•
2022
Increased BMW Talent Acquisition applications by 44.7%
Increased BMW Talent Acquisition applications by 44.7%
MY ROLE
Lead UX Design
TIMELINE
6 Months
RESPONSIBILITIES
UX Research
UX Research, Stakeholder Presentations, Prototyping, User Testing, UI Design.
Stakeholder Presentations
Prototyping
User Testing
UI Design
A talent acquisition platform seeking a compelling UX approach and immersive experience.
BMW STEP is amongst the most extensive technician training schemes across North America. They are recognized for their practical methodology and thorough enhancement of technical skills. Yet, their official website seemed antiquated and overloaded with content, lacking a narrative to support its value proposition. As a result, the site faced increased bounce rates, diminished traffic, and reduced page duration.
TL;DR
Redesigned BMW STEP's talent acquisition website into a narrative-first recruitment funnel, to improve program storytelling, application flow, and audience-specific messaging for future technicians, based on BMW's goal of increasing program applications. Applications grew by 44.7%.
TL;DR
Redesigned BMW STEP's talent acquisition website into a narrative-first recruitment funnel, to improve program storytelling, application flow, and audience-specific messaging for future technicians, based on BMW's goal of increasing program applications. Applications grew by 44.7%.
PROBLEM
Most visitors left before the program's story reached them
BMW STEP recruits future automotive technicians across North America, but its website was outdated and read like a brochure, not a pitch. Bounce rate was high, and the few live pages that existed didn't connect into a single narrative. Students, parents, and HR all landed on the same undifferentiated content, so none of them got the specific answer they came looking for: what the program actually offers, what it costs, or where it leads. By the time a visitor reached the application, most had already left.
SOLUTION
The story did the recruiting before the form did
The site was rebuilt around storytelling: program pages now lead with a technician's actual experience before asking for anything, using testimonials and program specifics to build the case for applying. The application was consolidated into one streamlined page instead of a scattered multi-step flow, and a dedicated page was built for parents, answering the cost and career-security questions that came up directly in user interviews. Result: applications increased by 44.7%.
PROBLEM
Most visitors left before the program's story reached them
BMW STEP recruits future automotive technicians across North America, but its website was outdated and read like a brochure, not a pitch. Bounce rate was high, and the few live pages that existed didn't connect into a single narrative. Students, parents, and HR all landed on the same undifferentiated content, so none of them got the specific answer they came looking for: what the program actually offers, what it costs, or where it leads. By the time a visitor reached the application, most had already left.
SOLUTION
The story did the recruiting before the form did
The site was rebuilt around storytelling: program pages now lead with a technician's actual experience before asking for anything, using testimonials and program specifics to build the case for applying. The application was consolidated into one streamlined page instead of a scattered multi-step flow, and a dedicated page was built for parents, answering the cost and career-security questions that came up directly in user interviews. Result: applications increased by 44.7%.
MY ROLE
Lead UX Design
TIMELINE
6 Months
TEAM
For this project, I worked alongside a junior product designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
UX Research
Stakeholder Presentations
Prototyping
User Testing
UI Design
TL;DR
Redesigned BMW STEP's talent acquisition website into a narrative-first recruitment funnel, to improve program storytelling, application flow, and audience-specific messaging for future technicians, based on BMW's goal of increasing program applications. Applications grew by 44.7%.
TL;DR
Rebuilt an image tool capped at 80% inventory coverage into a system that generates unlimited GenAI asset combinations, reaching 100% coverage and cutting setup time from 5 minutes to nearly 1 minute.
PROBLEM
Most visitors left before the program's story reached them
BMW STEP recruits future automotive technicians across North America, but its website was outdated and read like a brochure, not a pitch. Bounce rate was high, and the few live pages that existed didn't connect into a single narrative. Students, parents, and HR all landed on the same undifferentiated content, so none of them got the specific answer they came looking for: what the program actually offers, what it costs, or where it leads. By the time a visitor reached the application, most had already left.
SOLUTION
The story did the recruiting before the form did
The site was rebuilt around storytelling: program pages now lead with a technician's actual experience before asking for anything, using testimonials and program specifics to build the case for applying. The application was consolidated into one streamlined page instead of a scattered multi-step flow, and a dedicated page was built for parents, answering the cost and career-security questions that came up directly in user interviews. Result: applications increased by 44.7%.
PROBLEM
Most visitors left before the program's story reached them
BMW STEP recruits future automotive technicians across North America, but its website was outdated and read like a brochure, not a pitch. Bounce rate was high, and the few live pages that existed didn't connect into a single narrative. Students, parents, and HR all landed on the same undifferentiated content, so none of them got the specific answer they came looking for: what the program actually offers, what it costs, or where it leads. By the time a visitor reached the application, most had already left.
SOLUTION
The story did the recruiting before the form did
A config is a saved AI image template: background, angle and lighting, that can be applied and integrated to any VIN (vehicle). The mandate was to go from one config for the entire inventory to unlimited config-to-VIN combinations, without forcing a new mental model onto existing users. Speed had to scale with coverage: the old flow took about 5 minutes per set, the new one takes one minute.
IMPACT
IMPACT
IMPACT
+30%
Organic Search in comparison to previous year
+30%
Organic Search in comparison to previous year
+30%
Organic Search in comparison to previous year
+44.7%
clicks on apply a month after launch
+44.7%
clicks on apply a month after launch
+44.7%
clicks on apply a month after launch
2+
projects designed based on this foundation
2+
projects designed based on this foundation
2+
projects designed based on this foundation
Main Goals
Main Goals
Increase KPIs such as user engagement, time on page and applications on website.
Equip Recruiters with an efficient tool for in person Program Presentations
Raise the bar for the BMW STEP user experience among its competitors
Increase KPIs such as user engagement, time on page and applications on website.
Equip Recruiters with an efficient tool for in person Program Presentations
Raise the bar for the BMW STEP user experience among its competitors
Increase KPIs such as user engagement, time on page and applications on website.
Equip Recruiters with an efficient tool for in person Program Presentations
Raise the bar for the BMW STEP user experience among its competitors
Initial Challenge
Initial Challenge
We had to improve the UX for users we had little contact with. We had the chance to interview them very quickly, in groups, and get high-level insights on how they felt about the program and their development.
We had to improve the UX for users we had little contact with. We had the chance to interview them very quickly, in groups, and get high-level insights on how they felt about the program and their development.
Research
Research
My first approach was to list all the competitors and map what they offered, what their highlights were, and how they portrayed the students. I then combined these data with the findings from User Interviews.
My first approach was to list all the competitors and map what they offered, what their highlights were, and how they portrayed the students. I then combined these data with the findings from User Interviews.
UX Strategy
UX Strategy
We involved the entire BMW STEP team in the process from the start, showing them the main students' pain points and the competitive analysis.
The strategy was built on portraying the students as protagonists of their development, counting on the mastery of the BMW Brand. This should be reflected in the fluidity of the user experience and in the stories being told on the website.
We involved the entire BMW STEP team in the process from the start, showing them the main students' pain points and the competitive analysis.
The strategy was built on portraying the students as protagonists of their development, counting on the mastery of the BMW Brand. This should be reflected in the fluidity of the user experience and in the stories being told on the website.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
From Stakeholder Interviews:
They frequently used the website at conferences and trade school presentations to explain the program and illustrate its value.
The bounce rate in growth actions concerned the team.
The team didn't clearly perceive their competitors or understand the website's main UX issues.
Competitors highlights
Program outlines had clear and easy-to-understand structures
Some of them had video content as the core means to generate identification with the users.
Flow to apply was clear and intuitive.
User Interviews
Interviewing students was crucial. It confirmed stakeholder concerns (outdated site, text-heavy content) but added user insights:
Recruiters/Instructors play a key role in building trust and should be featured.
Hands-on experience with world-class experience is a major draw.
Some users left before fully grasping the program's offerings.
From Stakeholder Interviews:
They frequently used the website at conferences and trade school presentations to explain the program and illustrate its value.
The bounce rate in growth actions concerned the team.
The team didn't clearly perceive their competitors or understand the website's main UX issues.
Competitors highlights
Program outlines had clear and easy-to-understand structures
Some of them had video content as the core means to generate identification with the users.
Flow to apply was clear and intuitive.
User Interviews
Interviewing students was crucial. It confirmed stakeholder concerns (outdated site, text-heavy content) but added user insights:
Recruiters/Instructors play a key role in building trust and should be featured.
Hands-on experience with world-class experience is a major draw.
Some users left before fully grasping the program's offerings.
From Stakeholder Interviews:
They frequently used the website at conferences and trade school presentations to explain the program and illustrate its value.
The bounce rate in growth actions concerned the team.
The team didn't clearly perceive their competitors or understand the website's main UX issues.
Competitors highlights
Program outlines had clear and easy-to-understand structures
Some of them had video content as the core means to generate identification with the users.
Flow to apply was clear and intuitive.
User Interviews
Interviewing students was crucial. It confirmed stakeholder concerns (outdated site, text-heavy content) but added user insights:
Recruiters/Instructors play a key role in building trust and should be featured.
Hands-on experience with world-class experience is a major draw.
Some users left before fully grasping the program's offerings.
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Storytelling in Program Pages
Program pages were design to engage students and also to serve to recruiters as a prospective tool
Program pages had a narrative, starting with a real student video testimonial
Navigation allowed the user to quickly navigate all topics in the page. Being each designed as a hero.
Apply button fixed in the screen. Users can immediately hit apply whenever they feel ready to start the application
Storytelling in Program Pages
Program pages were design to engage students and also to serve to recruiters as a prospective tool
Program pages had a narrative, starting with a real student video testimonial
Navigation allowed the user to quickly navigate all topics in the page. Being each designed as a hero.
Apply button fixed in the screen. Users can immediately hit apply whenever they feel ready to start the application
Info for parents page
Since parents helped the students decide which course to take, we enriched the content and usability of the page dedicated to them.
Charts with information about Financial Stability and how fast students start earning
Testimonials of real students proving the benefits stated in the page
Interactive Career advancement ladder
Streamline all-in-one Application Page
Stepper helped the user to quickly grasp all the requirements for application
Helper text on each field facilitated for the user to know all details of each requirement, reducing back and forth in the application process.
Info for parents page
Since parents helped the students decide which course to take, we enriched the content and usability of the page dedicated to them.
Charts with information about Financial Stability and how fast students start earning
Testimonials of real students proving the benefits stated in the page
Interactive Career advancement ladder
USER TESTING
USER TESTING
TESTS
15 User tests, among students and recruiters
Students were more connected to the video content than the text, hence we had videos featuring in all key areas.
No major usability issues
Recruiters missed more info about the cities where the schools are located, hence we added a Google Maps widget to complement program info.
5 most representative competitors analyzed.
Students were more connected to the video content than the text, hence we had videos featuring in all key areas.
No major usability issues
Recruiters missed more info about the cities where the schools are located, hence we added a Google Maps widget to complement program info.
15 User tests, among students and recruiters
Students were more connected to the video content than the text, hence we had videos featuring in all key areas.
No major usability issues
Recruiters missed more info about the cities where the schools are located, hence we added a Google Maps widget to complement program info.
RESPONSIBILITIES
RESPONSIBILITIES
What did I actually do?
Aligned business and design around a shared vision
Aligned business and design around a shared vision
Discovered what mattered most to future BMW talent
Discovered what mattered most to future BMW talent
Benchmarked world-class automotive talent programs to shape product direction
Benchmarked world-class automotive talent programs to shape product direction
Orchestrated the website's storytelling across UX, content, and video
Orchestrated the website's storytelling across UX, content, and video
Led the 2 design team members and established the visual language
Led the 2 design team members and established the visual language
Shipped
Shipped
LEARNINGS
LEARNINGS
LEARNINGS
Bringing litteracy to Stakeholders
The more we call them to participate and reflect in the process, the easier to get actionable feedback, and the clearer the focus on the changes.
Bringing litteracy to Stakeholders
The more we call them to participate and reflect in the process, the easier to get actionable feedback, and the clearer the focus on the changes.
Navigating Trade-offs in Research
Having a very little chance of contact with their users, we had to leverage alternatives like deepening the competitive analysis to have a more solid overview.
Navigating Trade-offs in Research
Having a very little chance of contact with their users, we had to leverage alternatives like deepening the competitive analysis to have a more solid overview.
Pacing on delivery and presentations
This was the first time the client team had to redesign a website this size. So we got better by presenting small chunks of the redesign, explaining the benefit behind the changes and getting feedback
Pacing on delivery and presentations
This was the first time the client team had to redesign a website this size. So we got better by presenting small chunks of the redesign, explaining the benefit behind the changes and getting feedback
Slicing the challenge for collaboration
Working with an external creative team required clear task distribution and effective briefs, ranging from PoC wireframes to rough animations or narrative texts outlining the desired look and feel.
Slicing the challenge for collaboration
Working with an external creative team required clear task distribution and effective briefs, ranging from PoC wireframes to rough animations or narrative texts outlining the desired look and feel.
