Designing a Virtual Interview Platform for Mercer | Mettl
A strategic, end-to-end product design initiative focused on solving enterprise friction in remote hiring.
Overall Background
The foundational context for the project is the rapid evolution of enterprise hiring, driven especially by the shift to a remote-first world. This transition created an urgent need for organizations to implement a robust, scalable, and user-friendly virtual interview platform
Team Behind This Project
Rajat Budakoti
Lead Product Designer
Vishal Sharma
Product Desinger
Duration: 4 months
Target Users: Admins (HR/Talent Acquisition), Interviewers (Hiring Managers), and Candidates (Job Seekers)
Platforms: Web (Desktop)
Our Goals
The core objective was to design a platform that could cater to multiple stakeholders—Admins (HR/Talent Acquisition), Interviewers (Hiring Managers), and Candidates (Job Seekers)—each having vastly different workflows, goals, and technical proficiencies. The goal was to build a unified, role-based platform that would minimize friction and enhance transparency and efficiency across all user journeys.
Challenges
The Mercer | Mettl Interview App project faced distinct challenges across three main user groups: Admins, Interviewers, and Candidates. This project was necessitated by significant friction across the entire interview lifecycle
For Admin (HR/Talent Acquisition Teams) :
• Manual scheduling of bulk interviews is time-consuming and error-prone.
• Limited real-time visibility into live sessions results in operational blind spots.
• Delayed interviewer feedback hampers decision-making and prolongs time-to-hire.
• Existing tools lack role-based access control and branding flexibility, making it hard to personalize enterprise experiences.
For Interviewer (Hiring Managers) :
• Interviewers struggle with complex UIs, missing candidate context, and rigid feedback forms, reducing efficiency.
• The lack of real-time cues or AV alerts leads to disruptions during live sessions.
• High cognitive load during back-to-back interviews makes it harder to stay consistent in evaluations.
For Candidates (Job Seekers) :
• First-time users often experience last-minute technical issues due to unclear AV setup.
• Stress and confusion arise from non-intuitive UI, lack of guidance, and inadequate
pre-interview instructions.
• Post-interview, candidates are left with no feedback loop, reducing their engagement with the
hiring process.
Empathize & Understanding the Users
To design a zero-to-one interview experience for a diverse enterprise audience, we anchored our qualitative research around three primary personas. Each role came with unique workflows, frustrations, and priorities. Understanding their distinct mental models helped us design role-specific solutions from the ground up.
HR Manager / Admin
Anjali Mehra
Role:
HR Manager / Admin
“I need a system that gives me visibility and control without micromanaging everything.”
Quote:
Goals:
• Schedule interviews in bulk
• Monitor sessions
• Ensure timely feedback
Needs:
• Smart scheduling tools
• Feedback resubmission access
• Feature toggles
Wants:
• Bulk Scheduling
• Calendar Integration
• Feedback Toggle Controls
Frustrations:
• Manual scheduling
• Delayed feedback
• Limited live session visibility
Tech Familiarity:
Medium (uses HRMS, VC tools)
Hiring Manager / Interviewer
Rohan Sinha
Role:
Hiring Manager / Interviewer
“I don’t want to waste time finding info. I just want to evaluate and move on.”
Quote:
Goals:
• Assess candidates efficiently
• Submit structured feedback
• Switch quickly between sessions
Needs:
• Candidate context at a glance
• Quick feedback tools
• Distraction-free UI
Wants:
• Resume Panel
• Modular Feedback
• AV Alerts, Timer
Frustrations:
• Complex UI
• Missing resumes
• Rigid feedback forms
Tech Familiarity:
High (ATS, productivity tools)
Job Seeker / Candidate
Anjali Mehra
Role:
Job Seeker / Candidate
“I just want to feel prepared and confident before I click Join Button.”
Quote:
Goals:
• Stress-free interview
• AV (Audio-Video) readiness
• Clarity on the process
Needs:
• Guided onboarding
• Preview screens
• Clear CTAs
Wants:
• Guided Setup
• Lobby Timer
• User friendly tool
Frustrations:
• Unclear UI
• Last-minute tech issues
• Confusing clicks
Tech Familiarity:
Low to Medium (varies, first-time users)
Market Research
We analyzed leading competitors to identify usability gaps and innovation opportunities. Here's a snapshot of key insights:
Platfrom
Strengths
Asynchronous interviews, AI-powered insights
Limited customization, impersonal experience
Personalize with interviewer flexibility
Weaknesses
Oppertunity for Mercer Mettl
Deep integration for technical assessments
Complex UI for non-tech users
Simplify UX for broader candidate base
Interactive technical sessions
Weak onboarding for interviewers
Add role-based tooltips and flows
Usability, stability, and recording
Lacks structure for assessments and evaluations
Add structured evaluation panels
Enterprise-ready, integrated with Office 365
Clunky UX, complex meeting setup for interviews
Streamline for interviewer workflows
Reliable meetings, breakout rooms, wide adoption
No built-in assessment or candidate scoring
Integrate structured evaluation tools
Mercer | Mettl’s opportunity lies in combining structured workflows, seamless video integration, and role-aware interface personalization to offer a differentiated experience tailored to enterprise hiring needs.
Ideating the features required in the platform.
Based on ground-up user research, we identified core features that would deliver immediate value, reduce user friction, and ensure seamless collaboration between Admins, Interviewers, and Candidates. Each feature addresses a specific pain point and contributes to the holistic product experience.
HR Manager / Admin
Features
Bulk Interview Scheduling
Helps HR teams eliminate the repetitive task of scheduling each interview individually. Enables large-scale planning and time-saving coordination for high-volume hiring
Why it is needed?
Session Cloning
Allows quick duplication of interview structures for repeated roles or rounds. Saves time and ensures consistency across similar interview formats.
Feedback Resubmission Controls
Enables editing or resending of feedback after an interview has concluded. Useful for corrections, updates, or missing evaluator inputs.
Live Session Monitoring Dashboard
Provides real-time visibility into ongoing sessions, attendance, and tech issues. Helps admins proactively resolve disruptions and track engagement.
Smart Calendar Integration
Syncs with tools like Google or Outlook to auto-adjust for time zones and avoid clashes. Reduces candidate no-shows and scheduling errors significantly.
Permission-Based Role Management
Controls access to specific features or data based on user roles or seniority. Ensures privacy, security, and clarity in multi-user environments.
Custom Branding (Logo & Color)
Controls access to specific features or data based on user roles or seniority. Ensures privacy, security, and clarity in multi-user environments.
Hiring Manager / Interviewer
Features
In-Session Candidate Context Panel
Displays key candidate details like resume, job role, and notes during the interview. Saves time by reducing the need to switch tabs or hunt for information.
Why it is needed?
Modular Feedback Form
Breaks down feedback into manageable, structured sections to avoid cognitive overload. Increases completion accuracy and reduces end-of-session fatigue.
Autosave + Resume Later Option
Automatically saves feedback inputs in case of disconnection or accidental closure. Ensures no data is lost and allows interviewers to complete feedback later.
Real-Time AV Status Alerts
Continuously monitors audio and video setup to catch issues before or during the interview. Helps prevent disruptions due to unresponsive or malfunctioning tech.
Session Timer & Smart Prompts
Tracks elapsed time and provides timely nudges to manage interviews efficiently. Especially helpful in multi-candidate or panel-based formats to maintain structure.
Feedback Draft Sharing
Enables interviewers to share and collaborate on candidate evaluation notes in draft form. Ensures alignment in scoring and decision-making within interview
panels.
Job Seeker / Candidate
Features
Guided Audio-Video Setup with Live Preview
Helps reduce candidate anxiety by allowing them to test their camera and mic before starting. Ensures tech readiness and boosts confidence.
Why it is needed?
Lobby Waiting Room with Timer
Sets expectations by showing when the interview will begin and who else is present. Creates a structured waiting experience that feels professional and reassuring.
Accessible Onboarding Flow
Simplifies the login and setup steps using clear instructions and visual cues. Makes first-time users feel welcomed and guided through the process with ease.
Exit Screen with Feedback Form
Allows candidates to share feedback or report issues right after the session. Supports continuous improvement of the platform and candidate experience.
Device & Browser Compatibility Check
Detects tech limitations early to avoid in-session breakdowns. Essential for users from low-connectivity regions or using outdated browsers.
Privacy and Consent Confirmation
Clearly explains data collection, storage, and usage policies before the interview. Builds trust through transparency and aligns with global compliance requirements.
Each feature was prioritized based on:
· Frequency of the pain point
· Impact on session success
· Feasibility within product roadmap
Together, these feature requirements formed the basis for the next phase of prototyping and validation, ensuring that the app was role-aware, reliable, and ready for scale.
Defining user flow mapping journey for each user types
HR Manager / Admin
HR Manager / Admin
HR Manager / Admin
Design Solution
Each design screen corresponds to the user flows defined above and demonstrates real UI scenarios to support the product experience:
Wireframe
Next step was to get into more details and designed these high-fidelity wireframes for main screens of the flows
Final UI Screens
Empowering applicants creativity and assess skills in real-time with collaborative tools
If you want check the complexity of work, go and click on the Figma link below
Outcome & Impact
The redesigned Mercer | Mettl Interview App delivered measurable outcomes across all stakeholder journeys, grounded in feature specifications and driven by strategic UX interventions. Features like feedback resubmission, lobby previews, virtual background blur, and smart reminders were implemented with strong alignment to product specs, leading to notable success metrics
Features
Candidate Drop-off
16%
Before
Admin Scheduling Time
6%
After
Guided onboarding, AV checks, background blur
Change & Impact
1.5 hr
12 min
Bulk scheduling, session cloning, calendar invites
Streamlined forms, resume-context access
Interview Feedback Time
Feedback Submission Rate
12 min
40 -30 sec
Resubmission toggle, reminder nudges
41%
73%
Candidate Feedback Response Rate
Exit screen redesign, gratitude messaging
36%
68%
Session No-Show Rate
Auto reminder flow, status flags via admin panel
18%
5%
Platform Satisfaction (NPS)
Role-driven UX, seamless AV setup, minimal disruptions
+18
+41
Each metric correlates with an implemented feature from the product specification document, validating the roadmap's strategic focus and design execution alignment. These results demonstrate how thoughtful design directly improves user adoption, efficiency, and satisfaction across a high-stakes enterprise platform.
Iteration & Learnings
Iterations
• Introduced a lobby preview screen to test camera, mic, and background before entering the interview, leading to a visible reduction in candidate anxiety.
• Enabled admins to resend and unlock feedback forms based on specific roles and access controls.
• Added inline microcopy and placeholder text within forms to guide interviewers through incomplete or multi-step evaluations.
• Adjusted the scheduling UI after observing confusion around AM/PM vs. 24hr formats during remote tests with global teams.
Key Learnings
• Role-Based Thinking Enhances Usability: Tailoring flows and UIs based on role-specific behaviors significantly boosted satisfaction and task completion rates.
• Microcopy Matters: Small pieces of instructional content (tooltips, labels) greatly reduce user anxiety and errors during interviews.
• Visual Confidence Boosts Completion: Candidates who tested virtual backgrounds or previews before joining showed higher completion and feedback rates.
• Cross-Team Collaboration is Essential: Aligning design, product, and tech teams early allowed smoother implementation and fewer iteration loops.
• Data-Driven Decisions Yield Value: Feedback data helped identify high-friction areas quickly, enabling prioritization of meaningful improvements.
• Early Device Testing Saves Time: Testing on varied bandwidths, browsers, and operating systems early prevented late-stage bugs and ensured accessibility across environments.
Lessons from this project
This case study showcases the end-to-end redesign of the Mercer | Mettl Interview App, aimed at simplifying the virtual interview experience for candidates, interviewers, and administrators. By deeply understanding each user persona and their pain points, we developed targeted, role-based interfaces that improved usability, performance, and outcomes.
Through market benchmarking, usability testing, and cross-functional collaboration, we introduced features like feedback resubmission toggles, lobby previews, and automated calendar workflows. Our iterative process and research-driven design significantly reduced candidate drop-offs, improved interviewer efficiency, and simplified administrative workflows.
Key differentiators of this project include:
• Clear segmentation of user roles and journeys
• Scalable, flexible design systems tailored to enterprise hiring
• Integration of empathy-driven UX strategy into engineering constraints
• Demonstrated measurable business impact backed by user behavior data
“ Thanks for reading. Let’s connect.”
Rajat Budakoti
Product Design Leader | UI/UX & Visual Designer
Creating meaningful digital experiences through user-centered design, strategic thinking, and collaborative leadership.
© 2025 Rajat Budakoti. All rights reserved.
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