Redesigning Royal Navy Recruitment for Gen Z
The Challenge
The Royal Navy needs around 25,000 applicants a year from a generation with a changing view of military careers, in a competitive job market. Great State, the agency responsible for the Navy’s digital recruitment strategy, brought me in as product lead on the redesign of the recruitment website from September 2022 to January 2023.
My Approach
I researched the values and motivations of Gen Z candidates and turned them into personas and experience maps that underpinned the redesign. Working mobile-first, I prototyped and iterated with the designers so the site captured the full range of Navy careers, from engineering and healthcare to postings around the world. I translated the research into design briefs for the developers, keeping the work user-focused and buildable, and set up measurement of the application journey from first visit to submitted application.
Results
With Great State’s development and campaign work, the redesigned site delivered a 400% increase in applications year on year, alongside a 93% increase in traffic and a 150% increase in engagement. The result was only visible because the funnel was measured before the work began.
Key Outcomes
- 400% increase in applications year on year (Great State awards entry)
- 93% increase in website traffic
- 150% increase in user engagement
- Mobile-first platform covering the full range of Navy careers
