My Role
Service Designer & Strategist
Date
1 Jan 2025
Timeline
Core Responsibilities
Financial Analysis, Market Identification, User & Competitor Research, Business Strategy, and creating the conceptual design and seed funding pitch.
Overview
The project was inspired by the book Managing the Design Process: Concept Development, which emphasizes that a successful outcome is achieved through strong chemistry and an effective working relationship between the service provider and the client.
The initial problem identified was the difficulty clients face in finding a designer who is a good temperamental fit for their organization, and conversely, the challenge for designers to know who will be the best client to work with.
The Opportunity: A Fragmented Gig Economy
The gig economy is valued at over $500 billion globally and involves 36% of the U.S. workforce, yet it's built on a shaky foundation. My initial research revealed a critical disconnect: while businesses crave specialized talent, the platforms they use are often inefficient and breed distrust.
36% of the U.S. workforce are freelancers but but 60% face payment delays
Professionals face unstable income, with 60% experiencing payment delays , and struggle to prove their credibility in a marketplace flooded with competition.
My Role & The Team
My team
As the lead strategist on the business and financial front, my specific contributions included
Pitch Deck & Business Strategy
Our Detailed Design Process: From Insight to Implementation
We followed a structured, five-phase design process to ensure our solution was user-centered, strategically sound, and business-viable.
Phase 1: Discovery & Industry Research (Understanding the Landscape)
Foundation
The project was inspired by the book Managing the Design Process, which emphasizes the importance of "strong chemistry" between a service provider and receiver.
Desk Research, Market & Financial Analysis
I conducted a STEPIC analysis to evaluate the Social, Technological, Economic, Political, and Cultural factors shaping the gig economy. This revealed that Technology and Economy were the key drivers of change
Our STEPIC analysis revealed a growing need for secure, tech-enabled, and reputation-driven platforms to support the evolving freelance economy.
Social & cultural
Freelancing is no longer a stop-gap it’s a career. However, challenges like credibility, trust, and financial insecurity call for support systems that empower freelancers beyond just job listings.
Technological
With 75% of freelancers depending on digital tools, there’s clear demand for AI-enabled discovery, escrow services, and skill validation systems to streamline interactions.
Economic & International
The gig economy is booming globally but fragmented by payment delays, currency issues, and legal loopholes showing a gap for globally compliant, seamless solutions.
Political
The landscape is shifting with updated laws redefining freelance work. Platforms must adapt to ensure ethical classification, transparency, and legal security.
These insights became the foundation for designing a service ecosystem that not only connects freelancers with work but builds trust, reputation, and financial stability across borders.
Concept Exploration
We brainstormed three initial concepts: a "Freelance Ecosystem," "Financial Freedom for Freelancers," and "The Future is Remote Work." Using a 2x2 matrix plotting Impact vs. Feasibility, we strategically selected the "Freelance Ecosystem" as it addressed urgent, solvable problems with high impact potential.
Freelance ecosystem
Financial Freedom for Freelancers
The Future is Remote Work
Impact Potential +
Feasibility -
Feasibility +
Phase 2: Primary Research (Understanding the User)
We launched a survey that collected over 110 responses and conducted 12 in-depth interviews with freelancers and hiring professionals. Through our Survey we found out Personal networks remain the dominant and most trusted source for freelancers, outweighing reliance on online platforms.
Service Receiver Archetype 1 :
The Budget Conscious Startup
Profile - A small business or startup with limited resources, seeking cost-effective freelance work.
Motivations - Needs high-quality results while maintaining a lean budget to maximize return on investment (ROI).
Challenges - Finding skilled providers within budget constraints while maintaining quality.
Goals - Scale operations efficiently by optimizing freelance hiring.
Service Receiver Archetype 2 :
The Service Seeker
Profile - A client looking for skilled professionals to complete projects efficiently.
Motivations - Prioritizes speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness when hiring freelancers.
Challenges - Balancing quality, speed, and budget while ensuring the reliability of service providers.
Goals - Minimize hiring risks and build long-term relationships with dependable freelancers.
Service Receiver Archetype 3 :
The Interim Talent Seeker
Profile - A company hiring freelancers as a temporary solution while searching for full-time employees.
Motivations - Uses freelancers to fill immediate talent gaps while maintaining workflow efficiency.
Challenges - Ensuring continuity and quality while integrating freelancers into ongoing projects.
Goals - Transition temporary freelance hires into long-term workforce strategies.
Phase 3: Strategy & Differentiation (Carving Our Niche)
Blue Ocean Strategy
We used the ERRC (Eliminate-Raise-Reduce-Create) framework to map our value curve. We chose to Raise features like Match Making, AI Assistance, and Escrow Services, while Reducing our initial focus on Global Reach to target a specific market first.
Positioning
We used the ZAG framework to define our unique position: "We are the only platform focusing exclusively on freelancers with integrated security, financial protection, and AI-powered hiring."
Business Model
Based on all the data we created our business model that helps us achieve our goals taking the business side and stakeholder side into consideration.
Phase 4: Design & Prototyping (Visualizing the Solution)
Value Pillars
Our core pillars are Equipped, Connected, and Engaged ensure freelancers have the tools, trust, and community they need to thrive. Together, they create a holistic ecosystem that supports career growth, secure work, and lasting industry impact.
Value Proposition
This Value Proposition Canvas aligns our features with user needs through three key drivers: Equipped, Connected, and Engaged. It addresses core user challenges—like unstable income, lack of credibility, and difficulty finding skilled professionals—through secure payments, career tools, AI support, and networking, empowering both freelancers and businesses to thrive.
Wireframes and Test Case Scenarios
We developed low-fidelity wireframes in Figma for three key user scenarios
Participants explored the hiring and project management workflow, starting with an AI-assisted design brief creation.
They then navigated through candidate shortlisting, contract finalization, and timeline management based on project stages.
The session concluded with the task of retrieving project files and checking progress using a provided wireframe.
Willingness to spend
Participants explored the hiring and project management workflow, starting with an AI-assisted design brief creation.
They then navigated through candidate shortlisting, contract finalization, and timeline management based on project stages.
The session concluded with the task of retrieving project files and checking progress using a provided wireframe.
Phase 5: Testing & Validation (Refining with User Feedback)
Methodology
We conducted usability tests with 12 participants over 3 days. We used two key methods: conversational prototyping with our wireframes and a "buy-a-feature" exercise, where users were given a $100 budget to "spend" on the premium features they valued most.
Key Findings
Portfolio Feature – Showcasing the Creative Process
Progressive Timeline: Users liked the behind-the-scenes view but prefer a structured timeline format for clarity.
Project Details: Requested clearer highlights on team size, collaborations, tools used, and duration.
Client Feedback: A review or stage-wise feedback system would build trust and credibility.
Cross-Promotion: Suggested adding related projects at the bottom to increase exploration and engagement.
Service Receiver’s Experience – Project Management
Users were highly satisfied with this feature, but some refinements were suggested:
A clearer payment schedule mapped to the project timeline.
Simplified team chat with an added direct messaging feature for seamless communication.
Clearly defined team roles for better task management.
A more explicit indication that files will only be released once payments are processed
Onboarding: Users appreciated the structured onboarding but want more diverse skillsets represented in profiles.
Transparency: Strong interest in seeing past client collaborations, completed projects, and a rating-based ranking system.
Engagement: Suggested adding community features and gamification to boost motivation and retention.
Profile Evolution: Recommended turning the profile into an interactive dashboard for managing work, networking, and upskilling.
Visual Timeline: A work experience timeline would make profiles more informative and visually appealing.
Client Spending Trends
Clients prioritized hiring efficiency, streamlined project management, and ensuring quality outcomes.
The fund allotment for features were:
A. Freelancer Matching & Hiring Assistance – $30
B. AI-Driven Briefs & Project Management Tools – $25
C. Team Collaboration & Communication Features – $15
D. NDAs & IP Protection – $10
E. Priority Support – $10
F. Lower Platform Fees / Discounts – $10
The Solution: The WEVE Platform
WEVE Platform
WEVE is a career-focused ecosystem that provides freelancers with security and growth opportunities while offering businesses a streamlined way to hire verified, high-quality talent. The platform's features are a direct response to our research findings.
For Freelancers: A comprehensive career dashboard with AI-powered job matching, a "behind-the-scenes" portfolio to showcase their full process, secure milestone-based payments, and access to upskilling and community networking events.
For Businesses: An AI-assisted project brief creator, a curated list of verified freelancers with credibility scores, and a unified dashboard to manage projects, teams, contracts, and payments seamlessly.
The Glimpse of our Pitch Deck: Securing seed funding for WEVE
Final Outcome
This project successfully validated the market need for a platform like WEVE. Through rigorous research and iterative design, we developed a user-centered solution with a viable business model that addresses the core pain points of the modern gig economy.
Our user testing confirmed that both freelancers and clients are not only enthusiastic about the platform’s features but are also willing to pay for premium services that offer security and efficiency.