Three decisions after taking over
Building on the first requirements
- Problem
- The first project manager left after writing v1 of the requirements.
- Decision
- Keep v1 as the baseline, close its open decisions with the client, and own delivery to launch. For each open decision, I proposed the solution and the client approved it. The client relied on me for the product calls, so the team kept moving while the requirements were finished.
- Trade-off
- Some inherited decisions stayed as they were.
- Said no to
- Re-scoping from scratch, which would have stalled the team.
- Worth it because
- The platform launched about two months later.
Metrics before launch
- Problem
- Without agreed targets, “launched” would be the only measure.
- Decision
- Set success metrics and launch targets with the client before launch. We agreed three: onboarding completion rate, placement rate per application, and the number of verified professionals.
- Trade-off
- Time spent on alignment before build.
- Said no to
- Measuring only after launch.
- Worth it because
- Results are tracked against targets agreed upfront. Two of them are the results reported below.
Compliance one step at a time
- Problem
- Candidates must upload government ID, SSN, health clearance, background check and medical records: a long list of requirements that drives drop-off.
- Decision
- Split onboarding into five steps (personal information, role and work preferences, compliance documents, profile summary, confirmation), with a profile-completion bar, a short explanation for every document, and the option to skip and return.
- Trade-off
- More steps.
- Said no to
- One long compliance form.
- Worth it because
- Candidates always know what is needed and why.
Four parts of the product, with the candidate journey tested first
Four parts: the candidate web app, the employer web app, the admin portal and the candidate mobile app. I tested the candidate journey with about 40 people before it was built.
At launch, the candidate web and mobile apps had to take each candidate through the five-step onboarding, and the employer web app had to let employers review the applications for each job.
Launched about two months after I took over
- Launched about two months after I took over, across all four parts of the product.
- Live with 6,000+ healthcare professionals.
- A 42.67% placement rate per application, as reported by the client.
- Results tracked against success metrics and launch targets agreed before launch; improvements in progress.
Professional count and placement rate as reported by the client.
After launch
After launch, we added an employer mobile app. Since launch, we've been improving the employer and candidate mobile apps, measured against the same three metrics agreed before launch.
Run a handover audit on day one
Taking over mid-project, I'd start with a structured handover audit (every inherited decision, open question and assumption in the requirements) before changing anything, so nothing important is lost in the switch.