2 months (May 2022 - July 2022)
Skill Searcher API
UX/UI Design
API Development
First things first!
Skill Searcher is a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that configures a profile of each employee according to their job history and expertise in a range of different skillsets.
OVERVIEW
Career Foundry Project: Design a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that allows early-career professionals or hiring managers to find relevant technical skills based on role level.
Methods: Wireframes, Competitive Analysis, User Interviews/Surveys, User Testing, Preference Tests, Responsive design, Prototype
Role: Sole UX/UI Designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, Visio
Taking everything into consideration.
Creating a Skill Searcher API that allows users to find all the necessary job-specific resources needed while taking into consideration their professional goals, expertise, and experiences.
Let’s make an assumption!
We believe that busy job seekers and professionals need fast, clear, and trustworthy information about the skills employers want. By using the Skill Searcher API, we can quickly show users the most relevant and in-demand job skills. This will help them focus their efforts, feel more confident, and improve their chances of getting hired in a tough job market.
We will know this to be true when we see that Skill Searcher is being used consistently by our users, measured by the average number of days per month users search for skills, view skill-related resources, or save skills to their profiles.
SOLUTIONS
Your one-stop tool for discovering high-demand job skills.
Unlock personalized, data-driven insights into the most relevant skills for your career goals. The Skill Searcher API connects users to real-time job market trends, curated skill resources, and tailored recommendations—all in one place. Empower your professional journey with clarity, confidence, and convenience.
SOLUTION 01
Smarter skill discovery
Stop wasting time scrolling through endless, irrelevant skill lists. The Skill Searcher API helps you instantly find the most relevant skills based on your job level, industry, or tech focus—so you can focus on learning or hiring smarter.
SOLUTION 02
Clean, usable data you can trust
No more messy JSON files or confusing outputs. The Skill Searcher API gives you well-structured, easy-to-read data that’s ready to use—whether you're a developer, educator, or recruiter.
SOLUTION 03
Find exactly what you need
Looking for beginner-friendly frontend skills or advanced backend expertise? With powerful filters, the Skill Searcher API helps you narrow results by difficulty, domain, and experience level—so you always get the perfect match
A closer look at potential users.
USER RESEARCH
I conducted user interviews with 12 participants (a mix of junior developers, recruiters, and educators) and surveyed via LinkedIn & Reddit development communities.
Found that 80% felt confused or lost when trying to explore new tech stacks.
90% said they preferred filtered, visually organized info over pure API returns.
Feedback emphasized need for learning curve indicators, use case tags, and cleaner UI.
RESEARCH GOALS
Things to consider:
✦ Learn what challenges users face when searching for skills by role or experience level.
✦ Learn how users feel about the layout and clarity of skill results.
✦ Learn what filters or categories users expect when exploring skills.
✦ Learn how users understand and use skill progression or learning paths.
✦ Learn how current skill tools or APIs compare to Skill Searcher in usability.
Listening and understanding users
“I wish there was a simpler way to figure out what skills I need for junior backend roles without going down a rabbit hole.”
“Most skill APIs I’ve used just dump out JSON—it’s hard to actually use the info unless you're a developer.”
“I’m trying to pivot into tech, but it’s confusing to know what skills are actually relevant to the jobs I’m looking at.”
“I hire junior developers, and I wish I had a tool to help me quickly match their skills to our open roles.”
“I’d love something that just shows me a clean list of tech skills by job title—no fluff, just straight to the point.”
“I want to be able to filter skills by level—like beginner or advanced—so I’m not overwhelmed.”
“It would help to see how skills connect, like if I learn JavaScript, what should I learn next to get into frontend?”
“It’s hard to keep up with what’s trending or what employers are looking for now. I want something up to date.”
IDEATION
Turning pain points into features
Skill Searcher API was designed to solve the most common challenges faced by early-career professionals, bootcamp graduates, and hiring managers. Through wireframing and prototyping, three core features were highlighted to improve skill discovery and usability.
Skill Search
Quickly find in-demand skills based on job level, tech stack, or industry—no more digging through endless job descriptions.
Filters & Organization
Easily narrow results by category, experience level, or domain (e.g., frontend, backend), so users only see the most relevant skills.
Skill Pathways
Access structured skill recommendations that show how skills connect and what to learn next, helping users grow with confidence.
USABILITY TESTING
USABILITY TESTING
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
'01
You're ready to level up in your tech career but aren’t sure what skills are most relevant for your desired role.
Where in the interface could you find trending or in-demand skills to help you get started?
02
You've spent months applying to jobs with no clear feedback. Now that you’ve discovered Skill Searcher, you decide to try its personalized skill recommendations based on your role and experience.
How would you explore and save a list of suggested skills for a junior backend developer?
03
You’re preparing for a job interview and want to quickly reference the key technical skills for the position—but your notes are all over the place.
Where would you go to view your saved skills or create a quick reference list within the tool?
Results that Influence the Next Steps
Using the rainbow spreadsheet method, I categorized user feedback, ranked usability issues by severity, and mapped out improvements for the next design iteration.
For error severity, I applied the Jakob Nielsen scale, helping prioritize which friction points to address first in refining the user experience.
Addressing the issues
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
Issue #1: Unclear Skill Categories on Homepage
Evidence:
All 6 participants were confused by the category labels on the homepage. While users understood the app related to job skills, they were unsure if the categories led to role-based suggestions, individual skill tags, or educational resources.
💡 Suggested Change:
Add a quick onboarding walkthrough after sign-up to explain what each category represents. Include tooltips or brief descriptions directly under category cards to improve clarity.
Issue #2: Overwhelming Skill Output
Evidence:
4 out of 6 participants found the returned skill list too technical or formatted like raw data. They were unsure how to interpret the JSON-like text and didn’t feel confident choosing from the results.
💡 Suggested Change:
Redesign skill output using plain language and grouped sections (e.g., “Essential for Frontend Roles,” “Advanced Backend Skills”). Include icons or tags to improve scannability and user comprehension.
Issue #3: No Clear Next Steps After Finding a Skill
Evidence:
Multiple users asked what they should do after identifying a relevant skill. They expected guidance or learning suggestions but were met with a dead end.
💡 Suggested Change:
Introduce a “What to Learn Next” pathway feature that visually connects related skills. This provides users with a sense of direction and continuous growth, especially helpful for early-career developers.
Issue #2: Overwhelming Skill Output
Evidence:
4 out of 6 participants found the returned skill list too technical or formatted like raw data. They were unsure how to interpret the JSON-like text and didn’t feel confident choosing from the results.
💡 Suggested Change:
Redesign skill output using plain language and grouped sections (e.g., “Essential for Frontend Roles,” “Advanced Backend Skills”). Include icons or tags to improve scannability and user comprehension.
What’s next?
I’ve completed my first-ever UX project (Woohoo!). I definitely learned a lot through this process of end to end design, I hope to continue the journey of becoming a better UX designer as I take on more projects and apply the insights I gained from this.
More Works
More Works
FAQ
FAQ
01
What does a project look like?
02
What services do you offer as a UX/UI designer?
03
What industries do you have experience designing for?
04
Do you work with clients remotely?
05
What tools do you use for design?
06
Can you help redesign an existing product or app?
07
How long does a typical project take?
08
Are you currently available for new projects?
01
What does a project look like?
02
What services do you offer as a UX/UI designer?
03
What industries do you have experience designing for?
04
Do you work with clients remotely?
05
What tools do you use for design?
06
Can you help redesign an existing product or app?
07
How long does a typical project take?
08
Are you currently available for new projects?
2 months (May 2022 - July 2022)
Skill Searcher API
UX/UI Design
API Development
First things first!
Skill Searcher is a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that configures a profile of each employee according to their job history and expertise in a range of different skillsets.
OVERVIEW
Career Foundry Project: Design a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that allows early-career professionals or hiring managers to find relevant technical skills based on role level.
Methods: Wireframes, Competitive Analysis, User Interviews/Surveys, User Testing, Preference Tests, Responsive design, Prototype
Role: Sole UX/UI Designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, Visio
Taking everything into consideration.
Creating a Skill Searcher API that allows users to find all the necessary job-specific resources needed while taking into consideration their professional goals, expertise, and experiences.
Let’s make an assumption!
We believe that busy job seekers and professionals need fast, clear, and trustworthy information about the skills employers want. By using the Skill Searcher API, we can quickly show users the most relevant and in-demand job skills. This will help them focus their efforts, feel more confident, and improve their chances of getting hired in a tough job market.
We will know this to be true when we see that Skill Searcher is being used consistently by our users, measured by the average number of days per month users search for skills, view skill-related resources, or save skills to their profiles.
SOLUTIONS
Your one-stop tool for discovering high-demand job skills.
Unlock personalized, data-driven insights into the most relevant skills for your career goals. The Skill Searcher API connects users to real-time job market trends, curated skill resources, and tailored recommendations—all in one place. Empower your professional journey with clarity, confidence, and convenience.
SOLUTION 01
Smarter skill discovery
Stop wasting time scrolling through endless, irrelevant skill lists. The Skill Searcher API helps you instantly find the most relevant skills based on your job level, industry, or tech focus—so you can focus on learning or hiring smarter.
SOLUTION 02
Clean, usable data you can trust
No more messy JSON files or confusing outputs. The Skill Searcher API gives you well-structured, easy-to-read data that’s ready to use—whether you're a developer, educator, or recruiter.
SOLUTION 03
Find exactly what you need
Looking for beginner-friendly frontend skills or advanced backend expertise? With powerful filters, the Skill Searcher API helps you narrow results by difficulty, domain, and experience level—so you always get the perfect match
A closer look at potential users.
USER RESEARCH
I conducted user interviews with 12 participants (a mix of junior developers, recruiters, and educators) and surveyed via LinkedIn & Reddit development communities.
Found that 80% felt confused or lost when trying to explore new tech stacks.
90% said they preferred filtered, visually organized info over pure API returns.
Feedback emphasized need for learning curve indicators, use case tags, and cleaner UI.
RESEARCH GOALS
Things to consider:
✦ Learn what challenges users face when searching for skills by role or experience level.
✦ Learn how users feel about the layout and clarity of skill results.
✦ Learn what filters or categories users expect when exploring skills.
✦ Learn how users understand and use skill progression or learning paths.
✦ Learn how current skill tools or APIs compare to Skill Searcher in usability.
Listening and understanding users
“I wish there was a simpler way to figure out what skills I need for junior backend roles without going down a rabbit hole.”
“Most skill APIs I’ve used just dump out JSON—it’s hard to actually use the info unless you're a developer.”
“I’m trying to pivot into tech, but it’s confusing to know what skills are actually relevant to the jobs I’m looking at.”
“I hire junior developers, and I wish I had a tool to help me quickly match their skills to our open roles.”
“I’d love something that just shows me a clean list of tech skills by job title—no fluff, just straight to the point.”
“I want to be able to filter skills by level—like beginner or advanced—so I’m not overwhelmed.”
“It would help to see how skills connect, like if I learn JavaScript, what should I learn next to get into frontend?”
“It’s hard to keep up with what’s trending or what employers are looking for now. I want something up to date.”
IDEATION
Turning pain points into features
Skill Searcher API was designed to solve the most common challenges faced by early-career professionals, bootcamp graduates, and hiring managers. Through wireframing and prototyping, three core features were highlighted to improve skill discovery and usability.
Skill Search
Quickly find in-demand skills based on job level, tech stack, or industry—no more digging through endless job descriptions.
Filters & Organization
Easily narrow results by category, experience level, or domain (e.g., frontend, backend), so users only see the most relevant skills.
Skill Pathways
Access structured skill recommendations that show how skills connect and what to learn next, helping users grow with confidence.
USABILITY TESTING
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
'01
You're ready to level up in your tech career but aren’t sure what skills are most relevant for your desired role.
Where in the interface could you find trending or in-demand skills to help you get started?
02
You've spent months applying to jobs with no clear feedback. Now that you’ve discovered Skill Searcher, you decide to try its personalized skill recommendations based on your role and experience.
How would you explore and save a list of suggested skills for a junior backend developer?
03
You’re preparing for a job interview and want to quickly reference the key technical skills for the position—but your notes are all over the place.
Where would you go to view your saved skills or create a quick reference list within the tool?
Results that Influence the Next Steps
Using the rainbow spreadsheet method, I categorized user feedback, ranked usability issues by severity, and mapped out improvements for the next design iteration.
For error severity, I applied the Jakob Nielsen scale, helping prioritize which friction points to address first in refining the user experience.
Addressing the issues
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
Issue #1: Unclear Skill Categories on Homepage
Evidence:
All 6 participants were confused by the category labels on the homepage. While users understood the app related to job skills, they were unsure if the categories led to role-based suggestions, individual skill tags, or educational resources.
💡 Suggested Change:
Add a quick onboarding walkthrough after sign-up to explain what each category represents. Include tooltips or brief descriptions directly under category cards to improve clarity.
Issue #2: Overwhelming Skill Output
Evidence:
4 out of 6 participants found the returned skill list too technical or formatted like raw data. They were unsure how to interpret the JSON-like text and didn’t feel confident choosing from the results.
💡 Suggested Change:
Redesign skill output using plain language and grouped sections (e.g., “Essential for Frontend Roles,” “Advanced Backend Skills”). Include icons or tags to improve scannability and user comprehension.
Issue #3: No Clear Next Steps After Finding a Skill
Evidence:
Multiple users asked what they should do after identifying a relevant skill. They expected guidance or learning suggestions but were met with a dead end.
💡 Suggested Change:
Introduce a “What to Learn Next” pathway feature that visually connects related skills. This provides users with a sense of direction and continuous growth, especially helpful for early-career developers.
What’s next?
I’ve completed my first-ever UX project (Woohoo!). I definitely learned a lot through this process of end to end design, I hope to continue the journey of becoming a better UX designer as I take on more projects and apply the insights I gained from this.
More Works
FAQ
01
What does a project look like?
02
What services do you offer as a UX/UI designer?
03
What industries do you have experience designing for?
04
Do you work with clients remotely?
05
What tools do you use for design?
06
Can you help redesign an existing product or app?
07
How long does a typical project take?
08
Are you currently available for new projects?
2 months (May 2022 - July 2022)
Skill Searcher API
UX/UI Design
API Development
First things first!
Skill Searcher is a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that configures a profile of each employee according to their job history and expertise in a range of different skillsets.
OVERVIEW
Career Foundry Project: Design a web-responsive API (Application Program Interface) that allows early-career professionals or hiring managers to find relevant technical skills based on role level.
Methods: Wireframes, Competitive Analysis, User Interviews/Surveys, User Testing, Preference Tests, Responsive design, Prototype
Role: Sole UX/UI Designer
Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, Visio
Taking everything into consideration.
Creating a Skill Searcher API that allows users to find all the necessary job-specific resources needed while taking into consideration their professional goals, expertise, and experiences.
Let’s make an assumption!
We believe that busy job seekers and professionals need fast, clear, and trustworthy information about the skills employers want. By using the Skill Searcher API, we can quickly show users the most relevant and in-demand job skills. This will help them focus their efforts, feel more confident, and improve their chances of getting hired in a tough job market.
We will know this to be true when we see that Skill Searcher is being used consistently by our users, measured by the average number of days per month users search for skills, view skill-related resources, or save skills to their profiles.
SOLUTIONS
Your one-stop tool for discovering high-demand job skills.
Unlock personalized, data-driven insights into the most relevant skills for your career goals. The Skill Searcher API connects users to real-time job market trends, curated skill resources, and tailored recommendations—all in one place. Empower your professional journey with clarity, confidence, and convenience.
SOLUTION 01
Smarter skill discovery
Stop wasting time scrolling through endless, irrelevant skill lists. The Skill Searcher API helps you instantly find the most relevant skills based on your job level, industry, or tech focus—so you can focus on learning or hiring smarter.
SOLUTION 02
Clean, usable data you can trust
No more messy JSON files or confusing outputs. The Skill Searcher API gives you well-structured, easy-to-read data that’s ready to use—whether you're a developer, educator, or recruiter.
SOLUTION 03
Find exactly what you need
Looking for beginner-friendly frontend skills or advanced backend expertise? With powerful filters, the Skill Searcher API helps you narrow results by difficulty, domain, and experience level—so you always get the perfect match
A closer look at potential users.
USER RESEARCH
I conducted user interviews with 12 participants (a mix of junior developers, recruiters, and educators) and surveyed via LinkedIn & Reddit development communities.
Listening and understanding users
“I wish there was a simpler way to figure out what skills I need for junior backend roles without going down a rabbit hole.”
“Most skill APIs I’ve used just dump out JSON—it’s hard to actually use the info unless you're a developer.”
“I’m trying to pivot into tech, but it’s confusing to know what skills are actually relevant to the jobs I’m looking at.”
“I hire junior developers, and I wish I had a tool to help me quickly match their skills to our open roles.”
“I’d love something that just shows me a clean list of tech skills by job title—no fluff, just straight to the point.”
“I want to be able to filter skills by level—like beginner or advanced—so I’m not overwhelmed.”
“It would help to see how skills connect, like if I learn JavaScript, what should I learn next to get into frontend?”
“It’s hard to keep up with what’s trending or what employers are looking for now. I want something up to date.”
IDEATION
Turning pain points into features
Skill Searcher API was designed to solve the most common challenges faced by early-career professionals, bootcamp graduates, and hiring managers. Through wireframing and prototyping, three core features were highlighted to improve skill discovery and usability.
Skill Search
Quickly find in-demand skills based on job level, tech stack, or industry—no more digging through endless job descriptions.
Filters & Organization
Easily narrow results by category, experience level, or domain (e.g., frontend, backend), so users only see the most relevant skills.
Skill Pathways
Access structured skill recommendations that show how skills connect and what to learn next, helping users grow with confidence.
USABILITY TESTING
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
'01
You're ready to level up in your tech career but aren’t sure what skills are most relevant for your desired role.
Where in the interface could you find trending or in-demand skills to help you get started?
02
You've spent months applying to jobs with no clear feedback. Now that you’ve discovered Skill Searcher, you decide to try its personalized skill recommendations based on your role and experience.
How would you explore and save a list of suggested skills for a junior backend developer?
03
You’re preparing for a job interview and want to quickly reference the key technical skills for the position—but your notes are all over the place.
Where would you go to view your saved skills or create a quick reference list within the tool?
Results that Influence the Next Steps
Using the rainbow spreadsheet method, I categorized user feedback, ranked usability issues by severity, and mapped out improvements for the next design iteration.
For error severity, I applied the Jakob Nielsen scale, helping prioritize which friction points to address first in refining the user experience.
Addressing the issues
After analyzing the usability test findings, I prioritized the top 5 issues based on severity. Below are 3 of the most critical issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with high-fidelity designs for Skill Searcher API.
Issue #1: Unclear Skill Categories on Homepage
Evidence:
All 6 participants were confused by the category labels on the homepage. While users understood the app related to job skills, they were unsure if the categories led to role-based suggestions, individual skill tags, or educational resources.
💡 Suggested Change:
Add a quick onboarding walkthrough after sign-up to explain what each category represents. Include tooltips or brief descriptions directly under category cards to improve clarity.
Issue #2: Overwhelming Skill Output
Evidence:
4 out of 6 participants found the returned skill list too technical or formatted like raw data. They were unsure how to interpret the JSON-like text and didn’t feel confident choosing from the results.
💡 Suggested Change:
Redesign skill output using plain language and grouped sections (e.g., “Essential for Frontend Roles,” “Advanced Backend Skills”). Include icons or tags to improve scannability and user comprehension.
Issue #3: No Clear Next Steps After Finding a Skill
Evidence:
Multiple users asked what they should do after identifying a relevant skill. They expected guidance or learning suggestions but were met with a dead end.
💡 Suggested Change:
Introduce a “What to Learn Next” pathway feature that visually connects related skills. This provides users with a sense of direction and continuous growth, especially helpful for early-career developers.
What’s next?
I’ve completed my first-ever UX project (Woohoo!). I definitely learned a lot through this process of end to end design, I hope to continue the journey of becoming a better UX designer as I take on more projects and apply the insights I gained from this.
More Works
FAQ
What does a project look like?
What services do you offer as a UX/UI designer?
What industries do you have experience designing for?
Do you work with clients remotely?
What tools do you use for design?
Can you help redesign an existing product or app?
How long does a typical project take?
Are you currently available for new projects?