Zilin Zhou Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Ourability Connect Dashboard Career Networking Platform in Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design

Zilin Zhou acknowledged for interface, interaction and user experience design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 18, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Ourability Connect Dashboard Career Networking Platform by Zilin Zhou, designed for OurAbility Inc, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

What the Bronze A' Design Award Means

The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

More About Ourability Connect Dashboard Career Networking Platform

Job searching is harder than ever, especially for those with disabilities. Job postings may not be accessible for people with disabilities, making it harder for them to even find job opportunities. Ability Connect Dashboard empowers disabled job seekers and employers through an AI-powered job search and connection platform. It offers advanced accessibility features, connecting job seekers with potential employers and enabling employers to discover unique talent. Its focus on inclusive and accessible design, and AI technology, prioritizes disabled users' needs, promoting equal opportunity.

About Zilin Zhou

Zilin Zhou (Jason) is a passionate and award-winning product designer dedicated to shaping human-centered experiences that bring about positive change in people's lives. His primary objective is to harness the power of design to intricately weave together concepts, cultural influences, and individuals, crafting compelling connections. Zilin draws inspiration from attentive observation, enriching conversations, and formal design research, constantly broadening his perspectives. His deep fascination with the intricacies of the web has led him to delve into how design influences and shapes user experiences.

Award Record

This recognition makes Zilin Zhou a winner of 1 A' Design Award.

About the A' Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design Award

The A' Interface Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good user interface designs by the best UI/UX designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interface designers, interaction designers, user experience designers and digital product designers from all countries. Entries typically include websites, mobile applications, software interfaces, game interfaces, wearable interfaces and virtual reality interfaces. Awarded interface designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interface

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://designers.org/151726
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/151726
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!151726
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/345278
Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.ourability.com/

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Ourability Connect Dashboard Career Networking Platform
Function: Career Networking Platform
Category: Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design
Discipline: Communication Design
Industry: Software
Colors: Royal Blue, White Smoke, Light Slate Gray, Lavender and Gray
Images: 5
Client: OurAbility Inc

The Recognition

Laureate: Zilin Zhou
Country: United States of America
Recognition: Bronze A' Design Award
Edition: 2023 - 2024
Design ID: #151726

Credits

Image Credits: Designer Zilin Zhou, OurAbility Connect Dashboard, 2023.

Design Details

Unique Properties: In this project, Zilin designed the Our Ability Connect dashboard system, including the dashboard interface, new user flows, content strategy, etc. He spent time doing research and understanding the overall user experience. His goal for this project was to rethink the user’s need and to redesign the overall user experience to help Our Ability users to create the most functional and accessible dashboard system to empower their employees.
Inspiration: Nowadays, approximately one-fifth of the global population experiences difficulties in accessing the same services and products as people without disabilities. With the goal of designing an accessible and inclusive product that empowers users with disabilities in their employment, I embarked on this project with a simple belief. My research delves into studying different types of accessibility design, understanding current usability issues within existing systems, and redesign
Research: This research investigated usability problems faced by OurAbility dashboard users with disabilities. User research methods, including interviews, card sorting, and competitive analysis, were used to analyze the current system and identify good and bad experiences. Additional insight was gained through a cognitive walkthrough and interviews with users, highlighting the importance of accessibility features. Based on the findings, designer was advised to follow accessibility guidelines and obtain more input from disability users. The research also focused on designing accessible features, such as color, using a color review tool.
Challenge: During this project, I encountered three primary challenges: Prioritizing Accessibility in Design: The main goal was to ensure accessibility in every aspect of the dashboard design, which can be challenging but essential for empowering every user. As a designer, I believe in contributing to creating more accessible design solutions. Rethinking User Experience: After a thorough analysis of the current Our Ability Connect dashboard system, it was clear that the system lacked consistency and utility. I redesigned the entire system to ensure a more coherent user experience, creating a new web architecture and visual language that prioritized the most crucial features.
Realization and Technology: This project was approached in three stages to create a dashboard system that meets the needs of users with disabilities. The first stage involved researching and understanding accessibility design using various user research methodologies, such as card sorting, user interviews, and competitive analysis. These methodologies provided valuable insights and a clear direction for product strategies and design. In the second stage, the research findings were compiled and translated into design ideas using tools such as affinity diagrams and mind maps. This stage allowed for the creation of a more cohesive and effective dashboard design.
Operation and Interaction: OurAbility Dashboard is a professionally designed web application that enables individuals with disabilities to establish essential career connections. Moreover, this system empowers employers to connect with potential employees with disabilities by searching, connecting directly with them within the platform, and posting job opportunities to attract top candidates for their open positions.
Project Duration and Location: The project started in November 2020 in Syracuse NY and finished in August 2020 in Syracuse NY. The Phase 1 development work started Sep 2020, final MVP product launched in 2022
Specifications: This product is a web application
Keywords: Dashboard, Accessible Technology, Job Dashboard, Accessibility, Inclusive Design,