Just R — Health Ladder
Streamlining NHS recruitment to increase hiring rates and general experience
Health Ladder is a recruitment platform designed to support NHS trusts with their hiring needs by centralising and simplifying the entire process. Built by Just R, the goal was to modernise and enhance an outdated recruitment system, making it easier to manage large-scale candidate attraction and processing. The platform allows NHS recruiters to view campaigns, sort through thousands of applications, and track and engage with candidates simply through every stage.
Deliverables: Functional Specification, Concept Designs
Project Type: Define using Fresh Framework
Team: Project Lead (me), Junior Designer
Business Goal
The goal was to work throughout the NHS by providing exemplary recruitment processes to specific trusts initially by developing a platform that simplifies candidate management, provides comprehensive performance insights, and reduces administrative overhead for trusts. The new system aimed to enhance user experience, support better decision-making with clear data, and improve efficiency through automation and intuitive design.
User Impact Goal
Health Ladder aims to make an impact two types of user. For job seekers, the platform aims to “provide a joyful and stress-free experience that makes applying feel exciting and energises their engagement with the NHS trust”. For NHS trusts, Health Ladder “enables a streamlined hiring process that ensures they can identify and connect with top-tier candidates quickly and confidently”.
Design Process
Through workshops and interviews, I began by discussing pain points with key stakeholders at Just R, then mapped out the new solution and refined it through each design stage to meet the needs of both recruiters and candidates. Take a look:
01/ Research & Ideation
Initial research revealed that existing tools were too clunky and did not support the level of growth and flexibility needed by Just R and NHS trusts. Based on these insights and workshop key learnings, I explored features like dashboards and data insights for recruiters to easily manage campaigns, adding user profiles for candidates, and creating clear engagement tools candidate attraction.
02/ Flow Mapping
I mapped out the user journey for both recruiters and candidates, focusing on making key interactions and decision making features smooth and logical. The goal was to ensure that recruiters could access critical candidate data easily to make the decision making process more effective, while candidates could view and manage their own application status without confusion.
03/ Functional Specification & Wireframes
I developed a clear functional specification and wireframes to establish the layout and structure of key features, including campaign dashboards, candidate management tools (including kanban views), and user profiles. Early feedback helped refine these wireframes to better match the needs of the different user groups.
04/ Concept Designs
During the concept design phase, I explored different styles to set the right tone for the platform. I experimented with colour schemes and typography that reflected NHS values but promoted a brand feel for Health Ladder which was professional yet approachable. The aim was to create a look that built trust and confidence in the system.
My involvement in the project was to strategise and define the product to allow Just R to obtain funding for the full production. Therefore there are no full designs or implementation communication for this project.
Next Steps
Health Ladder is set to fully launch after obtaining funding. The concept designs, feature mapping and functional specification creating supports the Just R team in establishing further market validation to impress and obtain investment.
Round Up
Health Ladder is set to transform the way NHS trusts manage recruitment by making it easier and more efficient. The platform will provide a comprehensive view of the hiring process, helping recruiters save time and make better hiring decisions.