Redesigning “Candidate Evaluation” Workflow

A Modern and Scalable Assessment Experience for Cando ATS

Overview of the redesigned evaluation workflow: candidate list, evaluation results and the evaluation form in Cando ATS

Key Impact: Zero post-launch support tickets and 100% seamless adoption, unlocking advanced customization and flexible scoring for enterprise clients.

Tools: Figma · Figjam · Google Doc · Google Meet · Gemini Pro · ChatGPT

Overview

The evaluation system is a core feature of Cando ATS, enabling recruiters to assess job candidates and share feedback. However, the legacy system was overly complex and lacked flexibility, leading to frequent support tickets. I led the end-to-end redesign of this workflow, creating a much more intuitive experience that resulted in zero support inquiries post-launch.

Problem Statement

The original system was a significant source of "design debt." It wasn't just outdated; its rigid structure created several problems:

Rigid Scoring: Users were locked into a fixed 1-5 scale, which didn't work for organizations with different standards (e.g., 1-20 or 1-100).
Limited Input Types: Only text-based questions were supported, preventing recruiters from using structured data like multiple-choice or rating scales.
Complex Setup: The process of "creating" vs. "filling out" an evaluation was blurred, causing confusion and user errors.

Discovery & Strategy

To build a data-driven solution, I started by interviewing our Customer Support team to identify common pain points. I also performed competitive benchmarking against industry leaders like Greenhouse to align our platform with modern recruitment standards.

The Strategy: Optimizing Existing Workflows

The goal was to refine and expand the two existing workflows to support more advanced capabilities while drastically reducing usability friction:

Streamlined Evaluation Builder: Focused on reducing complexity and cognitive load within the existing setup flow, making it much easier and faster for HR admins to define structured cards and scales.

The streamlined evaluation builder used by HR admins to define cards and scales

Modernized Assessment View: Completely revamped the existing evaluation experience within the candidate's profile. This involved a major visual modernization alongside a functional upgrade to seamlessly support new interactive question types and dynamic scoring models, all while preserving familiar entry points for recruiters.
New Overall Evaluation: Changed the final (overall) evaluation from a 1-5 scale to a simple Like/Dislike model. This supports quick reviews when no evaluation cards are used, and allows recruiters to separate detailed scores from their final hiring decision.

Design & Prototyping

Using our existing Design System, I moved straight to High-Fidelity Wireframes to speed up the feedback loop. To reduce the blurred lines between 'creating' and 'filling' an evaluation, I established a strict visual boundary. I then expanded our Design System to include interactive components.

New Components

I designed a library of interactive question types that were previously missing from our Design System, including Single-Choice (Radio), Multiple-Choice (Checkbox), and both Single and Multi-criteria Rating Scales, alongside the existing text-based inputs.

Design system components for radio, checkbox, single-criteria and multi-criteria rating questions

The Design

Create Evaluation Card

Creating an evaluation card with different question types

Submit Evaluation

Evaluation Scores in Job Page

Aggregated evaluation scores shown on the candidate list in the job page

Usability Testing

I conducted moderated usability tests with 7 participants to validate the entire lifecycle of the new evaluation system. My objective was to ensure users could navigate the increased complexity without friction.

Testing Scope

Creation: Can users build a card using a mix of single and multi-criteria rating scales from scratch?
Execution: Can recruiters easily log an assessment within a candidate's profile using the new UI?
Interpretation: Can hiring managers accurately interpret the aggregated scores and feedback shown on the candidate list within the Job Dashboard?

Key Findings & Iterations

Issue: Information Hierarchy

Integrating the new score UI caused the data layout on candidate cards to look cluttered and disorganized on the job dashboard.

The Fix

Restructured the card layout to prioritize essential information and reduce visual noise.

Candidate card layout before and after restructuring

Issue: Visual Overload on Dashboards

Multiple scores made the candidate cards look cluttered and hard to read.

The Fix

Implemented a collapsed stack for ratings. Now, scores are layered and only expand on hover, keeping the UI minimal and scannable.

Collapsed stack of ratings that expands on hover

Launch & Handoff

I worked closely with the development team to ensure a pixel-perfect implementation during the QA phase. To help users adjust, I designed an onboarding modal with a video tutorial that launched alongside the new feature.

Results & Impact

Zero Support Tickets: Achieved 0 support inquiries or complaints regarding the evaluation workflow post-launch.
Enterprise Flexibility: Successfully supported custom scales (1-20, 1-100) and multi-criteria types, unlocking value for enterprise clients.
Seamless Adoption: The transition was 100% successful, with no reported bugs and high user satisfaction.