Huacho needs a reliable job search resource as existing options are outdated and incomplete. Three ideas were proposed: 1) An app notifying users of nearby job opportunities; 2) A Facebook job community; 3) A university network sharing regional opportunities. Two prototypes were created - an app displaying vacancy details when near relevant companies, and a simulated university webpage linking students to job postings. Testing with students provided feedback to improve solutions for Huacho's needs. Further work would expand testing, add impact metrics, and commercialize a combined prototype.

1. Assignment 4
Prototype and test
Huacho wants to get a job
Francisco G. Barroso Tanoira
August 2013

2. Let´s review the problem…
Huacho needs an available, reliable,
friendly and inexpensive source for
finding employee opportunities,
with enough information for
choosing the best option because
the existing sources are not
updated, with incomplete
information and there´s no way to
know about a vacancy in the
moment it is generated.

3. The 3 selected ideas and why
1) Having a software app warning possible
candidates, when they walk or pass in front
of the firm, that there are job opportunities
in that firm.
This will allow firms reach valuable candidates for
them at low cost, and will help people when they
are near or in front of the firm building or
business unit, to know if there is an opportunity
there, the requirements and the working
conditions in real time.
It would be also great to have the possibility to
leave a message or send information to the firm
to be contacted when there´s a vacant job.

4. The 3 selected ideas and why
2) Forming a Facebook job community
to advertise about opportunities,
salaries and conditions in general.
As everyday there are more people in
social groups in the Web, that´s a
natural and inexpensive way for creating
a space for searching for new job
opportunities anywhere in the world.
Besides, preliminary interviews could be
arranged through this option.

5. The 3 selected ideas and why
3) Forming a university net for sharing information
about job opportunities in their areas.
Universities are reliable forms for getting
information, and why not to benefit from that
delivering and sharing information, which could be
free for students and general public, but charging a
reasonable fee for enterprises, being able to
receive sponsorships or grants to make this work.
This university employee net could be connected
to local government or business job databases.
The most important is to have available, updated
and reliable information for those wanting a job.

6. Prototype 1 (coming from idea 1)
Job opportunity finder
• Having a software app warning possible candidates, when they walk or
pass in front of the firm, that there are job opportunities in that firm.
The firm sends
job vacancy message The firm gets feedback and
better candidates
The phone gets the People see the message
Message and warns

7. Prototype 1
Job opportunity finder: prototyping
App in the phone
1) The person will walk down the street.
2) When there´s a job opportunity, there will be a
warning if the app is activated.
3) When touching the icon, the vacancy information
will be displayed on the phone (job description,
requirements, estimated income)
4) If the person has his rèsumè and information
available on the phone, he/she will be able to
send an application in that moment.
5) All job application will be stored in the app, so
information could be organized from best to
worst.
6) Information could be shared with other friends
with the same app
7) Information could be shared to iPads or laptops.
8) Firms will have a reliable source of candidates to
contact, arranged from the best to the better.
App
icon

8. Prototype 1
Job opportunity finder: testing
• The test was carried out with six persons, doing the
following with each of the three in a meeting. The person
interviewed at the beginning of the project was also
present.
1) I asked them to draw how the app icon must be.
2) Roleplaying , this is, walking near a building and
pretending there was a message (with a simulated alarm
for the app warning).
3) Reflection on the process and the information searched
using post it stickers.

9. Prototype 1
Job opportunity finder: testing and feedback
(I´m the one with glasses)

10. Prototype 2 (coming from idea 3)
Forming a university net for sharing information
about job opportunities in their areas

11. Prototype 2 (coming from idea 3)
Forming a university net for sharing information
about job opportunities in their areas
• From the numbers in the arrows in the previous slide:
1) The University includes in its intranet the job opportunities from
existing employers in the region or outside.
2) The students and professors get the information. Professors solve
doubts and give advise to interested students.
3) The University strengthens or signs agreements with firms and the
Government for having access to new job opportunities for
students.
4) Information is displayed in the University page and shared to the
students’ mobile phones, iPads and laptops.
5) Students send information to the system if they are interested in
the jobs. That info will go directly to potential employers.
6) Students who know about new opportunities can post their
information in the same net.
7) Opportunities for students will be ranked from best to better
according to the search criteria they use.

12. Prototype 2 (coming from idea 3)
Forming a university net for sharing information
about job opportunities in their areas: prototyping
• I prepared a simulated
web page, similar to the
one the University
has, with the link to the
app, able to display
information about
jobs, description, salaries,
working conditions and
contact.

13. Prototype 2 (coming from idea 3)
Forming a university net for sharing information
about job opportunities in their areas: testing
(I´m the one with glasses and an orange t-shirt)
• The information was tested with two
students (one of them was
interviewed in the empathize and
define stage of this course) and had a
roleplaying session in a simulation for
such app.
• They pretended they were looking for
a job and the system gave them
information according to the search
criteria used.
• They expressed their comments as
feedback.

14. What I learned by testing my prototypes
I learned that more important than preparing a perfect solution at the first
time, although It could be desired, it is to have cyclic approaches to have
better solutions to the problem to solve, according to the users and not to
me. Finally, it´s what they think what really matters. So, I will only be a
vehicle, a bridge or a path between the problem and the solution.
Solving problems is a continuous learning process in which nothing is perfect,
but able to be improved all the time. There are no definitive solutions
because time change and people expectations too, especially if they have
different academic background, gender, ethnicity or other differences. But
there´s one thing they have in common: they´re humans and needs are the
same…what change is the desires, which are different forms for solving
needs.

15. What I learned by testing my prototypes
Something else I learned is that we must be
humble, this is, able to listen and admit our
mistakes. We are not alone and need
others to survive, grow and develop. This is
important because it is more common to
think we are right and that our word is a
rule.
The best prepared we are, be better we
must be for serving others. If we help
others to grow, we also grow. It is like the
sea tide…when it raises, all ships are raised
too.

16. What would I do next if I was to continue
working on the project
I would do the following:
1) Testing the projects with more people
2) Design indicators for impact (economic,
social, environmental)
3) Use those indicators to follow up the
solution results
4) Include prototype 1 in prototype 2. I think
both could be linked in one.
5) Prepare a version to be commercialized.
6) Prepare a world job database and give
special attention to those people who can
not pay for the app, but need a job.
7) Include the learning acquired in this
course, in my classes with my students.

17. The most important is the learning process. The
good results will be a consequence of the good
job done.
We must have a culture of trying and getting
feedback before a big jump. Although failure is
always a risk, the important is to learn from
experience and share this learning with others.
Failure is good if we learn from it. But we must
not confuse failure with defeat, because to be
defeated means to give up, wasting our talent
and opportunities.
Enjoy the process and have good results!!!