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Ascend Marketplace Training App

Overview

The client, a large insurance broker, required a mobile-first training solution to improve agent onboarding and reduce reliance on support, addressing challenges they had encountered with previous in-person training formats. Our user-centered approach led to an interactive, scalable app that allows agents to access training materials on demand, ultimately boosting engagement and efficiency while aligning with the client’s digital

Project Details

Team

Project Manager • Data Architect • Development Lead • Security Lead • Product Manager (my role) • Product Designer (my role)

Duration

Eight weeks from Project Launch to Design Handoff.

Tools

Figma • FigJam• Photoshop • Confluence • Jira

Project Case Study

Business Problem

The client, a large insurance broker, approached us with a clear concern: they anticipated a significant burden on their staff due to the onboarding and training requirements for a new Marketplace insurance module on our SaaS platform. Drawing from past experiences with onboarding for the Medicare platform, the client was aware of the challenges posed by an intensive, lecture-style training format, especially for agents expected to retain extensive information.


Historically, onboarding for the Medicare platform was conducted through a two-day, 15-hour, in-person course focusing heavily on workflows and led by the client’s training staff. This approach was primarily lecture-driven, where agents received a printed notebook containing the presentation deck. However, once agents returned to their remote offices and began using the product, they often struggled to recall details or navigate the platform independently. This led to a high volume of calls to the client’s helpdesk, placing a strain on their support team and negatively impacting operational efficiency.


Additionally, customer satisfaction surveys revealed low scores in the initial weeks of the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), suggesting that agents were not fully prepared to use the platform confidently and effectively, which likely impacted the quality of service they provided. The client wanted to avoid similar onboarding issues with the new module and, convinced that a mobile app would be an effective solution, requested a user-friendly, accessible training tool to help agents learn the new system more independently and efficiently.

Solution

To address these challenges, we proposed a web application tailored to support remote, on-demand training, designed with flexibility and engagement in mind. The app’s core functionality would enable client administrators to upload their own videos, documents, and additional resources, providing agents with easy access to essential training materials whenever needed.


A key feature of the app was an integrated video player, enhanced with searchable key points. This allowed administrators to mark specific points within each video, making it easier for agents to quickly locate and revisit critical parts of the workflow and other processes. By facilitating this level of direct access to training resources, the app aimed to reduce reliance on live support and enable agents to review materials independently, addressing the previous gap in retention and comprehension.

Given the client’s insistence on a mobile app, this solution was optimized for a native mobile tool, allowing agents to access training materials anywhere and anytime, with the goal of improving both agent confidence and customer satisfaction during the early stages of the AEP.


During discovery, I took the opportunity to gather insights from client representatives about specific pain points in the Medicare platform’s onboarding process. These insights led to a follow-up project the following year to enhance the Medicare platform's usability, creating a ripple effect of improvements that addressed root issues causing some of the onboarding challenges in their broader system. This proactive approach not only supported the immediate project objectives but also set the stage for continuous improvement across our SaaS offerings.

Business Strategy

The business strategy for this training and onboarding application centers on three core objectives: enhancing agent productivity, improving customer satisfaction, and reducing support costs for the client’s helpdesk. By delivering an effective, mobile-first training solution, the application is designed to address the high support demand and user experience challenges that previously arose from inadequate training methods. This strategy will not only solve immediate onboarding needs but also position our company as a proactive partner in the client’s broader digital transformation goals.


Objective Alignment and Value Proposition:
The application aligns with the client’s objectives by transitioning away from intensive in-person training to a flexible, remote-first model. By empowering agents with a continuously accessible, on-demand learning platform, the app is intended to reduce helpdesk dependency, streamline agent onboarding, and increase customer satisfaction rates during peak periods. This strategy also emphasizes the value of self-paced learning, which minimizes training fatigue and enhances long-term retention.


Key Differentiators and Competitive Advantage:
This application offers several unique features that differentiate it from traditional training platforms. Unlike lecture-based or static digital training tools, this app includes interactive, video-based learning with searchable key points for quick reference, designed specifically for agents' workflow needs. As a mobile-optimized solution, it also provides agents with training materials they can access anytime and anywhere. This competitive advantage not only meets the client’s preference for a mobile app but also sets a precedent for modern, flexible training solutions within the insurance sector.


Scalability and Long-term Vision:
The app is designed with scalability in mind, allowing administrators to continually upload updated materials as product modules evolve or new training needs arise. This flexibility will support the client's future growth by allowing them to scale the platform's training materials without additional development. Additionally, the app’s modularity makes it adaptable to potential future upgrades or integrations, such as interactive assessments or analytics tools, providing a long-term solution aligned with ongoing improvements to the client's SaaS offerings.


Competitive Positioning and Market Growth:
By deploying a tailored onboarding application that addresses a common challenge within the insurance industry, our solution also strengthens our positioning as a forward-thinking partner capable of providing practical, effective digital solutions. The success of this app in training and onboarding could present cross-selling opportunities with similar clients or adjacent industries with onboarding challenges, further establishing our company as a leader in innovative SaaS solutions for client training.

Experience Drivers

The main drivers of the experience for this training and onboarding application would include:

  1. Accessibility and Convenience
    The app’s mobile-first design allows agents to access training materials at any time, from any location. This flexibility supports agents in learning at their own pace, reduces the need for in-person sessions, and provides quick access to resources while on the job.

  2. Searchable and Interactive Video Content
    By enabling administrators to add searchable key points within training videos, the app allows agents to quickly find and revisit specific information. This feature reduces frustration, boosts information retention, and enables agents to efficiently resolve questions without needing to rewatch entire videos.

  3. Self-Paced, On-Demand Learning
    The on-demand nature of the app lets agents learn independently, reducing cognitive overload from intensive training sessions. This self-paced model ensures that agents can revisit and absorb critical information, leading to better overall understanding and confidence.

  4. User-Friendly Interface and Navigation
    An intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface makes it simple for agents to find the resources they need quickly. A well-organized layout, clear labeling, and straightforward navigation contribute to a smooth and satisfying user experience, especially important for users under time constraints.

  5. Real-Time Support and Resource Availability
    The immediate availability of resources like guides, video clips, and FAQs within the app reduces the dependency on live helpdesk support. By addressing agents' questions and issues in real-time through the app, this driver lowers support costs and improves efficiency.

  6. Scalability and Content Management
    The app’s capacity to easily add and update training materials allows administrators to keep the content relevant and up-to-date. This ensures that agents always have access to the latest workflows and information, creating a sustainable training resource that evolves with the platform.


These main drivers together form a cohesive experience, focusing on convenience, accessibility, and efficiency, which ultimately enhances agents' confidence and performance on the job.

Metrics

Since this was a new project, there were no direct KPIs initially associated with it. However, based on the challenges the client faced with their previous onboarding process, we identified relevant key metrics both before and after the implementation of the app. These metrics helped us set a baseline and provided insight into areas of improvement. From these, we developed focused KPIs to track the app's impact on onboarding effectiveness and customer satisfaction.


Key Metrics (Pre-Project)

Before the design project, we gathered information from the client’s previous onboarding process for their Medicare platform. This included:

  1. High Helpdesk Call Volume
    The client’s helpdesk experienced a surge in calls during the early stages of agent onboarding, with a significant number of calls focused on product navigation and workflow issues.

  2. Customer Satisfaction Scores During AEP
    Customer satisfaction surveys revealed low scores during the first few weeks of the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), a critical time when agents were expected to be most active. These scores suggested that agents were struggling to use the platform effectively in their early interactions with clients.


Defining KPIs for the New App

To measure the success of the new training app, we set KPIs based on key objectives related to reducing agent dependency on support, improving onboarding efficiency, and enhancing customer satisfaction. These KPIs focused on quantifiable outcomes to demonstrate the app's effectiveness:

  1. Reduction in Helpdesk Calls Related to Onboarding
    KPI: Decrease helpdesk call volume related to onboarding by 25% in the first 3 months of app usage.
    This KPI aimed to measure the app’s ability to help agents independently access training information and troubleshoot issues, reducing the load on support staff.

  2. Improvement in Customer Satisfaction Scores During AEP
    KPI: Increase customer satisfaction scores by at least 20% during the initial weeks of AEP compared to previous years.
    By improving agents’ confidence and platform familiarity through the app, this KPI targeted an increase in the quality of service agents provided to clients.

  3. Agent Engagement with Training Materials
    KPI: Achieve at least 80% completion rate for video-based training modules within the app within the first 60 days.
    This KPI focused on tracking how effectively agents engaged with training content, an indicator of the app’s accessibility and ease of use. It would provide insight into the agents' commitment to learning the platform independently.

  4. Decrease in Training-Related Operational Costs
    KPI: Reduce costs associated with onboarding by 30% within the first six months, primarily through reduced in-person training hours and support call time.


This KPI aimed to quantify savings achieved by transitioning to a digital training model, lowering travel, training, and operational costs.

Design Process

Our approach to developing the Marketplace training app generally followed a User-Centered Design (UCD) methodology, putting users' needs and feedback at the center of every design decision. This project included four key phases—Discover, Ideate, Create, and Evaluate—each of which integrated targeted workshops to ensure the solution addressed real-world training challenges faced by agents. Here’s how each phase unfolded:


1. Discover

In the Discover phase, our goal was to understand the unique challenges agents faced with onboarding, especially considering their difficulties with the existing training model. We conducted a User Journey Mapping Workshop with client stakeholders, training staff, and agents who had completed prior training sessions. This workshop mapped out the end-to-end agent onboarding process, identifying critical pain points such as issues with knowledge retention, a lack of remote support, and the dependency on in-person lectures.


2. Ideate

With our research insights in place, we moved into the Ideate phase, where we explored multiple solutions to address the identified onboarding challenges. In an Ideation and Solution Sketching Workshop, we brainstormed with client representatives, UX designers, and product managers to generate and prioritize feature ideas, such as an interactive video player with searchable key points and an organized resource repository. We created quick sketches and prototypes to visualize the ideas, which helped clarify and prioritize features that would add the most value. A Technical Feasibility Workshop followed, where developers and software architects assessed the proposed features to ensure they were technically viable. These workshops allowed us to select the best solutions and establish a clear path forward for development.


3. Create

In the Create phase, we transformed our ideas into interactive prototypes that showcased the app’s core functionalities. During a Prototype Review Workshop, UX designers, client training representatives, and agents tested early versions of the app. This session allowed us to gather detailed feedback on layout, navigation, and feature accessibility, focusing on how effectively agents could use key functions like video playback, search, and the content repository. The feedback led to iterative improvements, ensuring the app’s interface was intuitive and that agents could easily locate and access training materials.

It was in this workshop that we discovered agents’ strong opposition to a tracking feature we had proposed, which monitored video completion through quizzes and badges. While we believed this gamification would boost adoption and allow the client to gauge agent engagement, usability testing revealed that agents felt uncomfortable, perceiving it as overly intrusive. Following this feedback, the client requested that we remove the tracking feature from the initial release, with plans to reconsider it once agents became more comfortable with the app. This collaborative approach provided invaluable input, enabling us to refine the user experience before finalizing the design.


4. Evaluate

Evaluation was an ongoing process integrated into each project phase, providing continuous validation and refinement. In the Discover phase, we aligned with stakeholders through a Kickoff Workshop to ensure clarity on project goals and user needs, laying the foundation for focused user insights. During the Ideate and Create phases, we conducted usability testing and a Prototype Review Workshop, where agents, UX designers, and client representatives tested the app’s early prototypes. These sessions were critical for gathering feedback on navigation, feature accessibility, and layout.


By embedding workshops into each phase of this UCD process, we ensured that every design decision was grounded in user insights and stakeholder alignment. This iterative approach allowed us to deliver a training solution tailored to reduce helpdesk dependency, improve knowledge retention, and increase agents' confidence and readiness during their onboarding journey.

Challenges

A primary challenge was navigating the client’s strong preference for a native mobile app. Although a web-based solution was more cost-effective, we accommodated their request to reinforce our partnership. After finalizing the design, the client ultimately canceled the project due to financial constraints. We chose to archive the designs, preserving them as a foundation for future development or potential integration into our platform, benefiting other clients and enhancing our offerings. This experience underscored the importance of aligning strategy with client expectations while remaining adaptable in a dynamic project landscape.

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