Behavioral UX
Shipped
ROLE
Product Designer
TEAM
Product Manager | Development Team
TIMELINE
2.5 Weeks
WHAT I DID
User Interviews | Heuristic Evaluation | Prototyping | A/B Testing
TLDR:
Problem
FlairX Interviewers failed to report candidate no-shows by closing the tab, bypassing the existing flow. Admins had to manually recreate the entire interview process to arrive at the correct status.
Solution
A timed guidance system using pop-ups and updated messaging that played into the busy, efficiency-driven person of the target user.
98% Drop in False Interview Completion Errors
Comparing interview completion errors month to month between before and after launch.
CONTEXT
The Ideal Flow When Candidates Don't Show Up
FlairX is a B2B SaaS platform for AI and expert-vetted technical interviews. Expert Interviewers are senior-level professionals who conduct technical interviews and assess candidate skills as a side gig. If a candidate is a no show, interviewers are expected to report the no show.
Interviewer Joins
Candidate Doesn’t Show
Interviewer Ends Call
Interviewer Reports No Show
Done
PROBLEM
Interviewers Weren't Reporting Candidate No-Shows
Interviewers could mark an interview incomplete or proceed with feedback, but many just left—causing the system to auto-mark it as completed.
Interview Status Defaulted to Completed Creating Operational Chaos
Admins had to spend hours manually reconstructing what actually happened to display the correct interview status. Interviewers got paid for no-shows. Clients lost trust when reports didn't match reality.
CATCHING EARLY EXITS
With No Guidance, Some Interviewers Just Closed the Tab
When candidates didn't show, interviewers had no guidance on what to do or how long to wait. They ended the meeting in the most efficient way possible, they closed the browser tab instead of clicking "End Call."
Revisited the Persona of the Busy, Efficient, Frustrated User
Expert interviewers are senior-level professionals at FAANG companies who value efficiency. Already frustrated by no-shows, closing the tab was the fastest way out.
Interviewers are not in a linger and explore mindset.
Timed Guidance at Two Critical Moments
1
Before the 5-Minute Mark
If an interviewer tries to leave early, a pop-up encourages waiting by specifying the time.
2
At the 5-Minute Mark
Prompts interviewers to report the no-show and clarifies what happens if they leave versus stay.
REFRAMING COMPLETION
Post-Interview Screen Incorrectly Signaled "You're Done"
Even when interviewers clicked "End Call," the post-interview screen looked like a completion state. Interviewers assumed they were done and left without reporting the no-show.
Shifted the Finish Line to "You have one thing left to do"
I reframed the screen to signal one remaining task: report what happened. The finish line moved from "call ended" to "status reported."
ADMIN OVERRIDE
Built a Edit Status Safety Net for Edge Cases
When mistakes slipped through, admins had no override. They'd manually recreate records or chase down engineers to update the database. So, we provided them with an option to edit status in a few clicks.
FINAL DESIGN
Timed Pop Up to Guide Interviewers
Updated Post Interview Page
Admin Override
IMPACT
The Difference It Created
98%
Reduction in Status Errors
Status errors fell from month to month from before and after launching this design, there were close to 0
REFLECTION
What I Learned
Features Need Guidance To Be Used
The “Incomplete Interview” button existed but was buried. Without prompts at the decision moment, it was invisible.
First Impressions Set Expectations
Design signals matter more than copy. If something looks done, users assume it is.
Users Usually Don't Read Microcopy
The "Incomplete Interview?" button existed, but without active prompts, interviewers didn’t pay attention.