Migrafy
Empowering Immigrants Digitally
Role
End-to-end UI/UX Designer
Timeline
Mar 2022, 2 weeks
Tools & Skills
Figma
Competitive Analysis
UX Research
skip to final product
01 / Context
Background Information
This project was completed during a two-week hackathon focused on economic empowerment. Our team was challenged to develop a comprehensive solution that addressed a real-world need within this space. The condensed timeline required us to move quickly through several key phases, including business modeling, user research, platform design, and pitch preparation. Throughout the process, we remained committed to a user-centered approach.
I was responsible for leading the end-to-end design of the platform, from initial brainstorming to the creation of high-fidelity prototypes. My responsibilities included conducting ideation sessions, wireframing user flows, and building interactive prototypes. In addition to my design work, I also played an active role in shaping the product vision and strategic direction. This combination of responsibilities enabled me to approach the challenge from both a user experience and system-level perspective. I focused on creating a platform that was not only intuitive and accessible, but also aligned with broader business goals and user needs.
This project was partially inspired by a quote from Canada's former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau:
“To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength.”
- Justin Trudeau
23rd Prime Minister of Canada
January 28 2017
This message resonated deeply with me. While Canada is widely recognized for its inclusive and welcoming values, I began to reflect on whether the systems in place truly support newcomers beyond their arrival. This led to a central question: how can we move from symbolic gestures of welcome to tangible, long-term empowerment?
Migrafy was designed to help bridge that gap by providing a platform that supports immigrants in navigating the economic and social systems that impact their lives.
02 / The Problem
The Reality:
20% of immigrants end up in deep poverty, unable to access basic jobs, healthy food, and adequate living conditions.
Not a stagnant issue, with over 493,000 immigrants arriving in Canada alone in 2022.
4 key challenges commonly faced by immigrants in Canada:
Unemployment – Many newcomers struggle to secure jobs that align with their existing skills and qualifications.
Language Barriers – Difficulties with communication, particularly in professional settings, often limit access to opportunities.
Social Isolation – A lack of community or support networks can make it difficult to feel a sense of belonging.
Psychological Stress – These issues often intersect, creating a cycle of stress and instability that hinders long-term integration.
Understanding these interconnected challenges was critical to our design process. Our team set out to create a solution that not only acknowledged these pain points but also offered tangible pathways toward overcoming them.
03 / Research
Diving into White Papers
Canada's immigrant population has been steadily increasing since 2000. However, despite this growth, there has been limited innovation in how we support the long-term transition and integration of newcomers.
Our research—grounded in user interviews, academic studies, and policy reports—highlighted four systemic barriers that persist across the immigrant experience:
Low Job Stability – Even when employed, many immigrants face precarious or underpaid work.
Barriers to Learning Everyday English – Language programs often focus on formal instruction, leaving gaps in practical, day-to-day communication skills.
Challenges in Establishing Roots – Navigating housing, transportation, and essential services can be overwhelming without guidance.
Limited Access to Empowering Communities – Many immigrants lack networks that foster professional growth and emotional support.
These insights became the foundation of our design brief and informed every aspect of our platform’s development.
United Nations SDGS
To ensure that our solution contributed meaningfully beyond the immediate scope of the hackathon, we aligned Migrafy’s mission with three of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8)
No Poverty (Goal 1)
Quality Education (Goal 4)
Problem Statement
Despite robust immigration policy, Canada doesn’t currently have the institutional infrastructure to support the wave of incoming immigrants. As a result, many struggle to adapt, feel isolated, and lack access to the opportunities they came for.
Competitive Analysis
Our research revealed that while many existing services for immigrants are helpful in isolation, they tend to be fragmented and lack integration. Tools for job searching, language learning, and community support often operate independently, forcing users to navigate multiple platforms without guidance or cohesion.
In analyzing the competitive landscape, we found that no existing solution offered a personalized, one-stop platform tailored to the diverse needs of immigrants entering Canada. Many job boards, for example, set high entry requirements that exclude low-skilled or non-English-speaking newcomers.
This gap in the market became our opportunity: to design a unified, accessible platform that simplifies the newcomer journey and addresses multiple barriers through a single, integrated experience.
User & Market Research
To better understand our users and the landscape in which they operate, we conducted both market research and user interviews. Our research focused on three key areas: market segmentation, digital accessibility, and serviceable reach. This allowed us to clearly define our Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and realistic initial user base.
Key findings included:
Over 1.9 million immigrants arrived in Canada within the past five years.
Canada currently has more than 546,000 job vacancies, many of which are in low-skilled sectors.
Despite this, the immigrant unemployment rate remains above 10%.
This revealed a significant mismatch between labor market demand and the opportunities available to newcomers. Migrafy was designed to directly address this gap by connecting immigrants with accessible employment and support systems in a way that is both personalized and scalable.
To gain deeper insight into the lived experiences of our target users, we conducted interviews with immigrants of varying ages, backgrounds, and professional experiences. These conversations surfaced emotional and practical challenges that quantitative data alone could not fully capture.
A 21-year-old international student described intense feelings of isolation and a lack of community.
A 30-year-old newcomer shared that language barriers made it nearly impossible to navigate the job market.
A 46-year-old father expressed that his limited English skills prevented him from confidently participating in even basic job interviews.
These personal stories underscored the complex, emotional, and deeply human nature of the immigrant journey. They reinforced our commitment to designing a solution that is not only functional, but empathetic and inclusive.
Our Conclusion
Immigrants need a centralized, digital platform that helps them settle down, find relevant jobs, learn practical English, and connect with their communities. It’s not just about functionality, it’s about feeling supported.
04 / Our Approach
To humanize our findings, we created a persona.
May Silva / 27
Primary Goals
Find a stable job to sustain herself
Improve her English Conversational Skills
Connect with others in her community based on interests
Pain Points
Difficulty finding work due to language barriers.
Feeling isolated and disconnected from her local community.
Struggling to understand the Canadian job market.
Migrafy is designed for users like May.
From May’s story, we crafted three How Might We statements:
How Might We’s (HMWs) to guide the design process
How might we provide a personalized job board that matches immigrants to positions appropriate to their skillsets?
How might we offer effective language learning tools that cater to various skill levels?
How might we connect immigrants to local community networks to foster social integration?
now we're starting the actual ideation!
05 / Ideating & Prototyping
Ideating
With user insights and "How Might We" questions in place, I moved into the ideation and prototyping phase. At this stage, key decisions—such as platform type, features, and layout—were still being explored. We considered multiple options: mobile app, desktop site, or a hybrid model.
After careful research and considering the limitations of the hackathon, we decided to start with a responsive web platform to maximize accessibility. This approach allowed users to access the platform via any browser, without the need to download an app. Given that many immigrants rely on shared devices or older smartphones, a web-based solution ensured the platform would be broadly accessible.
I mapped out key interaction flows for three main pillars of the platform: language learning, job discovery, and community building.
We developed low-fidelity wireframes and tested them with a sample audience. User feedback highlighted some friction points that guided key iterations:
Job Board: Users requested a more intuitive interface with filters for experience level and job location.
Language Learning Tool: Feedback suggested incorporating gamified elements to boost engagement.
Community Platform: Users expressed the need for a space to connect with local immigrant groups and events.
Using this feedback, I returned to the design board, refining the platform through multiple iterations.
Design Improvement 1 // Smarter Job Discovery
One of the first major design improvements was refining the job board filtering system. In the initial version, the platform relied heavily on AI to match users with jobs, with limited filtering options. This approach placed the burden on users to search manually, often without knowing the specific job titles they should be looking for.
To address this, I redesigned the system to incorporate smart filters based on job type, location, and industry. Recognizing that many users may be unfamiliar with job titles, the new system also learns from user input and suggests roles that align with their skills and learning goals.
This significantly reduced friction in the job search experience and made the process far more intuitive and personalized.
Design Improvement 2 // Success Stories Feature
The second major improvement was the addition of a dedicated Success Stories tab. Initially, a few testimonials were displayed on the homepage. However, user feedback revealed a strong desire for more visible, relatable stories of individuals who had successfully navigated similar challenges.
In response, we transformed this into a core feature. Users can now browse real stories, learn how others overcame obstacles, and even share their own journeys. This not only humanized the platform but also provided valuable social proof and a sense of encouragement for new users.
Design Improvement 3 // UI and Visual Consistency
The third major improvement focused on the platform’s user interface. After usability testing, it became clear that the early designs lacked cohesion across different pages, which disrupted the user experience.
To address this, I established a consistent design language across the platform. This included a unified color palette, standardized spacing, and cohesive component patterns—from buttons to progress indicators. These changes created a more intuitive and calming experience, reducing cognitive load and helping users stay focused on their goals.
Design Style Guide
From a design systems perspective, I created reusable components for elements such as cards, filters, navigation, and inputs. This ensures that the platform can scale seamlessly as it evolves. Every page builds upon the last, maintaining a consistent and visually clean experience.
From a visual design perspective, I chose a blue color palette to evoke feelings of trust, calmness, and stability—qualities that are crucial when users are navigating a new and uncertain environment. Typography is clear and legible, while deliberate use of spacing and visual hierarchy promotes focus and usability. Overall, the platform was designed to feel like a supportive guide, rather than another overwhelming tool.
06 / Final Features
With insights from user research and multiple rounds of iteration, the final version of Migrafy offers seven core features, each designed to directly address user needs and pain points. These features work together to provide an integrated, accessible, and empowering experience for newcomers to Canada.
01
Personalized Onboarding
Upon joining, users complete a brief onboarding flow where they share their goals, skills, and challenges. This information is used to tailor the platform experience—informing job suggestions, language resources, and community content—ensuring each user’s journey is relevant and personalized from the start.
02
Personalized Dashboard
Users are welcomed with a centralized dashboard that tracks key aspects of their journey—job applications, language skill progress, and community involvement. The dashboard also includes a profile summary showcasing the user’s goals, achievements, and events attended, helping them stay motivated and see their growth over time.
03
Learning Language
The language learning feature includes customizable courses, industry-specific dictionaries, and an AI assistant named Steve. Designed to be warm, friendly, and adaptive, Steve helps users practice practical, real-world English—such as workplace phrases or mock job interviews for roles like cashiers or servers.
Steve personalizes lessons over time by recognizing areas where the user struggles, offering targeted practice and encouragement. The interaction is intentionally conversational, aiming to feel like talking to a supportive friend rather than attending a formal class—helping users stay engaged and confident as they build language skills.
04
Upskilling Hub
Migrafy includes an Upskilling Hub where users can build career-specific skills through short, gamified learning modules. These modules are directly linked to job opportunities on the platform, ensuring relevant skill development.
Looking ahead, the platform is designed to support certification pathways, allowing employers and sponsors to offer their own courses. Users will be able to earn recognized certificates within Migrafy—strengthening their qualifications and increasing job readiness.
05
Smart Job Board
Migrafy’s smart job board combines AI-driven matching with customizable filters to create a personalized job search experience. Users receive tailored job recommendations based on their background, skills, and goals, while still having the flexibility to filter by industry, location, and experience level. This dual approach supports both guided discovery and user-driven exploration.
06
Community Hub
The Community Hub enables users to join interest-based groups, post on a shared feed, host events, and sign up for local activities. Designed to foster both professional and casual networks, this feature helps newcomers build meaningful connections, combat isolation, and feel more at home in their new communities.
07
Success Stories Tab
The Success Stories tab allows users to celebrate the achievements of others and find inspiration for their own journey. By showcasing real-life stories of immigrants who have successfully found work and built community through Migrafy, this feature encourages users to complete their goals, level up their skills, and ultimately thrive in Canada.
we made the end!
07 / Next Steps & Takeaways
If given more time, I would love to explore a few additional features, such as expanding multilingual support, adding financial assistance tools, and creating a story-driven onboarding flow with characters and narrative elements to make the user experience even more engaging.
From a design perspective, I would focus on refining the UI further—enhancing every feature for greater specificity and clarity. Next steps would include developing a mobile application layout, adding more interactive features such as hover states and animated progress bars, and improving transitions between key sections of the platform. Additionally, I would explore whether my design aligns with WCAG standards to ensure it is fully accessible to users with disabilities.
Ultimately, this project reinforced a key lesson: good design isn’t just about creating something visually polished—it’s about meeting people where they are.
Migrafy was built on empathy, iterated through user feedback, and refined with both accessibility and emotion in mind. It pushed me to consider every interaction not only as a designer but as someone who wants to help people feel more at home.
