Role/Overview
We launched the initial Backstage iOS app in 2017. At that time we had a much smaller team than we have today, which means all the planning and research for this project was done by me and one Product Manager, and all the design work I did myself with the help of an app design contractor we brought on for a couple months.
We've never dropped below a 4.7 rating in the App Store since the original version was launched, which has always been a huge point of pride for myself and the entire product team.
Product
The iOS app has all the features and tools we offer talent on the website—everything they need to sign up, create a profile, apply to jobs, and get hired. Unlike employers, who we found spend the vast majority of their time using Backstage on a laptop or desktop computer, a slight majority of users on the talent side use Backstage more on their phones. Many are actors who are always out and about, going from audition to part-time job to another audition. Though the website is fully responsive, this on-the-go lifestyle of talent necessitated that we build them an even more intuitive and cohesive experience, optimized for the iOS environment.
