generator, to help users prepare for all possible interview scenarios.
PROBLEM
Enhancv’s Job Tracker is a new feature of the product and helps users in keeping track of their job applications. This operation can be remarkably stressful on the psychological level for users, leading to demotivation, fatigue and discouragement, and abandonment of the use of the tool. This leads to a need to create a system to keep the users gratified and engaged, while also feeling lead towards new personal goals and not just cramming in the search for a new job.
SOLUTION 🚀
Gamifying the job tracker allows us to ensure users feel supported and accomplished throughout their job-search journey. The stats help them monitor their progress, while the personalized weekly tasks (generated based on their actions in the Job Tracker and progress) guide them in building a stronger foundation for their career, network, and overall professional growth.
IMPORTANT: The gamification widget is being tested and implemented, and will be available for Pro users during the following weeks. Further iterations on design and functionalities will be defined after the results of testing and user feedback.
PROCESS & METODOLOGY
1.
Research & User Insights
Analysis of competitor platforms (do they gamify the experience? Do they guide the users? How long have they been implementing this and how was their journey there?) and leading platforms in the industry of gaming (specifically, Doulingo)
2.
Wireframing & Constraints
The wireframing and sketching fase was heavily influenced by the fact that Enhancv’s did’t have, up to that point, a section on widgets and widgets management in the design system. After implementing an initial strategy and design for the general widgets, designing the gamification widget was to do done within spacial constraints of how much of the page can be occupied and how much we want the use to be aware of this feature.
3.
Prototyping & Implementation
The Gamification Widget was tested internally and through moderated testing of a selected group of power users. The implementation will follow in the next weeks and from the data gathered there will be further iterations.
RESEARCH & PROCESS
RESEARCH
During the research phase, I analyzed how competitors handle this delicate part of the user experience: How do they support users? Do they gamify the process of tracking and progressing through a job search in a way that keeps people engaged? I examined platforms such as Teal, Resume.io, Simplify Jobs, and others, and complemented this with a deep analysis of how Duolingo motivates users through rewards and streak-based engagement.
What I discovered was that many competitors focused primarily on highlighting progress, while others emphasized supporting users by guiding them through all aspects surrounding the job search. In Duolingo’s case, a significant part of the gamification comes from character interactions and strategic animationstrategic animation that enhances user motivation.
During the wireframing and sketching phase, I focused on reflecting our brand aesthetic by keeping the design minimal, accessible, and functional. I also ensured that the concepts didn’t resemble those of our competitors, but instead communicated the specific message and experience we want users to have. After several iterations with the other project manager (and drawing on her expertise in gamification) we decided on a simple, essential first version.
Our goal was to introduce users to the feature in a clear, supportive way that immediately makes them feel guided and encouraged.
CONCLUSION
We needed to build a widget that not only encourages users through micro-tasks and completions, but also gives them visibility into their progress, highlighting that there is much more to the job-search journey than simply sending applications
WIREFRAMING & IDEATION
Some of the sketches we ended up scraping in favour of a simpler and more minimalistic design
CURRENT FINAL DESIGN & FLOW
The final design is intentionally minimalistic, highlighting several key elements we wanted to emphasize. It reinforces the positive habit of regularly adding jobs and using the job tracker, encourages users to complete their weekly tasks, and introduces an additional “growth task” designed to show that the tool is not just functional—but also a source of guidance for networking and building a solid professional foundation, which is essential in any job search. I also created tailored visuals for each stage of the process to support users with clear, motivating visual reinforcement.
From a user-flow perspective, this feature appears as soon as someone starts using the job tracker.
It is positioned at the lower side of the screen and can be collapsed or expanded as needed.
Users can open it to complete tasks, which update weekly based on their activity in the tracker and on what we expect them to do for personal and professional growth.
In the future, this feature will be paired with recap emails to further reinforce a sense of positive progress and momentum.
CONCLUSION
This is a project that will continue to grow and evolve over time.
Reaching the current stage took several weeks, and while it feels solid for now, it also gives me the opportunity to further study user reactions, behaviors, and needs at this point in their journey with the software. I believe this version provides strong initial traction by keeping users engaged and supported through the tool’s gamified elements.
I’m looking forward to observing the impact on users, and I will be conducting in-depth testing with new, intermediate, and power users in the coming weeks. For the next steps, my goal is not only to further iterate this feature, but also to develop an accessible mobile version, ensuring users can enjoy the same supportive, motivating experience even when using the tool on the go.