Design, produce and distribute a card set that helps young people shaping their professional future.
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN
CHALLENGE
BACKGROUND
In the western world we have almost unlimited possibilities to shape our professional future. However, this makes it particularly difficult for young people to make a, or even better the right decision that sets the course and changes everything.
TIME
Mar 2020 – May 2020 (3 months)
AGENCY
Self-initiated
CLIENT
Nolten – Die Studien- und Berufsberater Biebuyck und Nolten GbR
CONCEPT
The »Career Starter Kit« contains 52 prompt cards with exercises to explore and shape the own professional future. In ten-minutes tasks, young people work out their personal interests, talents and values. The results are evaluated and summarized on a poster, creating an individual insight universe. This facilitates the transfer to concrete job profiles. Afterwards, further exercises help to implement the decisions made.
The set can be either a personal reflection guide or educational material for workshops or school lessons.
DESIGN PROCESS
The idea for the project cooperation was to combine the basic concept of my »Creative Starter Kit« with the topic of finding a profession. I brought the know-how of product development and conception to the table and my project partners, as career counsellors, the content and didactic knowledge.
In our kick-off workshop we collected questions and content from the career guidance and translated them into playful exercises. This was already the basis for the first prototype so that the exercises could be tested and iterated quickly.
In addition to the stream of content development, the design followed in parallel. My goal was to design the cards in a modern and not too playful way, so that young adults would be taken seriously and not treated like children.This led to a functional layout with a fresh, a little unusual color palette and humorous illustrations that give the kit its soul.
The requirements for the wording in particular were similar to those for the design: the titles should arouse curiosity, but should not be too childish. In addition, the wording of the exercises should withstand a low attention span and at the same time encourage reflection.
This was followed by many production questions such as color printing, choice of paper and packaging. For these decision I crafted several prototypes and print proofs.
After the cards and boxes came out of print, the first edition of 500 pieces had to be folded and product photos had to be taken and the website and online shop had to be designed as quickly as possible. The aim was to launch and distribute the product before the Abitur 2020.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Concept Development | Layout | Webdesign | Product Photos | Production and Distribution | Social Media Content | Naming
SETTING
The Career Starter Kit was developed as a joint project with Nolten Die Studien- und Berufsberater. For the development I used a short transition period between two jobs.
LEARNINGS
Since the project was a cooperation and not a clear client-contractor relationship, we simply started working. And where no agreements have been made, working patterns naturally arise and shape the workflow. In retrospect, I would clearly define in advance the responsibilities for tasks and decision-making. Even if these are then handled flexibly, I believe, they promote efficiency in the end.
In addition, with regard to user-centered design, it was interesting to note that we designed a product for young people, which is usually bought by their parents. Questions like: „What marketing appeals to the 1950/60s generation when it comes to products for their children? And what should a packaging look like that appeals to both young and old people? I answered rather according to my gut feeling – at one point or another, more user research might have been necessary.
