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Work
Work
Work
Shifts
Shifts
Shifts
It's an all-in-one team management platform for restaurants that simplifies team management and improves performance for restaurants. They help restaurant managers to schedule, pay, and retain teams.
It's an all-in-one team management platform for restaurants that simplifies team management and improves performance for restaurants. They help restaurant managers to schedule, pay, and retain teams.
It's an all-in-one team management platform for restaurants that simplifies team management and improves performance for restaurants. They help restaurant managers to schedule, pay, and retain teams.
I worked on enhancing their employee retention features within their restaurant management platform. The project focused on addressing the critical challenge of high turnover rates in the restaurant industry by creating digital solutions that help managers better engage and retain their staff.
I worked on enhancing their employee retention features within their restaurant management platform. The project focused on addressing the critical challenge of high turnover rates in the restaurant industry by creating digital solutions that help managers better engage and retain their staff.
I worked on enhancing their employee retention features within their restaurant management platform. The project focused on addressing the critical challenge of high turnover rates in the restaurant industry by creating digital solutions that help managers better engage and retain their staff.
Info
Info
Info
Role
Role
Role
UX designer
UX designer
UX designer
Team
Team
Team
1 Product Manager
1 Product Manager
1 Product Manager
2 Engineers
2 Engineers
2 Engineers
1 Data Scientist
1 Data Scientist
1 Data Scientist
1 UX Designer
1 UX Designer
1 UX Designer
Duration
Duration
Duration
3 Months
3 Months
3 Months
Overview
Overview
Overview
Problem
Problem
Problem
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve employee retention and reduce the industry's turnover rate?
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve employee retention and reduce the industry's turnover rate?
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve employee retention and reduce the industry's turnover rate?
For restaurant managers, it's challenging to balance daily operations while developing and retaining staff, leading to increased turnover costs and decreased operational efficiency.
For restaurant managers, it's challenging to balance daily operations while developing and retaining staff, leading to increased turnover costs and decreased operational efficiency.
For restaurant managers, it's challenging to balance daily operations while developing and retaining staff, leading to increased turnover costs and decreased operational efficiency.
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
Developed a skill-building feature within 7shifts' platform that transforms restaurant jobs from temporary positions to viable career paths. The solution creates a structured professional development system that enables managers to track employee growth, automate training programs, and visualize career progression opportunities.
Developed a skill-building feature within 7shifts' platform that transforms restaurant jobs from temporary positions to viable career paths. The solution creates a structured professional development system that enables managers to track employee growth, automate training programs, and visualize career progression opportunities.
Developed a skill-building feature within 7shifts' platform that transforms restaurant jobs from temporary positions to viable career paths. The solution creates a structured professional development system that enables managers to track employee growth, automate training programs, and visualize career progression opportunities.
Employee Retention Solution led to
Employee Retention Solution led to
Employee Retention Solution led to
45%
45%
45%
Increase in employee training completion rate
Increase in employee training completion rate
Increase in employee training completion rate
70%
Founder-led campaigns show high customer trust and loyalty
Founder-led campaigns show high customer trust and loyalty
Founder-led campaigns show high customer trust and loyalty
20%
U.S. population consists of Gen Z - our primary target audience
U.S. population consists of Gen Z - our primary target audience
U.S. population consists of Gen Z - our primary target audience
65%
U.S. Gen Z online users identify as content creators
U.S. Gen Z online users identify as content creators
U.S. Gen Z online users identify as content creators
32%
Reduction in time managers spend on training administration
58%
Increase in employees setting long-term career goals
41.5%
Improvement in employee satisfaction scores
Process
Process
Process
Emphasize phase
Emphasize phase
Emphasize phase
What are Restaurant Managers’ Pain Points?
What are Restaurant Managers’ Pain Points?
What are Restaurant Managers’ Pain Points?
The restaurant industry faces an unprecedented staffing crisis:
The restaurant industry faces an unprecedented staffing crisis:
The restaurant industry faces an unprecedented staffing crisis:
Average turnover rate is around 70% annually, and has reached a new hight of over 140% in 2022 (Forbes).
Average turnover rate is around 70% annually, and has reached a new hight of over 140% in 2022 (Forbes).
Average turnover rate is around 70% annually, and has reached a new hight of over 140% in 2022 (Forbes).
70% more job vacancies than pre-pandemic, according to the National Restaurant Association (US).
70% more job vacancies than pre-pandemic, according to the National Restaurant Association (US).
70% more job vacancies than pre-pandemic, according to the National Restaurant Association (US).
75% of employees planning to leave their job in the next year.
75% of employees planning to leave their job in the next year.
75% of employees planning to leave their job in the next year.
The Impact of High Turnover
The Impact of High Turnover
The Impact of High Turnover
By analyzing existing 7shifts user feedback and conducting interviews with 12 restaurant managers and 8 staff members, we uncovered three critical challenges:
By analyzing existing 7shifts user feedback and conducting interviews with 12 restaurant managers and 8 staff members, we uncovered three critical challenges:
By analyzing existing 7shifts user feedback and conducting interviews with 12 restaurant managers and 8 staff members, we uncovered three critical challenges:
Quotes from Restaurant Managers
Quotes from Restaurant Managers
Quotes from Restaurant Managers
“I will hire 5 people and maybe 1 will last 3 months.”
“I will hire 5 people and maybe 1 will last 3 months.”
“I will hire 5 people and maybe 1 will last 3 months.”
“I used to interview 20-30 people a day (pre-covid), now it’s hard to even get people into the door.”
“I used to interview 20-30 people a day (pre-covid), now it’s hard to even get people into the door.”
“I used to interview 20-30 people a day (pre-covid), now it’s hard to even get people into the door.”
What does turnover cost restaurants?
What does turnover cost restaurants?
What does turnover cost restaurants?
Understanding Our Users
Understanding Our Users
Understanding Our Users
Managers
Managers
Managers
Primary Challenges
Primary Challenges
Primary Challenges
• Hiring in a changing business environment
• Hiring in a changing business environment
• Hiring in a changing business environment
• High costs of constant turnover
• High costs of constant turnover
• High costs of constant turnover
• Limited time for staff development
• Limited time for staff development
• Limited time for staff development
Goals
Goals
Goals
• Streamline hiring process
• Streamline hiring process
• Streamline hiring process
• Improve retention outcomes
• Improve retention outcomes
• Improve retention outcomes
• Build stable, motivated teams
• Build stable, motivated teams
• Build stable, motivated teams
Staff
Staff
Staff
Primary Challenges
Primary Challenges
Primary Challenges
• Lack of career visibility
• Lack of career visibility
• Lack of career visibility
• Insufficient training
• Insufficient training
• Insufficient training
• Limited growth opportunities
• Limited growth opportunities
• Limited growth opportunities
Goals
Goals
Goals
• Clear career progression paths
• Clear career progression paths
• Clear career progression paths
• Professional development
• Professional development
• Professional development
• Feel valued and supported
• Feel valued and supported
• Feel valued and supported
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Management System
Management System
Management System
Simplify employee scheduling, team communication and shift tasks, reduce labor costs, pay team’s wages.
Simplify employee scheduling, team communication and shift tasks, reduce labor costs, pay team’s wages.
Simplify employee scheduling, team communication and shift tasks, reduce labor costs, pay team’s wages.
Employee Engagement
Employee Engagement
Employee Engagement
Allows managers to keep a pulse on their team, see who’s engaged, and collect feedback after a shift.
Allows managers to keep a pulse on their team, see who’s engaged, and collect feedback after a shift.
Allows managers to keep a pulse on their team, see who’s engaged, and collect feedback after a shift.
What do they do?
What do they do?
What do they do?
Toast offers restaurant management systems and point of sale services, leaning heavily towards front end operations.
Toast offers restaurant management systems and point of sale services, leaning heavily towards front end operations.
Toast offers restaurant management systems and point of sale services, leaning heavily towards front end operations.
How do we differentiate?
How do we differentiate?
How do we differentiate?
Focus on employee infrastructure, with the goal of scaling the business through retaining employees.
Focus on employee infrastructure, with the goal of scaling the business through retaining employees.
Focus on employee infrastructure, with the goal of scaling the business through retaining employees.
define phase
define phase
define phase
the Challenge
the Challenge
the Challenge
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve retention?
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve retention?
How might we help managers make their staff feel more valued through digital solutions to improve retention?
User Persona
User Persona
User Persona
IDEATE phase
IDEATE phase
IDEATE phase
Task Flow
Task Flow
Task Flow
DESIGN phase
DESIGN phase
DESIGN phase
Sketches
Sketches
Sketches
Branding Guidelines
Branding Guidelines
Branding Guidelines
I followed 7Shifts’ media kit, using their colors, typography, icons, and interaction states to ensure consistency with their branding.
I followed 7Shifts’ media kit, using their colors, typography, icons, and interaction states to ensure consistency with their branding.
I followed 7Shifts’ media kit, using their colors, typography, icons, and interaction states to ensure consistency with their branding.
Color Palette
Color Palette
Color Palette
Typography
Typography
Typography
High Fidelity Wireframes
High Fidelity Wireframes
High Fidelity Wireframes
Measuring Impact
Measuring Impact
Measuring Impact
To measure the impact of the skill-building feature, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. We tracked training completion rates, management efficiency, career goal setting, and employee satisfaction through both metrics and user feedback. This comprehensive approach helped us understand how the new feature affected both operational efficiency and employee engagement.
To measure the impact of the skill-building feature, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. We tracked training completion rates, management efficiency, career goal setting, and employee satisfaction through both metrics and user feedback. This comprehensive approach helped us understand how the new feature affected both operational efficiency and employee engagement.
To measure the impact of the skill-building feature, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. We tracked training completion rates, management efficiency, career goal setting, and employee satisfaction through both metrics and user feedback. This comprehensive approach helped us understand how the new feature affected both operational efficiency and employee engagement.
Key Impact Highlights
Key Impact Highlights
Key Impact Highlights
• 45% increase in employee training completion rate after implementing the skill development feature
• 45% increase in employee training completion rate after implementing the skill development feature
• 45% increase in employee training completion rate after implementing the skill development feature
• 32% reduction in time managers spend on training administration and tracking employee progress
• 32% reduction in time managers spend on training administration and tracking employee progress
• 32% reduction in time managers spend on training administration and tracking employee progress
• 58% increase in employees setting long-term career goals within the restaurant industry
• 58% increase in employees setting long-term career goals within the restaurant industry
• 58% increase in employees setting long-term career goals within the restaurant industry
• 41.5% improvement in employee satisfaction scores regarding career development opportunities
• 41.5% improvement in employee satisfaction scores regarding career development opportunities
• 41.5% improvement in employee satisfaction scores regarding career development opportunities
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on the Journey
Reflecting on the Journey
Reflecting on the Journey
Working on 7shifts' employee retention solution was more than just a design project – it was a deep dive into the human side of the restaurant industry. The experience taught me invaluable lessons about designing for real-world impact and the importance of understanding the emotional aspects of user needs.
Working on 7shifts' employee retention solution was more than just a design project – it was a deep dive into the human side of the restaurant industry. The experience taught me invaluable lessons about designing for real-world impact and the importance of understanding the emotional aspects of user needs.
Working on 7shifts' employee retention solution was more than just a design project – it was a deep dive into the human side of the restaurant industry. The experience taught me invaluable lessons about designing for real-world impact and the importance of understanding the emotional aspects of user needs.
01
Empathy Drives Innovation
01
Empathy Drives Innovation
01
Empathy Drives Innovation
Initially, I approached the high turnover problem from a purely functional perspective, thinking about features and workflows. However, through our user interviews, I discovered that the real challenge wasn't just about building better tools – it was about helping people feel valued and seen in their careers.
Initially, I approached the high turnover problem from a purely functional perspective, thinking about features and workflows. However, through our user interviews, I discovered that the real challenge wasn't just about building better tools – it was about helping people feel valued and seen in their careers.
Initially, I approached the high turnover problem from a purely functional perspective, thinking about features and workflows. However, through our user interviews, I discovered that the real challenge wasn't just about building better tools – it was about helping people feel valued and seen in their careers.
02
Teamwork makes the dreamwork
02
Teamwork makes the dreamwork
02
Teamwork makes the dreamwork
The most valuable lesson came from working closely with developers and stakeholders. Early in the project, I struggled with communicating design decisions effectively. However, by establishing a ritual of daily design reviews and creating detailed user journey maps, we built a shared understanding that elevated the entire solution.
The most valuable lesson came from working closely with developers and stakeholders. Early in the project, I struggled with communicating design decisions effectively. However, by establishing a ritual of daily design reviews and creating detailed user journey maps, we built a shared understanding that elevated the entire solution.
The most valuable lesson came from working closely with developers and stakeholders. Early in the project, I struggled with communicating design decisions effectively. However, by establishing a ritual of daily design reviews and creating detailed user journey maps, we built a shared understanding that elevated the entire solution.
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
This project reinforced my belief in user-centered design while teaching me new ways to maximize impact. Moving forward, I'm excited to apply these insights to future challenges:
This project reinforced my belief in user-centered design while teaching me new ways to maximize impact. Moving forward, I'm excited to apply these insights to future challenges:
This project reinforced my belief in user-centered design while teaching me new ways to maximize impact. Moving forward, I'm excited to apply these insights to future challenges:
• Always start with user stories before solutions
• Always start with user stories before solutions
• Always start with user stories before solutions
• Use data to validate but not dictate design decisions
• Use data to validate but not dictate design decisions
• Use data to validate but not dictate design decisions
• Foster early and frequent collaboration across teams
• Foster early and frequent collaboration across teams
• Foster early and frequent collaboration across teams