Connecting talented actors and actresses to hundreds of audiovisual projects each year!
The Client
Virgo Talent is an online recruiting web app that connects casting directors with actors and actresses looking to apply to TV series, commercials, and movie shooting projects.
The platform offers a pay-per-booking service for different audiovisual production projects in the Los Angeles area.
The Task
Virgo Talent was looking to improve its product's performance, fix critical bugs and usability issues, and improve the app's user experience.
We conducted a Product Discovery to gain a deep understanding of their business, the users, and the product. The process also allowed us to define a new app from scratch, prioritize the most important functionalities, and design a whole new UX/UI.
We conducted a Product Discovery to gain a deep understanding of their business, the users, and the product. The process also allowed us to define a new app from scratch, prioritize the most important functionalities, and design a whole new UX/UI.
Rebuild Virgo Talent's web application while maintaining the main functionalities and improving the platform speed and performance.
Fix existing bugs and address the most relevant user experience issues.
Create a product that can scale in the future without compromising the app's structure.
Discovering the product
1.
Initial Assessment & Product conception
To align ourselves with Virgo Talent's goals and expectations and efficiently carry out the project, we conducted a thorough initial assessment.
We wanted to determine what was the most viable approach to design and develop the platform from scratch, so we set out to validate the market segment, its characteristics, and the potential value the different options would bring.
We wanted to determine what was the most viable approach to design and develop the platform from scratch, so we set out to validate the market segment, its characteristics, and the potential value the different options would bring.
Research and performance analysis drove us to conclude that designing a new product from scratch would be the only way to effectively solve the business needs and ensure good user experience.
Furthermore, to support the platform's incremental improvement, we defined a product scope prioritizing the most important features for the MVP and leaving the non-urgent functions for future versions.
Furthermore, to support the platform's incremental improvement, we defined a product scope prioritizing the most important features for the MVP and leaving the non-urgent functions for future versions.
2.
Understanding
the users
the users
Understanding the users
We identified three target users for the product. The first two are the current users of the platform, and the client's goal is that the third one becomes an active user in future versions.
Virgo Talent staff
Virgo Talent employees in charge of finding the actors that Casting Directors require. They control the communication between the actors and directors and manage the casting, booking, and billing processes.
Virgo Talent employees in charge of finding the actors that Casting Directors require. They control the communication between the actors and directors and manage the casting, booking, and billing processes.
Casting Directors
Personnel hired by production companies to find actors and extras for the shootings. In future versions of the product, they will perform the tasks that Virgo Talent staff currently do.
Personnel hired by production companies to find actors and extras for the shootings. In future versions of the product, they will perform the tasks that Virgo Talent staff currently do.
Talents
They are the actors and actresses looking to work in audiovisual shooting projects. They can be standard actors, extras, stunt performers, or models from any age, gender, ethnicity, and demographics.
They are the actors and actresses looking to work in audiovisual shooting projects. They can be standard actors, extras, stunt performers, or models from any age, gender, ethnicity, and demographics.
3.
UX/UI Design
Following the Design Sprint methodology, we defined the core experience for the new product. Using lo-fi wireframes, we determine the information structure, the functional components, and the visual architecture of the app.
The goal of the new design was to allow Virgo Talent staff to easily book actors for shooting projects and provide information to the Casting Directors quickly and smoothly.
Based on the characteristics of the market segment, we defined the graphic elements of the product, and then turned the wireframes into real screens, allowing the client to have a clear view of the new app's look and feel.
The goal of the new design was to allow Virgo Talent staff to easily book actors for shooting projects and provide information to the Casting Directors quickly and smoothly.
Based on the characteristics of the market segment, we defined the graphic elements of the product, and then turned the wireframes into real screens, allowing the client to have a clear view of the new app's look and feel.
4.
Defining the technologies
To ensure that Virgo Talent's new product achieves the best results in performance and usability, we conducted an in-depth analysis of different technologies to find the best fit.
We carried out two studies to evaluate different technological proposals and to find online platforms with similar requirements. We presented the projections and work-estimates to the client and provided recommendations about the MVP's architecture and integrations.
To ensure a cost-efficient process and stay within the client's budget, we set out to reuse modules that enable us to perform tasks quickly and economically.
We carried out two studies to evaluate different technological proposals and to find online platforms with similar requirements. We presented the projections and work-estimates to the client and provided recommendations about the MVP's architecture and integrations.
To ensure a cost-efficient process and stay within the client's budget, we set out to reuse modules that enable us to perform tasks quickly and economically.
To ensure the project reaches both the product and business' goals, we suggested putting together a team integrated by a full-time back-end and front-end developer, supported by a part-time team of a QA, a UI designer, a Technical Leader, and a Project Manager.
5.
Planning future
product versions
product versions
The next step was to create a detailed product roadmap outlining the app's incremental versions and the features to be incorporated on each iteration.
Together with Virgo Talent's team, we identified several new functionalities that the platform currently doesn't have but could facilitate user actions in the future and provide a more comprehensive and pleasant product experience.
Together with Virgo Talent's team, we identified several new functionalities that the platform currently doesn't have but could facilitate user actions in the future and provide a more comprehensive and pleasant product experience.
Conclusions
The goal of the Product Discovery was to validate the business and users' need for a new platform while also defining the best way to build a viable product within the customer's budget.
To achieve this goal, we carried out a thorough prioritization exercise to determine the minimum viable version of the product that allowed the client to operate their business, satisfy the end-users needs, and provide a positive experience.
Finally, we left the non-critical functionalities for future releases, strategically distributing them throughout a detailed roadmap.
This project is currently under development. When the MVP is ready, we will post an update here.
To achieve this goal, we carried out a thorough prioritization exercise to determine the minimum viable version of the product that allowed the client to operate their business, satisfy the end-users needs, and provide a positive experience.
Finally, we left the non-critical functionalities for future releases, strategically distributing them throughout a detailed roadmap.
This project is currently under development. When the MVP is ready, we will post an update here.
