Cultural Care – Desktop Matching Redesign
I designed a full desktop experience that mirrors the efficiency of mobile while maximizing control, clarity, and trust. The new interface enabled host families to browse Au Pair profiles and manage matching with improved visibility, faster decision-making, and seamless navigation. As a result, the redesign increased match success by 28% and reduced abandonment by 12%.
2 weeks
Design lead
UI/UX designer
Team
1 Product owner
2 Developers
3 Senior managment
Challenge
Despite being designed as a mobile-first experience, 34% of users reported preferring to explore au pair profiles via desktop. The primary reason? A greater sense of control, safety, and clarity.
Impact
The desktop redesign led to a 28% increase in successful matches and a 12% decrease in abandonment rates. Additionally, there was a 22% rise in average session duration, indicating enhanced user engagement and exploration."
+25%
Increase matching process
-12%
Decrease of abandonment rate
+22%
Increase in average session duration
Context
The existing desktop layout merely emulated a phone screen, leading to poor visibility, incomplete workflows, and loss of context during complex decision-making.
Given the fast-paced environment and busy schedules of host families, the current app demands too much time and effort for au pair's profiles exploration and filtering.
Process
User interviews: Conducted in-depth interviews with 10 host families across the U.S., utilizing scenario walk-throughs and think-aloud sessions. Findings revealed that the mobile-first desktop layout led to cognitive overload, disrupted memory flow, and increased decision anxiety.
Prototyping: Redesigned the desktop interface to prioritize speed, clarity, and user confidence. Leveraged full-screen real estate to present critical information at a glance, facilitating efficient and assured decision-making for host families.
Main Features
The new matching pool screen reduces scrolling, improve side-by-side comparison, and highlight staff-recommended Au Pairs with notes.
“I couldn’t compare anyone before — it was just one long scroll. Now I can see who’s recommended and why, without jumping around.”
Joana
Host mum, Texas
A new staff-recommended label and color continuity in chat to help families remember why an Au Pair was suggested, without leaving the conversation flow.
The new favorites feature to allow shared note-taking and visual authorship, so families can remember why candidates stood out - and who left the comment.
“Sometimes we’d save someone and I’d forget who left the note or what it even meant. It’s so much easier now that we both see everything and know who wrote what.”
Ariana
Host mum, Boston
Learnings
On designing for emotional safety. This project reinforced how critical emotional safety is in decision-heavy journeys. Designing for visibility and memory flow wasn’t just about usability, it was about giving families a sense of control and confidence during a deeply personal process. I was reminded that clarity is a form of care.