Driving efficiency and engagement in DEI hiring
Key Takeaways
CircaWorks' Outreach Management System had fragmented tracking, inconsistent engagement measurement, and poor search — frustrating DEI-focused hiring teams
OneSpring applied cognitive walkthroughs, user personas, and think-aloud sessions to identify usability gaps and guide targeted design improvements
Improved outreach tracking, streamlined CBO communication, and enhanced search made OMS a more effective tool for compliance-driven DEI hiring programs
CircaWorks partnered with OneSpring and conducted a research study to enhance the Outreach Management System (OMS) experience for companies focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring, as well as compliance-focused organizations. The goal was to better understand user behaviors, pain points, and expectations to create a more efficient and user-friendly system. The research strategy included cognitive walkthroughs, user personas, and use case analysis to ensure a comprehensive understanding of user interactions with OMS.
Challenge
The research identified key challenges affecting the usability and efficiency of the OMS. Users struggled with tracking outreach efforts effectively, as the system lacked intuitive workflows for managing interactions with community-based organizations (CBOs). Engagement tracking was inconsistent, with users facing difficulties in defining and measuring meaningful interactions. Communication features for sending and receiving referrals and messages were not streamlined, causing delays in collaboration. Additionally, the search functionality for evaluating organizations required improvements to ensure users could efficiently find and assess relevant CBOs. These challenges led to inefficiencies, reduced engagement, and increased frustration among users.
Solution
CircaWorks implemented a structured research approach to develop targeted improvements for OMS. Cognitive walkthroughs were conducted to evaluate the system’s learnability and identify usability gaps. Priority user personas were created to represent high-frequency and low-frequency users, helping tailor the system to different engagement levels. Use case analysis provided insights into real-world interactions, leading to the refinement of workflows for tracking outreach, engaging with CBOs, managing communications, and improving search functionalities. The implementation of think-aloud sessions and usability testing allowed researchers to capture unfiltered user feedback, leading to design changes that addressed key pain points.
“CircaWorks’ OMS improvements have streamlined our outreach efforts, making it easier to engage with the right organizations and track our impact."
— HR Compliance Manager, Circa
Results
The research-driven improvements led to a more efficient and user-friendly OMS. Users reported increased ease in tracking outreach efforts, with clearer workflows and improved engagement tracking. The communication process was optimized, allowing for more seamless interactions between representatives and CBOs.
Enhanced search functionalities made it easier for users to find and evaluate relevant organizations, reducing time spent on administrative tasks. Overall, user satisfaction improved, with feedback indicating a more intuitive and efficient experience. These changes positioned OMS as a more effective tool for organizations committed to DEI hiring and compliance, ensuring they could maximize their outreach and impact.
Through a structured and user-focused research approach, CircaWorks successfully addressed critical usability challenges within OMS. The research insights guided design enhancements that streamlined workflows, improved communication, and enhanced search capabilities.
Efficiency Boosted
48%
Increase in Engagement
45%
The enhancements have saved us valuable time while significantly improving our compliance workflows.”
— HR Compliance Manager, Circa
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CircaWorks Outreach Management System (OMS)?
The CircaWorks OMS is a platform that helps organizations manage and track their outreach to community-based organizations (CBOs) for DEI hiring and OFCCP compliance purposes. It supports communication, referral management, engagement tracking, and search for relevant CBOs across hiring regions.
What UX challenges did DEI hiring teams face with CircaWorks OMS?
Teams struggled to track outreach efforts because the system lacked intuitive workflows for managing CBO interactions. Engagement measurement was inconsistent, communication features for referrals and messages were fragmented, and search functionality made it difficult to efficiently find and evaluate relevant organizations.
How did OneSpring improve the CircaWorks OMS experience?
OneSpring conducted cognitive walkthroughs to evaluate system learnability, created user personas representing both high- and low-frequency users, and ran think-aloud usability sessions to capture unfiltered feedback. These insights drove targeted design changes to outreach tracking workflows, communication features, and CBO search functionality.
Why does DEI hiring software need strong UX design?
DEI and compliance teams often manage high volumes of outreach with limited staff. When the software creates friction — requiring too many steps to log a contact or find an organization — teams cut corners or abandon the system entirely. Better UX means more consistent documentation, stronger compliance records, and greater impact.
What is a cognitive walkthrough and how does it improve software usability?
A cognitive walkthrough is a structured usability evaluation where reviewers simulate a new user's decision-making process to identify where the interface fails to guide them effectively. For CircaWorks, this revealed gaps in OMS navigation that weren't obvious to long-term users but created steep learning curves for new team members.
How does better outreach tracking help organizations meet DEI compliance goals?
DEI compliance — including OFCCP requirements — depends on documented proof that organizations made good-faith outreach efforts to diverse candidate pools. When tracking is easy and intuitive, teams record more interactions accurately, creating a defensible compliance record and demonstrating genuine DEI commitment.
What results did the CircaWorks OMS UX improvements achieve?
Users reported greater ease in tracking outreach efforts, clearer workflows for CBO engagement, and more seamless referral and messaging processes. Enhanced search reduced time spent on administrative tasks, and overall satisfaction improved — positioning OMS as a more effective tool for compliance-focused DEI hiring programs.
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