Career Highways AI Integration
Career Highways AI Integration
Redesigning Career Highways’ Explore Experience by Integrating Artificial Intelligence.
Redesigning Career Highways’ Explore Experience by Integrating Artificial Intelligence.
Overview
Overview
Career Highways is a web platform that helps high school students explore and plan career pathways. During my internship at PUSH Studio, I collaborated with the client to explore how AI could enhance the Explore experience while preserving familiarity for returning users.
I explored 2 AI interaction models, a conversational chatbot and a recommendation-based system, then tested both to understand when AI adds value versus when classic search performs better. Insights from testing informed a combined solution that supports different exploration behaviors.
Career Highways is a web platform that helps high school students explore and plan career pathways. During my internship at PUSH Studio, I collaborated with the client to explore how AI could enhance the Explore experience while preserving familiarity for returning users.
I explored 2 AI interaction models, a conversational chatbot and a recommendation-based system, then tested both to understand when AI adds value versus when classic search performs better. Insights from testing informed a combined solution that supports different exploration behaviors.
Team:
Team:
Team:
I collaborated with an AI Engineer, PUSH Design Director, and the Client.
I collaborated with an AI Engineer, PUSH Design Director, and the Client.
My Role:
My Role:
My Role:
As a UX/UI Designer, I explored AI interaction models, designed high fidelity prototypes, collaborated with engineering and leadership, and planned and conducted usability testing.
As a UX/UI Designer, I explored AI interaction models, designed high fidelity prototypes, collaborated with engineering and leadership, and planned and conducted usability testing.
Method:
Method:
Method:
Iterative prototyping, and usability testing.
Iterative prototyping, and usability testing.
Tools:
Tools:
Tools:
Figma, FigJam, Jira, and Zoom.
Figma, FigJam, Jira, and Zoom.
Duration:
Duration:
Duration:
November - December 2024 (5 weeks)
November - December 2024 (5 weeks)
Context
Context
Career Highways’ Explore experience helps students discover career paths, jobs, certifications, and courses. Before AI integration, this content was spread across four separate Explore pages, even though users were completing a single discovery task. This often required repeating the same search and filtering actions.
Career Highways’ Explore experience helps students discover career paths, jobs, certifications, and courses. Before AI integration, this content was spread across four separate Explore pages, even though users were completing a single discovery task. This often required repeating the same search and filtering actions.
The project began with a broad request to add AI while maintaining familiarity for returning users. Early direction emphasized making AI highly visible to demonstrate product innovation.
As I reviewed the existing experience, several design considerations guided the project:
The project began with a broad request to add AI while maintaining familiarity for returning users. Early direction emphasized making AI highly visible to demonstrate product innovation.
As I reviewed the existing experience, several design considerations guided the project:
Chatbot layout and screen space
Chatbot layout and screen space
Chatbot layout and screen space
Early layouts prioritized AI visibility but reduced space for reviewing results.
Early layouts prioritized AI visibility but reduced space for reviewing results.
Four separate Explore pages
Four separate Explore pages
Four separate Explore pages
Related content lived across multiple pages, increasing mental effort.
Related content lived across multiple pages, increasing mental effort.
Overlapping systems
Overlapping systems
Overlapping systems
AI, keyword search, and filters appearing together made system behavior unclear.
AI, keyword search, and filters appearing together made system behavior unclear.
Problem Space
Problem Space
Career Highways wanted to introduce AI into an established discovery experience without disrupting existing user workflows.
Career Highways wanted to introduce AI into an established discovery experience without disrupting existing user workflows.
Central Question:
How might we integrate AI into the Explore experience in a way that supports student discovery while maintaining clarity, familiarity, and user control?
Central Question:
How might we integrate AI into the Explore experience in a way that supports student discovery while maintaining clarity, familiarity, and user control?
Central Question:
How might we integrate AI into the Explore experience in a way that supports student discovery while maintaining clarity, familiarity, and user control?
Process
Process
Early Direction and Constraints
Early Direction and Constraints
Based on leadership direction, I designed an AI-first happy path with a conversational interface as the focal point.
Based on leadership direction, I designed an AI-first happy path with a conversational interface as the focal point.
Early feedback focused on reducing redundancy across search controls while reinforcing AI visibility.
Early feedback focused on reducing redundancy across search controls while reinforcing AI visibility.
Separating AI and Classic Search
Separating AI and Classic Search
As the project evolved, an AI Engineer raised a key concern: users should not be forced into AI by default. I redesigned the interface to clearly separate AI-assisted exploration from classic keyword search.
As the project evolved, an AI Engineer raised a key concern: users should not be forced into AI by default. I redesigned the interface to clearly separate AI-assisted exploration from classic keyword search.
Based on feedback, I removed filter chips and kept collapsible filters behind both modes to reduce visual noise.
Based on feedback, I removed filter chips and kept collapsible filters behind both modes to reduce visual noise.
Enabling Mode Switching
Enabling Mode Switching
Further feedback showed users needed flexibility to switch modes mid-exploration. I introduced a persistent toggle that allowed users to move between AI and classic search without losing context.
Further feedback showed users needed flexibility to switch modes mid-exploration. I introduced a persistent toggle that allowed users to move between AI and classic search without losing context.
Recommendation Model
Recommendation Model
At this stage, I questioned whether a chatbot alone was ideal for high school students who may not yet have defined career goals. I explored discovery-driven platforms and proposed a recommendation-based model to support passive exploration.
At this stage, I questioned whether a chatbot alone was ideal for high school students who may not yet have defined career goals. I explored discovery-driven platforms and proposed a recommendation-based model to support passive exploration.
This approach also presented an opportunity to simplify exploration by surfacing connected content across careers, jobs, certifications, and courses in one place.
This approach also presented an opportunity to simplify exploration by surfacing connected content across careers, jobs, certifications, and courses in one place.
Test with Users
Test with Users
I conducted moderated usability testing with 5 participants, each testing both AI models.
I conducted moderated usability testing with 5 participants, each testing both AI models.
Findings
Findings
Users preferred AI for exploration and classic search for precise goals.
Users preferred AI for exploration and classic search for precise goals.
Overlapping AI and classic search caused confusion.
Overlapping AI and classic search caused confusion.
Fixed chatbot placement disrupted browsing.
Fixed chatbot placement disrupted browsing.
Users often missed when AI results updated.
Users often missed when AI results updated.
Key Takeaway:
Exploration and precision search are distinct behaviors that benefit from different AI models.
Key Takeaway:
Exploration and precision search are distinct behaviors that benefit from different AI models.
Key Takeaway:
Exploration and precision search are distinct behaviors that benefit from different AI models.
Limitation
Limitation
Participants were computing students comfortable with AI, which may have influenced adoption. Testing with high school students is needed to validate findings.
Participants were computing students comfortable with AI, which may have influenced adoption. Testing with high school students is needed to validate findings.
Final Design
Final Design
Based on testing insights, I recommended a combined solution integrating conversational AI and personalized recommendations.
Based on testing insights, I recommended a combined solution integrating conversational AI and personalized recommendations.
Key Design Decisions
Key Design Decisions
Optimized Layout
Optimized Layout
Optimized Layout
Removed the hero banner and consolidated Explore pages.
Removed the hero banner and consolidated Explore pages.
Classic mode retains keyword search and filters.
AI mode removes traditional filters and surfaces recommendations.
AI mode removes traditional filters and surfaces recommendations.
Guided Exploration
Guided Exploration
Guided Exploration
Sticky conversation window for reference.
Sticky conversation window for reference.
Visual cues and summaries signal result updates.
Visual cues and summaries signal result updates.
Recommendation carousels support browsing and discovery.
Recommendation carousels support browsing and discovery.
Reflection
Reflection
This project strengthened my ability to design within evolving constraints, collaborate across disciplines, and use testing to evaluate when AI supports or distracts from core tasks. It reinforced that AI integration is a systems problem, not just a UI challenge.
User testing showed that exploration and precision search are distinct behaviors. Conversational AI supported open-ended discovery, while recommendations enabled browsing. With more influence earlier, I would explore floating or collapsible AI patterns that preserve guidance without competing with content.
This project strengthened my ability to design within evolving constraints, collaborate across disciplines, and use testing to evaluate when AI supports or distracts from core tasks. It reinforced that AI integration is a systems problem, not just a UI challenge.
User testing showed that exploration and precision search are distinct behaviors. Conversational AI supported open-ended discovery, while recommendations enabled browsing. With more influence earlier, I would explore floating or collapsible AI patterns that preserve guidance without competing with content.