Helping Muslims Travel Better, Faster
COMPANY
Have Halal Will Travel
ROLE
Lead UX Designer & Researcher
EXPERTISE
UX/UI Design
YEAR
2023
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
Background —
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
My Role —
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Partnered cross-functionally with the Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT, and University Communications Office.
Timeline —
June 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
Problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Goal
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Our Design Solutions
01
Career Page
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
02
Career Page
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03
Career Page
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Refreshed Visual Identity
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
04
Career Page
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
05
Job Application Portal
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Work with the Team You Have
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Designing Without User Research
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
01 / Setting the context
Background —
Background —
Have Halal Will Travel (HHWT) is the leading muslim travel & lifestyle platform based in Singapore with a market in the SEA region. Their current product is a content-rich website, primarily centred around travel-related articles and content.
Considering their substantial Muslim user base, HHWT is now aiming to extend their scope beyond being just a content website and transition into an all-in-one platform for muslim's travel needs.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available. However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
Timeline —
4 Weeks sprint | Aug 2023
Aug 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
My Role —
My Role —
My Role —
Led a team of 3, worked closely with Product Manager
Directed project flow through UX design and research
Collaborated closely with stakeholders and team to execute and deliver prototype
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Worked cross-functionally with stakeholders from Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT and University Communications Office.
Problem
Problem
02 / Establishing the problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
Users can only read and then save articles that they like
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
NUS's institutional value and research impact
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
NUS' institutional value and research impact
No means to ask questions on the website
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
No motivation to sign up for an account
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
“How might we enhance the user experience and boost engagement of Have Halal Will Travel website so that muslims will use it as a go-to resource for all their travelling needs?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Research Deepdive
View Solutions
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Goal
Goal
To increase retention time and lower bounce rates from 80% to 70%
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
To increase engagement on website and allow users to interact with the community
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
To improve overall user experience by aligning information architecture with user behaviours in asking, searching, and browsing
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Feel free to see our protoype in action here!
View HHWT Prototype
03 / Solutions in detail
Our Design Solutions
Our Design Solutions
03 — 01
01
Destination Page
Career Page
Expanding to 3 destination pages to improve categorisation and hierarchy
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
Our research shows users struggle with the old destination page; they prefer to start with a country-first approach and then narrowing down to specific cities.
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
03 — 02
02
Homepage
Career Page
Leading users to more content by allowing them to search
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
These prompts are designed to guide users who visit the homepage with the intention of exploring further, directing them to different parts of the site.
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03 — 03
03
Destination Page
Career Page
Increase findability of content for users who browse
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Country Specific Destination Page > Itinerary
Refreshed Visual Identity
Placing the itinerary on the country destination page ensures a more central and contextually relevant experience, improving user engagement and easier reference.
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
City Specific Destination Page > Article Categorisation
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Following HHWT's travel taxonomy of Eat, See & Do, and Stay, we've organised articles to help users easily find inspiration to include in their itineraries.
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
03 — 04
04
Article Content Page
Career Page
Allowing users to ask all their questions natively
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Previously HHWT struggle with updated information and users have no means to ask / clarify on site. We introduced a community forum to let users update information or seek community opinions, therefore enhancing engagement and interaction.
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
We redesigned the career page information architecture to align with how candidates naturally search and explore opportunities.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
"Join our Academic Network"
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
03 — 05
05
Article Content Page
Job Application Portal
Improve content browsing experience
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
The summary feature addresses scrolling fatigue and provides rapid information access, making HHWT an on-the-go resource beyond trip planning.
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Proposed Future steps for HHWT
04 / Next Steps
01 / UGC
Users sharing their vlogs, tiktoks
Users sharing their itineraries
Destination guides write articles or reviews about new halal openings
02 / Geolocation
Consider geolocalized personalisation
Use geolocation to recommend things around the area. i.e. halal food near the airport.
03 / Community — 'Ask a Guide'
Give users motivation to signup for an account to interact with community
Reach out to muslims who stay abroad to be guides and answer user queries.
Retrospective
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Project Takeaways
Embracing Agile to Manage Time and Quality
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
The team spent about 1.5 weeks designing and delivering a high-quality prototype. Adopting a more agile methodology could have helped allocate time more effectively, preventing burnout and ensuring we didn't overextend ourselves.
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Navigating Constraints in User Research
Work with the Team You Have, Not the Team You Want
Although 200 users were willing to participate in interviews, only 19 were selected by the client, with just 3 responding. A larger pool would have deepened user understanding. Time constraints prevented user testing to validate assumptions and prototype effectiveness in enhancing user experience, leaving recommendations based solely on insights, not user feedback.
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Personal Takeaways
Delegate and Communicate More
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
Initially, team communication was poor, leading me to take on too much until I realised the need for explicit delegation.
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Clarifying Early to Avoid Delays
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
We had to pivot significantly due to broad scope and overwhelming focus areas, causing delays. In hindsight, earlier check-ins with stakeholders could have ensured ample project time.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Never Assume
Designing Without User Research
I need to consistently communicate with my team and stakeholders to avoid assumptions, as I'm prone to them. Managing this will ensure research provides deeper insights than I might anticipate.
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
Key learnings from research
06 / Research insights
Key insights from data
Through analysis of Google Analytics and Hotjar recordings, we've identified the following key insights of user behavior challenges. These insights will serve as valuable guidance as we work on revamping the website's information architecture (IA).
01 / Findability issues
Users exhibited uncertainty about how to navigate the destination and itinerary page : often can't find what they need in either page
02 / Ad placements
Ad placements are too sporadic and interfere with user experience. Most users drop off after the 2nd pop-up ad interaction
03 / Scrolling Fatigue
Users read the entire article and scroll back up to find listings they're interested in, which proved to be tedious
Key insights from user interviews
We conducted 3 user interviews to gain a better understanding of the travel needs of muslims, their pain point and frustrations. Additionally, we observed their site usage, collected their suggestions for improving the overall user experience, and sought their opinions on integrating a community aspect.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
Main takeaways from research
Navigation challanges and findability issues on key pages - users bounce off from the site out of frustration and HHWT struggle with retention
Users leaving the HHWT ecosystem to do external google search - information not updated and not extensive enough, no means to ask / clarify on site.
Users want to be led to information faster especially on an article content page, without having to experience scrolling fatigue
Design Prioritsation
07 / Idea Development
Synthesising all our data
The affinity map helped us recognize consistent patterns across all data sources and provided valuable guidance for shaping our recommendations. We identified patterns in current user behavior, type of travel, most importantly we identified current pain points and opportunities for us to take
Key Insights from Affinity Map
01 / Destination
Users will generally think about the country first before narrowing down to the cities i.e. Japan first and then Tokyo
02 / Lack of Action
Resources are overwhelming, users don’t know what they’re supposed to do on the pages
03 / User Engagement
Recommendations from muslims based in different countries and interaction with the community
04 / Summary Button
Summary button suggestions were brought up as it will direct users faster without having to scroll so much
Categorising our features and recommendations
We grouped our affinity map insights into three categories: IA improvements, design features, and content rules, placing them on a prioritisation matrix based on feasibility and impact. This helps us to pinpoint key areas of focus. We also documented future suggestions that emerged but couldn't be incorporated due to project time constraints.
TL;DR
08 / Research Process
We conducted data analysis, competitive analysis, user testing, and evaluated usability heuristics and information architecture to better understand our users and website.
These insights guided the redesign of key pages like the homepage, destination page, and content article page.
For more details on the case study, please reach out to me here.
Helping Muslims Travel Better, Faster
COMPANY
Have Halal Will Travel
ROLE
Lead UX Designer & Researcher
EXPERTISE
UX/UI Design
YEAR
2023
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
Background —
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
My Role —
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Partnered cross-functionally with the Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT, and University Communications Office.
Timeline —
June 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
Problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Goal
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Our Design Solutions
01
Career Page
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
02
Career Page
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03
Career Page
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Refreshed Visual Identity
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
04
Career Page
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
05
Job Application Portal
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Work with the Team You Have
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Designing Without User Research
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
01 / Setting the context
Background —
Background —
Have Halal Will Travel (HHWT) is the leading muslim travel & lifestyle platform based in Singapore with a market in the SEA region. Their current product is a content-rich website, primarily centred around travel-related articles and content.
Considering their substantial Muslim user base, HHWT is now aiming to extend their scope beyond being just a content website and transition into an all-in-one platform for muslim's travel needs.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available. However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
Timeline —
4 Weeks sprint | Aug 2023
Aug 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
My Role —
My Role —
My Role —
Led a team of 3, worked closely with Product Manager
Directed project flow through UX design and research
Collaborated closely with stakeholders and team to execute and deliver prototype
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Worked cross-functionally with stakeholders from Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT and University Communications Office.
Problem
Problem
02 / Establishing the problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
Users can only read and then save articles that they like
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
NUS's institutional value and research impact
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
NUS' institutional value and research impact
No means to ask questions on the website
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
No motivation to sign up for an account
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
“How might we enhance the user experience and boost engagement of Have Halal Will Travel website so that muslims will use it as a go-to resource for all their travelling needs?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Research Deepdive
View Solutions
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Goal
Goal
To increase retention time and lower bounce rates from 80% to 70%
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
To increase engagement on website and allow users to interact with the community
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
To improve overall user experience by aligning information architecture with user behaviours in asking, searching, and browsing
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Feel free to see our protoype in action here!
View HHWT Prototype
03 / Solutions in detail
Our Design Solutions
Our Design Solutions
03 — 01
01
Destination Page
Career Page
Expanding to 3 destination pages to improve categorisation and hierarchy
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
Our research shows users struggle with the old destination page; they prefer to start with a country-first approach and then narrowing down to specific cities.
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
03 — 02
02
Homepage
Career Page
Leading users to more content by allowing them to search
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
These prompts are designed to guide users who visit the homepage with the intention of exploring further, directing them to different parts of the site.
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03 — 03
03
Destination Page
Career Page
Increase findability of content for users who browse
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Country Specific Destination Page > Itinerary
Refreshed Visual Identity
Placing the itinerary on the country destination page ensures a more central and contextually relevant experience, improving user engagement and easier reference.
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
City Specific Destination Page > Article Categorisation
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Following HHWT's travel taxonomy of Eat, See & Do, and Stay, we've organised articles to help users easily find inspiration to include in their itineraries.
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
03 — 04
04
Article Content Page
Career Page
Allowing users to ask all their questions natively
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Previously HHWT struggle with updated information and users have no means to ask / clarify on site. We introduced a community forum to let users update information or seek community opinions, therefore enhancing engagement and interaction.
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
We redesigned the career page information architecture to align with how candidates naturally search and explore opportunities.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
"Join our Academic Network"
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
03 — 05
05
Article Content Page
Job Application Portal
Improve content browsing experience
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
The summary feature addresses scrolling fatigue and provides rapid information access, making HHWT an on-the-go resource beyond trip planning.
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Proposed Future steps for HHWT
04 / Next Steps
01 / UGC
Users sharing their vlogs, tiktoks
Users sharing their itineraries
Destination guides write articles or reviews about new halal openings
02 / Geolocation
Consider geolocalized personalisation
Use geolocation to recommend things around the area. i.e. halal food near the airport.
03 / Community — 'Ask a Guide'
Give users motivation to signup for an account to interact with community
Reach out to muslims who stay abroad to be guides and answer user queries.
Retrospective
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Project Takeaways
Embracing Agile to Manage Time and Quality
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
The team spent about 1.5 weeks designing and delivering a high-quality prototype. Adopting a more agile methodology could have helped allocate time more effectively, preventing burnout and ensuring we didn't overextend ourselves.
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Navigating Constraints in User Research
Work with the Team You Have, Not the Team You Want
Although 200 users were willing to participate in interviews, only 19 were selected by the client, with just 3 responding. A larger pool would have deepened user understanding. Time constraints prevented user testing to validate assumptions and prototype effectiveness in enhancing user experience, leaving recommendations based solely on insights, not user feedback.
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Personal Takeaways
Delegate and Communicate More
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
Initially, team communication was poor, leading me to take on too much until I realised the need for explicit delegation.
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Clarifying Early to Avoid Delays
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
We had to pivot significantly due to broad scope and overwhelming focus areas, causing delays. In hindsight, earlier check-ins with stakeholders could have ensured ample project time.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Never Assume
Designing Without User Research
I need to consistently communicate with my team and stakeholders to avoid assumptions, as I'm prone to them. Managing this will ensure research provides deeper insights than I might anticipate.
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
Key learnings from research
06 / Research insights
Key insights from data
Through analysis of Google Analytics and Hotjar recordings, we've identified the following key insights of user behavior challenges. These insights will serve as valuable guidance as we work on revamping the website's information architecture (IA).
01 / Findability issues
Users exhibited uncertainty about how to navigate the destination and itinerary page : often can't find what they need in either page
02 / Ad placements
Ad placements are too sporadic and interfere with user experience. Most users drop off after the 2nd pop-up ad interaction
03 / Scrolling Fatigue
Users read the entire article and scroll back up to find listings they're interested in, which proved to be tedious
Key insights from user interviews
We conducted 3 user interviews to gain a better understanding of the travel needs of muslims, their pain point and frustrations. Additionally, we observed their site usage, collected their suggestions for improving the overall user experience, and sought their opinions on integrating a community aspect.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
Main takeaways from research
Navigation challanges and findability issues on key pages - users bounce off from the site out of frustration and HHWT struggle with retention
Users leaving the HHWT ecosystem to do external google search - information not updated and not extensive enough, no means to ask / clarify on site.
Users want to be led to information faster especially on an article content page, without having to experience scrolling fatigue
Design Prioritsation
07 / Idea Development
Synthesising all our data
The affinity map helped us recognize consistent patterns across all data sources and provided valuable guidance for shaping our recommendations. We identified patterns in current user behavior, type of travel, most importantly we identified current pain points and opportunities for us to take
Key Insights from Affinity Map
01 / Destination
Users will generally think about the country first before narrowing down to the cities i.e. Japan first and then Tokyo
02 / Lack of Action
Resources are overwhelming, users don’t know what they’re supposed to do on the pages
03 / User Engagement
Recommendations from muslims based in different countries and interaction with the community
04 / Summary Button
Summary button suggestions were brought up as it will direct users faster without having to scroll so much
Categorising our features and recommendations
We grouped our affinity map insights into three categories: IA improvements, design features, and content rules, placing them on a prioritisation matrix based on feasibility and impact. This helps us to pinpoint key areas of focus. We also documented future suggestions that emerged but couldn't be incorporated due to project time constraints.
TL;DR
08 / Research Process
We conducted data analysis, competitive analysis, user testing, and evaluated usability heuristics and information architecture to better understand our users and website.
These insights guided the redesign of key pages like the homepage, destination page, and content article page.
For more details on the case study, please reach out to me here.
Helping Muslims Travel Better, Faster
COMPANY
Have Halal Will Travel
ROLE
Lead UX Designer & Researcher
EXPERTISE
UX/UI Design
YEAR
2023
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
NUS — 2025
Reimagining Academic Talent Recruitment
CLIENT
National University of Singapore
ROLE
UX & Multimedia Designer
EXPERTISE
UX Design
Content Design
YEAR
2025 — 2026
Background —
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
My Role —
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Partnered cross-functionally with the Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT, and University Communications Office.
Timeline —
June 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
Problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Goal
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Our Design Solutions
01
Career Page
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
02
Career Page
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03
Career Page
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Refreshed Visual Identity
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
04
Career Page
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
05
Job Application Portal
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Work with the Team You Have
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Designing Without User Research
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
01 / Setting the context
Background —
Background —
Have Halal Will Travel (HHWT) is the leading muslim travel & lifestyle platform based in Singapore with a market in the SEA region. Their current product is a content-rich website, primarily centred around travel-related articles and content.
Considering their substantial Muslim user base, HHWT is now aiming to extend their scope beyond being just a content website and transition into an all-in-one platform for muslim's travel needs.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available. However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
When I joined NUS in 2023, I refreshed the NUS Career Page to help potential applicants explore what it's like working at NUS and the myriad of jobs available.
However, with over 15,000 staff across various job clusters—Academics, Researchers, Executive, and Admin staff—each with distinct hiring requirements, it became clear that different candidate segments needed specialised experiences.
Timeline —
4 Weeks sprint | Aug 2023
Aug 2025 — March 2026
Skills —
UX Design
Content Design
Branding
Design System
Prototyping
Cross-functional
Stakeholder Management
My Role —
My Role —
My Role —
Led a team of 3, worked closely with Product Manager
Directed project flow through UX design and research
Collaborated closely with stakeholders and team to execute and deliver prototype
I'm uniquely positioned between HR and Communications; I led content, UX, and design system work to keep outputs on-brand.
Worked cross-functionally with stakeholders from Provost's Office, NUS OHR, NUSIT and University Communications Office.
Problem
Problem
02 / Establishing the problem
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
The Provost's Office approached us to address a critical gap in academic hiring. Prospective academic hires had no central repository of information and were directed straight to job applications without understanding:
This fragmented experience was hindering our ability to attract and engage top academic talent, prompting a cross-functional collaboration with NUSIT, HR, Provost's Office, and University Communications to redesign the entire academic recruitment journey.
Users can only read and then save articles that they like
NUS' institutional value and research impact
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
NUS's institutional value and research impact
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
NUS' institutional value and research impact
No means to ask questions on the website
The distinctions between the three career tracks: Tenure, Educator, and Practice
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
No motivation to sign up for an account
Academics and Researchers jobs are listed togetehr even though they have their own distinct terms
How to explore opportunities if unsure about their fit
“How might we enhance the user experience and boost engagement of Have Halal Will Travel website so that muslims will use it as a go-to resource for all their travelling needs?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
“How might we create a centralised academic hiring experience that clearly segments career tracks and streamlines the application journey from discovery to submission?”
Research Deepdive
View Solutions
Our Process
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Iterative updates to the mockups
Bi-weekly meetings drove iterative mockup updates. I balanced stakeholder feedback with usability, keeping the design user-freindly at every round.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
Content Production
I refreshed content imagery across the board, photographing 4 professors and researchers so the page's imagery genuinely represents the NUS community.
UAT Testing
We ran UAT internally to catch issues before launch, plus small usability sessions with hiring managers, though I wasn't able to facilitate those in person.
Goal
Goal
To increase retention time and lower bounce rates from 80% to 70%
Improve findability and discoverability of academic roles and their various tracks,making it easy for candidates to quickly identify relevant opportunities.
To increase engagement on website and allow users to interact with the community
Streamline the job application process from discovery to submission,reduce friction and ensure candidates have the context and guidance needed at every touchpoint.
To improve overall user experience by aligning information architecture with user behaviours in asking, searching, and browsing
Enhance the job portal interface through better information architecture, making career tracks, requirements, and opportunities easier to understand and navigate.
Feel free to see our protoype in action here!
View HHWT Prototype
03 / Solutions in detail
Our Design Solutions
Our Design Solutions
03 — 01
01
Destination Page
Career Page
Expanding to 3 destination pages to improve categorisation and hierarchy
Creating A Single Destination For Academic Talent
Our research shows users struggle with the old destination page; they prefer to start with a country-first approach and then narrowing down to specific cities.
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links
A dedicated landing page consolidates all academic hiring info in one place, introducing NUS' institutional impact and research achievements before directing candidates to specific roles. This replaces the old fragmented experience of direct job links.
03 — 02
02
Homepage
Career Page
Leading users to more content by allowing them to search
Helping Candidates Find Their Path
These prompts are designed to guide users who visit the homepage with the intention of exploring further, directing them to different parts of the site.
Distinct sections for Tenure, Educator, and Practice tracks, each clearly described and leading to its own job listings, instead of one lumped-together list. Candidates can now see the differences and self-select the right path.
03 — 03
03
Destination Page
Career Page
Increase findability of content for users who browse
Refreshed Visual Identity & Content Strategy
Country Specific Destination Page > Itinerary
Refreshed Visual Identity
Placing the itinerary on the country destination page ensures a more central and contextually relevant experience, improving user engagement and easier reference.
Updated imagery across all career pages with photography that authentically represents NUS' diverse academic community.
City Specific Destination Page > Article Categorisation
Restructured Content with Clearer Information Hierarchy
Following HHWT's travel taxonomy of Eat, See & Do, and Stay, we've organised articles to help users easily find inspiration to include in their itineraries.
Prioritised benefits, impact numbers, and institutional culture earlier in the journey to help candidates decide with the right context.
03 — 04
04
Article Content Page
Career Page
Allowing users to ask all their questions natively
Aligning with Natural User Behaviour
Previously HHWT struggle with updated information and users have no means to ask / clarify on site. We introduced a community forum to let users update information or seek community opinions, therefore enhancing engagement and interaction.
Redesigned the IA to match how candidates actually search.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
We redesigned the career page information architecture to align with how candidates naturally search and explore opportunities.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
"Join our Academic Network"
Lets exploratory candidates express interest via a Qualtrics form, with no pressure to apply immediately.
"Join our Academic Network"
Enhanced Filtering Options
Including specific filters for transitional educator roles, such as school, department and years of experience, speed up discovery for active seekers.
This dual approach accommodates both active job seekers and those exploring future possibilities.
03 — 05
05
Article Content Page
Job Application Portal
Improve content browsing experience
Streamlined Application Forms with Design System Implementation
The summary feature addresses scrolling fatigue and provides rapid information access, making HHWT an on-the-go resource beyond trip planning.
Redesigned application forms using NUS' design system: clearer labels, better validation, stronger hierarchy, to cut confusion and abandonment at teh final step, all while working within SAP's technical constraints.
Proposed Future steps for HHWT
04 / Next Steps
01 / UGC
Users sharing their vlogs, tiktoks
Users sharing their itineraries
Destination guides write articles or reviews about new halal openings
02 / Geolocation
Consider geolocalized personalisation
Use geolocation to recommend things around the area. i.e. halal food near the airport.
03 / Community — 'Ask a Guide'
Give users motivation to signup for an account to interact with community
Reach out to muslims who stay abroad to be guides and answer user queries.
Retrospective
Reflections
Project Takeaways
Project Takeaways
Embracing Agile to Manage Time and Quality
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
Clarify System Limitations Earlier
The team spent about 1.5 weeks designing and delivering a high-quality prototype. Adopting a more agile methodology could have helped allocate time more effectively, preventing burnout and ensuring we didn't overextend ourselves.
SAP's customisation constraints shaped our design system more than they should have. Mapping those limits during discovery, not mid-project, would have saved time and cut the compromises in what we shipped.
Navigating Constraints in User Research
Work with the Team You Have, Not the Team You Want
Although 200 users were willing to participate in interviews, only 19 were selected by the client, with just 3 responding. A larger pool would have deepened user understanding. Time constraints prevented user testing to validate assumptions and prototype effectiveness in enhancing user experience, leaving recommendations based solely on insights, not user feedback.
Our IT architect wasn't a trained developer, so a lot of what I envisioned wasn't technically feasible. I couldn't choose the team, so I got practical: prioritise what mattered, find workarounds for the rest. It taught me to read team capability and technical constraints together.
Personal Takeaways
Personal Takeaways
Delegate and Communicate More
Adapt Communication for Different Stakeholders
Initially, team communication was poor, leading me to take on too much until I realised the need for explicit delegation.
I learned to run mixed-audience meetings: technical enough for IT architects, accessible enough for HR and the Provost's Office. That meant prepping layered explanations and translating between jargon and business language on the fly.
Clarifying Early to Avoid Delays
Advocate for Usability and Information Processing
We had to pivot significantly due to broad scope and overwhelming focus areas, causing delays. In hindsight, earlier check-ins with stakeholders could have ensured ample project time.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
I pushed for usability throughout, from field placement and cognitive load in the forms to information hierarchy in job postings. Those fundamentals ended up being my strongest tools for improving the candidate experience.
Never Assume
Designing Without User Research
I need to consistently communicate with my team and stakeholders to avoid assumptions, as I'm prone to them. Managing this will ensure research provides deeper insights than I might anticipate.
There was no room for proper user research this time, just UAT at the end against workflows that the HR Tech team had already set. I was executing top-down and hoping it held up across branding, system constraints, and usability. I applied UX best practices, but without direct validation, I can't say for certain the solutions met what candidates actually needed.
Key learnings from research
06 / Research insights
Key insights from data
Through analysis of Google Analytics and Hotjar recordings, we've identified the following key insights of user behavior challenges. These insights will serve as valuable guidance as we work on revamping the website's information architecture (IA).
01 / Findability issues
Users exhibited uncertainty about how to navigate the destination and itinerary page : often can't find what they need in either page
02 / Ad placements
Ad placements are too sporadic and interfere with user experience. Most users drop off after the 2nd pop-up ad interaction
03 / Scrolling Fatigue
Users read the entire article and scroll back up to find listings they're interested in, which proved to be tedious
Key insights from user interviews
We conducted 3 user interviews to gain a better understanding of the travel needs of muslims, their pain point and frustrations. Additionally, we observed their site usage, collected their suggestions for improving the overall user experience, and sought their opinions on integrating a community aspect.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
01/
Information all in one place
Interviewees encounter difficulties in locating information on the HHWT site and frequently resort to conducting external Google searches,
02/
Updated information
is crucial
HHWT faces challenges in maintaining up-to-date information and interviewees express a lack of blind trust in the website's information.
03/
Navigation Challanges
Interviewees encounter navigation challenges on the website, leading to frustration. Furthermore, they express uncertainty regarding the actions to take while on the homepage.
04/
Desire for Community
Interviewees suggest that adding a community aspect could solve information discovery issues and highlight the willingness of the Muslim community to assist one another.
Main takeaways from research
Navigation challanges and findability issues on key pages - users bounce off from the site out of frustration and HHWT struggle with retention
Users leaving the HHWT ecosystem to do external google search - information not updated and not extensive enough, no means to ask / clarify on site.
Users want to be led to information faster especially on an article content page, without having to experience scrolling fatigue
Design Prioritsation
07 / Idea Development
Synthesising all our data
The affinity map helped us recognize consistent patterns across all data sources and provided valuable guidance for shaping our recommendations. We identified patterns in current user behavior, type of travel, most importantly we identified current pain points and opportunities for us to take
Key Insights from Affinity Map
01 / Destination
Users will generally think about the country first before narrowing down to the cities i.e. Japan first and then Tokyo
02 / Lack of Action
Resources are overwhelming, users don’t know what they’re supposed to do on the pages
03 / User Engagement
Recommendations from muslims based in different countries and interaction with the community
04 / Summary Button
Summary button suggestions were brought up as it will direct users faster without having to scroll so much
Categorising our features and recommendations
We grouped our affinity map insights into three categories: IA improvements, design features, and content rules, placing them on a prioritisation matrix based on feasibility and impact. This helps us to pinpoint key areas of focus. We also documented future suggestions that emerged but couldn't be incorporated due to project time constraints.
TL;DR
08 / Research Process
We conducted data analysis, competitive analysis, user testing, and evaluated usability heuristics and information architecture to better understand our users and website.
These insights guided the redesign of key pages like the homepage, destination page, and content article page.
For more details on the case study, please reach out to me here.