AI powered recruitment platform
COMPANY
OVERVIEW
Designed an AI-powered recruitment platform that streamlines how recruiters discover, evaluate, and engage candidates through a more unified and intelligent workflow.
Recruiters often navigate fragmented systems, inconsistent candidate records, duplicate outreach, and manual screening processes that slow decision-making and reduce confidence in hiring outcomes.
This project focused on creating a trusted single source of truth by centralising candidate data, improving search precision, and automating key workflow actions to support faster, more confident hiring decisions.
PROJECT
SCOPE
The experience strategy was built around four core pillars:
Trusted Candidate Intelligence
Create a reliable candidate ecosystem by consolidating fragmented information into a single trusted profile.
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Unified candidate data from multiple sources
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Clear source transparency and freshness indicators
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Improved data accuracy and reduced record duplication
Impact: Increased trust in candidate information and reduced decision uncertainty.
AI-Powered Search & Prioritisation
Help recruiters identify high-quality, role-ready candidates faster.
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AI-powered search and advanced filtering
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Match indicators for candidate-role relevance
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Faster discovery and prioritisation workflows
Impact: Reduced time spent manually screening large candidate pools.
Workflow Efficiency & Automation
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Minimise operational friction through simplified workflows and automation.
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One-click actions for faster engagement
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Automated prioritisation support
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Reduced repetitive manual processes
Impact: Accelerated movement from sourcing to outreach with less recruiter effort.
Accessible & Intuitive Experience
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Design a scalable interface that supports speed, clarity, and usability.
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Clear navigation and information hierarchy
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Intuitive iconography and embedded guidance
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Reduced cognitive load across candidate management tasks
Impact: Improved workflow efficiency and faster platform adoption.
THE
GOAL
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Centralise candidate data into a trusted single source of truth
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Improve talent discovery through AI-powered search and filtering
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Reduce manual effort through workflow automation
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Minimise duplicate outreach and operational inefficiencies
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Support faster, higher-confidence hiring decisions
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Deliver a scalable and intuitive recruiter experience
THE PROBLEM
Recruiters face challenges finding qualified, interested candidates and contacts due to irrelevant results, inefficient tools, fragmented and outdated data, and manual workflows. These challenges lead to delays, missed hiring opportunities, and lost commissions.Recruiters need an intelligent, intuitive, AI-assisted platform that unifies and enriches candidate data, reduces operational costs, and better satisfy both employers and job seekers.
OPPORTUNITY
Transform fragmented recruitment workflows into a unified, AI-powered hiring experience that enables recruiters to identify, prioritise, and engage high-quality candidates faster and with greater confidence.
Focus Areas
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Trusted candidate intelligence
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Faster talent discovery and prioritisation
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Reduced manual effort and duplicate outreach
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More scalable and efficient hiring workflows
HOW RECRUITERS DECIDE ABOUT
CANDIDATES?
RESEARCH
APPROACH
To evaluate the usability of the platform, a mixed-method research approach was adopted,
combining competitor analysis, user interviews, and an expert heuristic evaluation to ensure findings were grounded in both market context and real user needs.
Four competing platforms
were analysed to benchmark industry standards, identify common design patterns, and uncover opportunities where this platform could differentiate.
This was followed by in-depth interviews with 8 recruiters across a recruitment agency, exploring their daily workflows, pain points, unmet needs, and preferred tools providing rich qualitative insight into how recruiters work and where existing solutions fall short.
Building on these findings, a heuristic evaluation was conducted against Jakob Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics, inspecting four core areas of the product:
the Unified Profile, Search Experience, Recruiter Workflow, and Profile Detail View.
Each area was assessed for strengths and weaknesses, with findings mapped to the relevant heuristic and paired with actionable recommendations.
Together, these three methods form a structured, evidence-based analysis designed to surface meaningful friction points and clear opportunities to elevate the recruiter experience.
HEURISTIC EVALUATION
HEURISTIC
EVALUATION
UNIFIED PROFILE
STRENGTH
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Profile cards surface
a hover-triggered score breakdown including the score, supporting rationale, and key indicators reducing cognitive load by enabling pattern recognition over manual recall.
(Recognition than recall)
WEAKNESS
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Profiles give no indication of prior interaction
users cannot tell whether a candidate has already been viewed or actioned.
(visibility of system status)
RECOMENDATION
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Introduce a persistent visual marker
such as a checkmark or "Viewed" label to distinguish previously visited profiles at a glance.
SEARCH EXPERIENCE
STRENGTH
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Search iconography aligns with widely recognised conventions
lowering the learning curve and reducing reliance on instructional text.
(Match with the real world)
WEAKNESS
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There is no per-category "clear all" option
Users can only reset all search filters simultaneously, offering no granular control over individual filter groups.
(Flexibility and efficiency of use)
RECOMENDATION
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Add a "Clear" action
within each individual search category so users can refine without losing unrelated filter selections.
RECRUITERS WORKFLOW
STRENGTH
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Tapping the phone or email icon triggers an immediate "Copied to clipboard" confirmation
giving users clear, real-time feedback on the action taken.
(Visibility of system status)
WEAKNESS
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Filter inconsistency
The "Unknown (Score: 0)" intent filter displays incorrect candidate counts and loses its state on scroll, creating ambiguity about the active filter set.
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Navigation friction
Switching between card and table views requires scrolling to the top of the page an unnecessary interaction cost.
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No bulk selection
Candidates can only be selected one at a time, making bulk actions slow and labour-intensive.
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Visual inconsistency
Inconsistent font sizes and heading hierarchy between card and table views disrupt scanning and cross-view comparison.
(Visibility of system status / user control / flexibility / consistency & standards)
PROFILE DETAIL
STRENGTH
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Sync is available both at the individual profile level and in bulk via the top toolbar
offering users flexibility in how they manage data freshness.
(Visibility of system status)
WEAKNESS
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Sync visibility gaps
There is no "sync all" option. The synced badge only appears in card view and only on manually synced profiles leaving auto-synced profiles unlabelled and the table view without any status indicator.
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Text-heavy layout
The absence of company logos, visual icons, or colour-coded section differentiation places excessive burden on reading rather than recognition.
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Opaque timeline data
The merged role timeline provides no indication of whether data originates from the internal database or an enrichment source. There is also no role-status indicator to distinguish candidates, contacts, or hybrid profiles.
RECOMMENDATION
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Extend the synced badge
to both views and to all synced profiles, including auto-synced ones. Add source attribution to timeline entries and a visible role-status indicator on each profile.
(Visibility of system status / recognition over recall)
COMPETITOR
ANALYSIS
We analyzed four key competitors:
Loxo
Lusha
Fimable
Zoominfo
LOXO KEY
STRENGHTS
LOXO KEY
OPPORTUNITIES
LUSHA KEY
STRENGHTS
LUSHA KEY
WEAKNESSES
LUSHA KEY
OPPORTUNITIES
FIMABLE KEY
STRENGHTS
FIMABLE KEY
WEAKNESSES &
OPPORTUNITIES
ZOOMINFO KEY
STRENGHTS
ZOOMINFO KEY
WEAKNESSES & OPPORTUNITIES
KEY
STRENGHTS
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AI-driven prioritisation
Surfaces high-potential candidates and contacts, reducing time spent on manual triage.
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CRM integration
Connects seamlessly with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive for consistent data management.
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Unified profile views
Consolidates internal and external data into a single enriched record with auto-merge capabilities.
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Advanced search & filters
Saved searches, smart filters, and diversity-focused options support consistent team-wide prospecting.
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Workflow efficiency
AI email drafting, pipeline customisation, and folder management reduce context-switching.
KEY
WEAKNESSES
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Unreliable data quality
Outdated and unverified contacts are a recurring issue across all platforms.
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Limited user control
Merging and enrichment are fully automated with little room for manual override.
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Pricing & access friction
Credit caps and high costs alienate smaller teams and high-volume users.
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Complex, cluttered UIs
Dense layouts and buried AI features slow down workflows rather than enabling them.
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No timing intelligence
Platforms show who to contact — none indicate when to engage for best results.
MARKET
GAPS
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verified data at scale
No competitor has solved accuracy reliably — a platform built on data trust would stand out.
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Granular sync control
Letting users decide what gets merged or updated is an untapped differentiator.
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Real-time intent signals
Pairing contact data with live behavioural signals shifts prospecting from static to strategic.
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Natural-language search
A conversational search bar would replace complex filter stacks and lower the entry barrier.
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Transparent pricing
Flat access without credit caps has clear appeal for startups and high-volume teams.
USER EXPECTATIONS &
WHAT I DESIGNED
Surfacing buried candidates Automatically
" We placed someone who’d been sitting in our database for four years. No one had spoken to him – turned out he was senior by then. That’s the gold we’re missing "
Design Decision
Recruiters already have the right candidates in their database, they just can't see them. Stale data buries good profiles, and manually hunting through outdated records isn't a realistic use of a recruiter's time. So rather than asking users to do that work, we designed ai.nstein to do it for them automatically detecting and reviving dormant profiles using AI, and flagging candidates who show signals of being ready to re-engage.
Insuficient Search
" LinkedIn’s AI search is shocking – it gives you people that are nowhere near what you’re looking for. I’d rather get four profiles that are bang on than a hundred wrong ones "
Design Decision
Recruiters already have the right candidates in their database, they just can't see them. Stale data buries good profiles, and manually hunting through outdated records isn't a realistic use of a recruiter's time. So rather than asking users to do that work, we designed ai.nstein to do it for them automatically detecting and reviving dormant profiles using AI, and flagging candidates who show signals of being ready to re-engage.
Removing data admin from the recruiter's platform
" Every Friday, I sit there and merge duplicates with a beer. It shouldn’t be that hard – just clean and clear.
The most consistent frustration we heard wasn't about features, it was about time.
Design Decision
Recruiters are spending hours on repetitive data cleanup that adds no real value to their work. We took that as a clear signal: the interface needs to handle maintenance automatically in the background, stay transparent about what it's doing, and get out of the recruiter's way, so their time goes toward candidates and relationships, not admin.
USES EXPECTATIONS & WHAT I DESIGNED
HOW MIGHT WE ...
HOW MIGHT WE ...
single unified profile
How might we create a single, unified profile that gives recruiters a complete view of both candidates and clients?
Design an intuitive search
How might we design an intuitive search that helps recruiters quickly filter, sort, and identify candidates using AI suggestions across large pools?
Streamline workflows
How might we streamline workflows with clear merge/review controls and one-click actions, enabling faster prioritisation, review, and engagement?
MVP
The MVP was designed to bring clarity and intelligence to a recruiter's daily workflow starting with the essentials of fast, precise search and organized candidate management, then layering in AI-driven insights to help recruiters make smarter, faster decisions.
Every feature was prioritized using an impact-effort framework, ensuring the product delivered immediate value while building toward a smarter, more connected platform over time.
REDESIGN THE WEB PLATFORM
DESIGN DECISIONS FROM USER
USER INSIGHTS TO INTERFACE
SEARCH
EXPERIENCE
"I only really use location and keywords maybe job title. The other filters I barely touch."
Recruiters aren't using most of the search filters available to them.
The tools were built around possibility, not behaviour and the gap between the two was costing recruiters time on every search.
We redesigned the search experience
around how recruiters actually work, not how the system assumed they would.
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Filter hierarchy: Location, job title, and industry are prioritised at the top. The order reflects the natural sequence recruiters follow when searching, reducing the cognitive load of every query
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Individual filter clear: Recruiters sometimes need to adjust one filter, not start over. We gave each filter its own clear option so users stay in control without losing their entire search context
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Saved searches: Recruiters run the same searches daily. We made it possible to save and recall them instantly, eliminating the need to rebuild from memory each time
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AI-recommended searches: When a recruiter clicks into the search bar, they see recent queries alongside AI-generated suggestions — prompting directions they may not have considered
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Enrichment toggle: Switching data sources greys out non-active information, so the origin of every data point is immediately visible
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Seniority icon: We replaced the heartbeat icon with a crown. It's a small change, but it communicates authority and seniority far more intuitively at a glance
PEOPLE
TAB
"I'm constantly jumping between platforms just to piece together information on one person. It breaks your flow completely."
Recruiters weren't suffering from a lack of data, they were suffering from data scattered across too many places. Every context switch was costing them focus and time.
We chose to consolidate everything into a single unified profile, so recruiters never have to leave to find what they need.
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Unified profile: Candidate and company data brought into one view, eliminating cross-referencing between platforms
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Photo and education at the top: Recruiters told us they remember candidates by face. We prioritised the profile photo and education credentials so recognition is immediate
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Red flag indicators: Surface unsuitable candidates visually, before the recruiter even opens a profile
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People and company toggle: Keeps recruiters inside the same workflow. Switching between a candidate profile and company information doesn't break their search flow
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Enrichment vs. database toggle: Non-active data sources are greyed out when switching, making it immediately clear where each piece of information comes from
COMAPNY
SECTION
"The layout feels cluttered. I'm spending time looking for things that should just be obvious."
The previous design was working against recruiters unnecessary icons, compressed text, and action buttons competing for attention. The interface was adding friction to tasks that should be instant.
We stripped back everything that wasn't earning its place, and rebuilt the layout around the information recruiters reach for first.
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Decluttered layout: Removed superfluous icons and visual noise to direct focus toward what matters
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Department and industry detail: Added directly from recruiter feedback. These are fields they actively look for, and they weren't visible enough
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Action buttons moved to the header: Relocated from the right-hand side to the top, freeing up space and making key actions consistently accessible
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Company logo: Added for instant recognition. Recruiters scan company lists quickly a logo makes identification faster than reading a name
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Dedicated hiring manager column: Recruiters told us identifying the hiring manager quickly is critical. We gave it its own column so the information is never buried
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Hiring activity indicator: A visual signal that flags changes in hiring activity directly on the profile, so recruiters can monitor momentum without navigating away
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Overview snapshot: Employees, job listings, recent activity, and notes consolidated into one section at the top of every company page
QUEUE
FEATURE
"I don't want it clogging my emails. Give us a way to check everything in one place, not have it popping up all over the system."
"Every Friday I sit there and merge duplicates for hours. As a business owner, I shouldn't be doing that."
Recruiters were losing hours every week to data reconciliation approving syncs, resolving duplicates, and managing matches scattered across disconnected systems. It wasn't a minor inconvenience. It was eroding confidence in their own data.
We designed the queue to centralise that work into one controlled, transparent space, so recruiters could action decisions without chaos.
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Persistent toolbar access: The queue is reachable at any point from the top toolbar, without interrupting the current workflow
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Centralised view: Pending syncs, duplicates, and candidate-contact links all managed from a single place
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Status icons: Distinct icons distinguish between sync requests, duplicates, and links requiring approval — so recruiters know what they're dealing with before they click
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Side-by-side profile preview: Both source profiles are shown simultaneously when reviewing a match. Recruiters wanted to see enrichment before committing — not discover that data had been silently overwritten
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Append or overwrite control: Recruiters choose whether to add new data alongside existing records, or replace them entirely — with a full preview before any change is confirmed
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Duplicate merge workflow — Recruiters review each conflicting field individually, select the data they want to keep, nominate a primary profile, or exclude a record from the list before anything is merged
PROFILE CARDS
The onboarding flow is designed to deliver value from the first interaction while enabling personalised recommendations.
Users can:
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Create an account or continue as a guest
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Set up their profile, including name and preferences
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Define style, fit, and brand preferences
This approach ensures recommendations feel relevant from the start while keeping the process lightweight and flexible, reducing drop-off. Users can access core features immediately, allowing them to explore the app and experience value early.
SEARCH EXPERIENCE
Search is the most used part of any recruiting platform and the one most likely to create friction. Through competitor analysis and direct recruiter interviews, we found that most search tools are built around what's possible, not how recruiters actually work. Filters go unused, layouts create unnecessary steps, and switching between people and companies breaks the search flow entirely.
We redesigned the search experience from the ground up — grounded in recruiter behaviour, not system logic.
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Filter hierarchy
Recruiters consistently reach for location, job title, and industry first. We surfaced these at the top in the order they naturally search, reducing the cognitive effort of every query
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People and company toggle
Rather than treating candidate and company searches as separate journeys, a single toggle keeps recruiters within the same workflow switching contexts without losing their place or starting over
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Individual filter clear
A global "clear all" forces recruiters to rebuild searches from scratch. We gave each filter its own clear option, so users can adjust one variable without losing everything else
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Saved searches
Recruiters repeat the same searches daily. Saving and recalling them instantly eliminates the need to rebuild from memory each time
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AI-recommended searches
When clicking into the search bar, recruiters see recent queries alongside AI-generated suggestions — surfacing search directions they may not have considered on their own
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Enrichment toggle
Switching between data sources greys out non-active information, making the origin of every data point immediately visible
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Seniority icon
We replaced the heartbeat icon with a crown — a symbol that communicates authority and seniority far more intuitively at a glance
Every enhancement was guided by four UX principles: discoverability, so the right tools are always findable; understandability, so every element communicates its purpose clearly; affordance, so interactions feel natural and expected; and forgiveness, so no action feels irreversible or costly to undo.
QUEUE
Recruiters weren't just frustrated by duplicate data, they were frustrated by the lack of a single place to deal with it. Notifications scattered across systems were breaking focus and eroding confidence in their data without giving them a clear way to act.
We designed the queue to centralise every pending decision into one controlled, transparent space.
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Status icons
Distinct icons differentiate between pending syncs, duplicates, and links requiring approval, so recruiters immediately know what needs their attention before clicking into anything
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Side-by-side profile preview
When reviewing a match or sync, both source profiles are displayed simultaneously. Recruiters told us they wanted to see enriched data before committing to any change — not discover that records had been silently overwritten
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Append or overwrite control
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Rather than forcing a single outcome, recruiters choose whether to add new data alongside existing records or replace them entirely — with a full preview before any change is confirmed
SYNCS
DUPLICATES
Duplicate management was one of the most time-consuming and confidence-damaging parts of a recruiter's week. The risk of merging the wrong profiles meant recruiters couldn't trust automation, so they were doing it all manually, every time.
We designed a merge workflow that gives recruiters full visibility and control before any decision is finalised.
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Field-level selection
Recruiters review each conflicting data point individually and choose exactly which version to keep nothing is assumed or overwritten without explicit approval
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Primary profile nomination
A clear option to designate which record becomes the master profile, preserving the history and context that matters most
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Exclude from list
For records that shouldn't be merged at all, recruiters can remove them from the queue without taking action — keeping the workspace clean without forcing a decision.
The queue as a whole reflects a single design principle: automation should reduce effort, not remove control. Every decision the system surfaces is one the recruiter makes on their own terms with full context, and no surprises.
LINKS
Candidate and contact matching
The same person can exist in two entirely different contexts for a recruiter once as a candidate they've placed, once as a contact they're managing. When those two records aren't linked, the recruiter loses the full picture at exactly the moment it matters most. They risk reaching out to someone without knowing the history, or missing a connection that was already there.
This isn't a minor data issue, it's a relationship risk. And it was one no platform we researched had addressed directly.
We designed a matching workflow within the queue that surfaces potential links between candidate and contact profiles, giving recruiters the ability to review and confirm relationships before they are established.
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Potential match surfacing
The system identifies candidate and contact profiles that are likely the same person, presenting them for review rather than linking them automatically
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Side-by-side comparison
Both profiles are displayed simultaneously so recruiters can assess the relationship with full context before making a decision
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Recruiter-confirmed linking
No connection is made without explicit approval, ensuring every relationship in the database is accurate, intentional, and trustworthy
By routing these decisions through the queue, ai.nstein ensures that the candidate and contact worlds which recruiters constantly move between are always correctly connected. It closes a gap that most platforms leave unaddressed, and does it without adding complexity to the recruiter's workflow.
FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
The core experience solves today's friction. These recommendations define where ai.nstein goes next shifting the platform from a tool recruiters use reactively to one that actively works alongside them.
SEARCH EXPERIENCE
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Job and people folders
Recruiters lose context every time they switch tasks. Folders create a persistent, organised workspace that lets them move between searches and categories without rebuilding their train of thought each time turning search from a one-off action into an ongoing, structured workflow
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Quick-action button
High-frequency tasks like adding to a job or triggering a sync shouldn't require navigation. A single shortcut beside the search bar keeps these actions ambient — available without interrupting focus
UNIFIED PROFILE
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Smart candidate recommendations
As recruiters use the platform, it should get better at predicting what they need. By learning from behaviour and hiring patterns, ai.nstein can proactively surface relevant candidates gradually reducing dependence on manual searching and adding compounding value over time
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Relationship mapping
The most valuable insight is often already in the database it's just invisible. A visual graph of connections between candidates and companies surfaces that hidden context, helping recruiters make more informed decisions without additional research
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Visual pipeline
Recruiters need more than a list of candidates, they need to understand momentum. A role-level pipeline view makes it immediately clear where each candidate stands and how they connect across teams, turning individual profiles into a coherent hiring picture
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Bulk actions
Shortlisting or messaging multiple candidates individually is one of the most time-consuming parts of a recruiter's day. Bulk actions scale their output without scaling their effort — making high-volume recruiting feel manageable rather than exhausting
QUEUE MANAGEMENT
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Auto-enrichment settings
As trust in the platform grows, requiring manual approval for every low-risk data change becomes a bottleneck rather than a safeguard. Auto-enrichment lets the system handle high-confidence syncs, merges, and links autonomously — while keeping recruiters in full control through a simple on/off toggle and notifications before every action. It's the natural next step from a queue that manages uncertainty to a system that resolves it intelligently