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Indeed

Redesigning Job Search for the Japanese Users

Bridging global product vision and local user behavior in Japan’s job market

Indeed | 2019-2020 | UX Designer

Vision & OKR Planning, Strategy, Concept, Design Workshop Facilitation, Research, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Rapid Prototyping, A/B Testing

Summary

As the first Japanese-speaking UX designer at Indeed, I led the redesign of the job search experience for the Japan market. Despite a high volume of job listings, Japanese users hesitated to apply due to mismatched expectations and unclear information. By conducting in-depth research and competitive analysis, I identified cultural and behavioral gaps between the global product and local user needs. I facilitated workshops, developed prototypes, and collaborated closely with teams in Japan and the US to deliver a tailored UX that resonated with Japanese job seekers. The new experience significantly improved engagement metrics and was later adopted globally.

Introduction

To help job seekers in Japan find work more efficiently and confidently, I led the redesign of Indeed’s job search experience tailored to the Japanese market. By deeply understanding local user behavior, facilitating design workshops, and collaborating across global teams, I shaped a solution that not only improved user engagement in Japan but also influenced Indeed’s global experience.

Challenge

Despite having a large number of job postings, Indeed Japan saw low application rates—especially compared to the US. Japanese users were hesitant to apply, indicating a mismatch between the platform’s experience and local expectations.

My Role

I owned the design end-to-end, from vision planning and workshop facilitation to prototyping and final design for implementation. I worked with 5 to 6 engineers, a product manager, a UX researcher and teams in the US.

Competitive Analysis

I conducted a competitive UX audit of job search platforms in Japan and uncovered key differences:

Competitors offered multi-criteria filters, while Indeed relied on a single search box.
Japanese platforms used structured content with visual elements, such as photos and icons.
Indeed’s text-heavy layout and minimal filtering clashed with Japanese users’ desire for clarity and context.
Japanese users wanted to understand working environments quickly, without reading long paragraphs.

Competitors (left, center) had more colors, icons, photos, filters, whereas Indeed had simple texts and minimum colors only.

Discovery Research

We conducted interviews with part-time job seekers to understand their motivations, behaviors, and challenges. Key findings included:

Many users prioritized flexible hours, short commute times, or earning pocket money.
Others sought jobs to connect with society after retirement or child-rearing.
Job search was often brief and purposeful—users expected a streamlined, goal-oriented flow.

We created archetypes based on research and mapped their search journeys. This clarified key moments of frustration and opportunity in the job search process.

Design Workshop

I planned and facilitated a 2-day design workshop to align the team around user needs. We defined the core UX vision: help users find the right job quickly, with minimal mental effort.

Design Workshop

I planned and facilitated a 2-day design workshop to align the team around user needs. We defined the core UX vision: help users find the right job quickly, with minimal mental effort.

Prototyping & Design System Integration

I translated workshop ideas into low-fidelity prototypes and collaborated with a Design Technologist on high-fidelity versions. Design key points were:

Structured information
Job highlights
Visuals (photos, icons, etc)

I also incorporated Indeed’s newly developed design system in prototypes to evaluate compatibility with Japanese users’ expectations.

User Interview

Multiple rounds of user interviews showed the new design aligns with user expectations better.

"Photos are helpful for understanding the workplace environment."

"I prefer reading bullet points over paragraphs."

"This version makes it easier to decide whether to apply."

MVP & Implementation

I delivered an MVP design that balanced technical feasibility with user-centered improvements, including:

Scannable job descriptions
Search filter
Job card

I also consolidated user feedback and shared it with the US design system team and external partners.

Impact

+ 3.1%

+3.1% increase in Apply button clicks/taps

+4.6%

+4.6% increase in Jobs Saved

100%

100% rollout across Japan

Ongoing Iteration & Recognition

I continued iterating on the job description while expanding the project scope to include:

Search filters
Personalized job feed
Improvements for native mobile app

The project won Indeed’s internal Engineering Innovation Award in 2019.

Global Influence

The redesigned Japan experience was later adopted in the US and other global markets to improve job search clarity and efficiency worldwide.

Sharing Insights Externally

I wrote about the design process in an article published on the Indeed Design Blog:
Beyond Localization – Customizing Indeed for Job Seekers in Japan

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