Designing CONCÉ — Redefining How Talent Meets Opportunity

Over the past ten months, our team at Sunny Side Up partnered with CONCÉ to design and deliver the MVP for a next-generation, AI-powered job-matching platform. What began as a bold vision to merge human insight with machine intelligence evolved into a sophisticated, scalable product — one that reimagines how professionals connect with opportunity.

From research to design systems, we shaped every detail to reflect CONCÉ’s ethos: white-glove simplicity powered by AI precision.

“At CONCÉ, design wasn’t just about aesthetics — it was about trust, clarity, and confidence. We set out to create an experience that feels like a conversation with possibility itself.”

The Challenge & Vision

When CONCÉ’s founder, Meghan Houle, came to us, her vision was clear: build a trusted, AI-powered career matching platform that blends human discernment with intelligent automation.

But the challenge was immense.

We needed to create a dual-sided SaaS experience — one that serves businesses seeking top talent and job seekers looking for meaningful work — while maintaining the brand’s promise of white-glove simplicity and credibility.

Unlike traditional job boards, CONCÉ had to feel personal, elegant, and deeply human.

Discovery & Research

Our research process began with understanding the nuances of both sides of the platform:

• What drives trust in a job-matching platform?

• How do businesses define success beyond hiring speed?

• How can AI assist rather than overwhelm human decisions?

We conducted competitive analysis, mapped user journeys for seekers and hiring managers, and interviewed early-stage partners to define the emotional core of the product.

“We quickly realized that the biggest opportunity wasn’t in adding more tech — it was in removing friction, complexity, and uncertainty.”

Design Strategy & Approach

The strategy was anchored in precision and personalization.

We developed:

• A multi-role user experience across four tiers (admin, hiring manager, panelist, seeker).

• Dynamic dashboards designed to scale with evolving business needs.

• A flexible AI interaction model for candidate assistance and recruiter workflows.

• A design system crafted for both scalability and elegance.

Every screen was built around clarity — ensuring that even as complexity grew under the hood, the experience remained seamless and intuitive.

Evolving Scope & Complexity

As the product vision matured, so did the scope.

New layers — like AI-driven summarization tools, calendaring, internal messaging, and multi-tiered access dashboards — expanded the architecture.

Our collaboration across Go-to-Market, ML, and Engineering teams in Boston, NYC, and Buenos Aires became crucial. Together, we shaped the platform’s ecosystem — balancing strategy, speed, and craftsmanship.

“Designing for AI means designing for trust. Every decision — from tone to interaction timing — had to build confidence and feel human.”

The Road to MVP & Beyond

As of September 2025, CONCÉ’s MVP stands at 92% completion — a fully functional foundation ready for beta testing and rollout by December 2025.

This journey has been one of alignment, agility, and artistry — blending AI-driven intelligence with the warmth and precision of thoughtful design.

“From Boston to Buenos Aires, our teams worked as one — proving that when strategy meets empathy, even the most complex ideas can feel effortless.”