Rethinking the Recruitment Pipeline
HR Process Chalenges
Challenge ↓
The challenge was to design a recruitment platform that could address the complexity of the teams hiring processes.
My goal was not only to create an interface, but to define a strategy that gave recruiters and managers a unified space to see every role in play and track every candidate’s progress in real time
Designing Software Around Users, Not Forcing Users Around Software
In this project, the real starting point wasn’t the interface — it was learning how recruiters actually work. Even with my background and experience alongside recruitment teams, it quickly became clear that no two teams operate the same way. The tools differ, the workflows differ, and so do the definitions of what “progress” looks like.
To create a solution that supports recruiters, we had to first map their process and then design around it.
Doing this in reverse always leads to costly rework and misalignment. By grounding the design in process, the dashboard and drawer became tools that fit the way recruiters already work. Not the other way around.
The interface had to address key questions users frequently asked. ↓
Dashboard Strategy & Outcomes
The dashboard was designed to mirror recruiters’ existing workflows while introducing a clear strategy for managing roles. We focused on surfacing urgency and establishing data hierarchy, ensuring that the most critical information stood out at a glance.
Columns represent recruitment stages.
Cards represent roles (e.g., React Engineer at Apple).
Clear hierarchy for statuses and skills to improve scannability and decision-making. Key highlights - urgency, required skills, candidate volume, and role ownership — giving recruiters immediate context.
To complement this, we added a drawer: a focused space where recruiters and managers can dive into a specific role without losing context.
High-Level Layout Strategy: Role Command Center ↓
OBJECTIVES
- Improve user engagement and satisfaction by providing a clear and intuitive interface.
- Enhance data visualization to help users quickly grasp key insights.
- Streamline navigation to reduce cognitive load and improve task efficiency.
THE ACTUAL RECRUITMENT PROCESS
To move a candidate forward, recruiters need quick access to key information. The question is: What details should be visible right away to help them act without delay? Rate, Notice period, Names and links to the ATS Profile
Hierarchy and Responsibility
Managers also rely on the dashboard to oversee the process. Our research showed that the most critical questions to answer right away were:
- Who is responsible for this role? Who is the “captain” driving it forward?
- How many active candidates does this role have? This connects directly to scalability and opens the door for future features like health checkers and automations.
- What was the last active step taken? This gives instant context on progress and next actions.
What I learned
- Different roles, different needs. Recruiters and managers don’t always prioritize the same information. Both perspectives need to be addressed.
- Micro-decisions matter. Small layout choices in the drawer (e.g., hierarchy, statuses visibility) have a big impact on efficiency.
- Designing with scalability in mind pays off. Elements like role health indicators or status checks need to be anticipated early, so they can be seamlessly integrated as the product evolves.