In 2018, ClearanceJobs—one of the most relevant career websites in the US—successfully revamped its Web App with Pixelmatters’ help and expertise. The platform became more intuitive, providing a new and enhanced user experience for all its three user personas: candidates, employers, and recruiters.
Riding on this success, in 2021 ClearanceJobs once again sought Pixelmatters to address a new challenge: providing candidates with a Mobile experience not only to meet the market's demands but also to improve their user experience as job seekers.
ClearanceJobs' venture into Mobile was both groundbreaking and disruptive. Pixelmatters’ role was crucial in providing a specialized Mobile team that guided the process with expertise, ownership, and know-how.
The challenge? To develop two native Mobile Apps that complemented the established Web experience with innovative Mobile capabilities.
Pixelmatters’ extensive experience and involvement in the Web App revamp played a pivotal role in shaping ClearanceJobs' strategic transition to Mobile. Given that iOS was the predominant operating system among ClearanceJobs' target audience, it was developed first, followed by the Android App.
One of the most important parts of the process involved analyzing which features to transition or tailor for Mobile. Unlike the Web App, which caters to various stakeholders, the Mobile version would target candidates to increase their attraction and engagement, shaping the entire product strategy.
The goal was clear: a scalable, integrative Mobile platform. To achieve this, there was the need for a strong architectural foundation that could accommodate scalability and the seamless integration of third-party components and services. The application of SOLID principles was crucial as they provided a solid groundwork for a modular approach.
Staying true to best practices, Mobile-friendly flows were built for features that were initially thought of for a Web experience, ensuring a user-friendly and intuitive experience.
This strategy was a testament to the collaborative and iterative dynamic between Product and Design, which also meant subtle design updates instead of a major overhaul.
The design strategy aimed to follow each operating system’s guidelines, ensuring users had a familiar experience while still capturing the essence of ClearanceJobs' brand.
This approach offered significant advantages, such as using native interactions and animations when appropriate, as well as the freedom to create a custom experience for added functionality and delight.
When it came to the API system, the challenge lay in integrating what was originally built for the Web App into a Mobile landscape. There was a collaborative effort with ClearanceJobs to understand the nuances and operational intricacies of both platforms, leveraged on Pixelmatters’ insights and Mobile technical expertise.
This underscored the value of API versioning and teamwork in meeting the Mobile App's specific needs. Throughout this journey, the Engineering and Product teams worked closely together to address these challenges effectively.
The need for a top-tier Mobile App demanded a rigorous QA strategy. Using QASE was pivotal since it allowed Pixelmatters to have a centralized framework for test planning, execution, and reporting. This ultimately bolstered test efficiency and elevated the standards of quality assurance.
The development workflow was streamlined with Bitrise's CI/CD pipeline, encompassing tasks such as quick code validation via Codecov and smooth transitions to Firebase for QA. Release candidates also moved seamlessly to TestFlight for final testing before App Store and Google Play launch.
Post-deployment, Sentry became the team’s eyes and ears. Its real-time error tracking made monitoring performance and stability straightforward, enabling swift issue identification and resolution.
Choosing the right tools to integrate into the Mobile App was pivotal to further elevate user experience and functionality. Incorporating OneSignal equipped the App with context-rich push notifications, ensuring users received timely and relevant alerts.
Meanwhile, Pusher was integrated to bring real-time live messaging to the table, fostering instant communication and heightening interactivity within the App.
By harnessing advanced analytics, Pixelmatters and ClearanceJobs were able to make informed technical choices and catalyze cross-team collaboration. This data-led approach streamlined alignment and fostered impactful decision-making by triggering tailored events to support Business, Product, and Engineering teams.
We’re thrilled with the delivered iOS App. Our users are loving it and Pixelmatters was a key partner in reaching this major milestone in ClearanceJobs history.
Tom Nash
Director of Product at ClearanceJobs
With amazing teamwork, strategy, and execution, Pixelmatters leveraged its Mobile expertise to develop high-quality App experiences. In one year, the Apps had over 27K downloads and placed in the top 10% with fewer crashes in the App Store.
This has elevated ClearanceJobs' ecosystem to a whole new level, enhancing the user experience for their candidates and provide further support in their job-seeking journey.
In collaboration with Pixelmatters, ClearanceJobs transitioned into the Mobile landscape with two Apps designed for on-the-go job seekers, showing how important a native Mobile experience is in today's job search landscape.
