WhichWay

ECMC Innovation Lab Design Team: Samantha Zucker, Theresa Winters, Rhiana Gunn-Wright, and Justin Hernandez. My role was managing the design and development of the app, up until its final stage as a high-fidelity clickable prototype.

Proprietary material of ECMC Group.  Used with permission.  No further use authorized.

The Challenge

Our office took part in the U.S. Department of Education's Reach Higher Career App Challenge, which allowed us two months to create a mobile solution for middle and/or high school students to:

  • Improve access to information about career and technical education (CTE) or other alternative college paths.
  • Help students, including students with disabilities and English Learners, navigate education and career pathways.
  • Increase the capacity of career counselors to assist students in making decisions about their education and career options.

The Research

During our limited timeline, we analyzed the current career tools available online and through app stores.  We also reached out to our colleagues for best practices in career counseling.

Key Findings

  • When the career assessment feels like a test, users then perceive failure as their possible outcome.

  • Asking one question at a time creates hesitation, not allowing the user to consider the big picture. 

  • Users are quick to lose faith in the technology when career matches don’t meet their desires.

  • When matching the user to careers, there needs to be a balance in the amount of results.

The Solution

Built on the premier data sources for US labor markets, WhichWay empowers students to explore careers that require less than a bachelor’s degree and pay a living wage. Career pathways in the palm of your hand. WhichWay will you go? 

Initial Prototype

Initial Prototype

Final Clickable Prototype

Final Clickable Prototype

Designed to be inclusive, WhichWay seeks to respect the differences within our target user group: high school students interested in jobs that will not require a four-year degree. WhichWay employs a clean and attractive interface that mimics other apps—notably Apple Music and Instagram—popular among teens across the socioeconomic spectrum. 

Match to Practical Careers

All WhichWay careers offer wage potential at or above living wage in the user’s designated geography and average or above average job growth. 

WhichWay empowers students to work with counselors on their desired pathways by offering self-directed exploration. 

WW_CareerMatches.png

WhichWay points students toward pathways that do not require attending a four-year institution, such as HVAC installation and carpentry. This is in stark contrast to current career apps, which often emphasize highly specialized, highly aspirational careers that require extensive education and training (ex. astronauts and CEOs). 

 
 

The Results

While our tool wasn't picked as a finalist by the Dept. of Education, we are still very proud of the work we did and the solutions we came up with for students considering an alternative path after high school.