Case Study: How Justworks Fixed Its Mobile App
A detailed case study breaks down how the Justworks HR app team reversed low adoption by focusing on user research. The team identified missing features and security concerns by mapping support tickets to broken product flows. They then co-created solutions with users, providing a clear playbook for turning customer feedback into product wins.
The initial mobile experience was fragmented, stemming from the acquisition of a time-tracking solution that was not originally designed by Justworks. This resulted in a clunky user experience, frequent errors, and the administrative headache of managing two separate mobile apps—one for time tracking and another for core HR tasks like payroll and benefits. User feedback and support tickets were critical in pinpointing design flaws. For hourly employees who relied on the app to get paid, the confusing interface for recording time was a primary source of frustration. The lack of a unified design also created a disjointed brand experience for users navigating between the two applications. To address these issues, the product design team focused on streamlining the user experience with features like geolocation to autofill an employee's location, which sped up the clock-in process and reduced errors. They also flattened the navigation and used bottom sheets for contextual editing to minimize the number of screens a user had to move through to complete a task. The redesign process involved close collaboration between the product design, engineering, and brand departments to ensure the new features were feasible and aligned with Justworks' evolving visual identity. This partnership was key to merging the two apps into a single, cohesive interface. Following the initial launch of core features like paystub access and time-off requests, the team continued to add functionality based on user feedback, including a personalized homepage and a company directory.
