Streamlining the Agent and Associate Experience

Overview:

As Senior UX Designer, I led the redesign and consolidation of WFG's agent and associate platforms into a single portal.
This involved owning the design system, redesigning core pages, and developing new features to enhance user experience
and drive cost savings. My work encompassed user research, wireframing, prototyping, and close collaboration with
stakeholders and crossfunctional teams. The successful launch resulted in an improved user experience, streamlined workflows,
and a unified platform.

Objective:

Consolidate agent and associate platforms into a single, unified portal, driving cost savings through decommissioning
and enhancing user experience.

Challenge:

WFG operated separate platforms for agents and associates, leading to inefficiencies, increased maintenance costs, and
inconsistent user experiences. The project required a complete overhaul of the existing design system, templates, core pages
(homepage, global navigation, search), and the development of new features to support the unified platform.

My Role:

• Design System Ownership: Inherited and refined the existing design system to ensure consistency and scalability across
  the unified portal.

• Core Page Redesign: Led the redesign of critical pages including the agent and associate homepages, global navigation,
  and search page, focusing on improved usability and accessibility.

• New Feature Development: Designed and implemented new features, including: 

• Global Notification System

• "My Team" page (downline/upline visibility)

• Help/Support knowledge article page

• Error message standardization

• News and Webinars page

• Training page enhancements

• Deadline Extension Request flow

• Edit Profile experience

• Block Message experience

• Ring and Earns page and experience.

• Collaboration and Communication: Acted as a central point of contact, collaborating directly with the client, product owner,
  business analysts, developers, quality analysts, and information architecture team.

• Requirement Gathering and Analysis: Conducted stakeholder interviews to understand business requirements and user needs.

• User-Centered Design: Developed user flows, conducted research, and applied UX/UI best practices to ensure consistency,
  accessibility, and usability.

• Wireframing and Prototyping: Created detailed, pixel-perfect wireframes (mobile, tablet, and desktop) to visualize design solutions.

• Documentation and Handoff: Provided clear and comprehensive documentation to facilitate seamless development.

Process:

1. Discovery and Research: 

1. Conducted stakeholder interviews to understand existing workflows, pain points,
   and business objectives.

2. Analyzed existing platforms and user data to identify areas for improvement.

3. Performed competitive analysis to understand industry best practices.

2. User Flow and Information Architecture: 

1. Developed detailed user flows to map out user journeys and identify potential
   bottlenecks.

2. Collaborated with the information architecture team to optimize site structure
   and navigation.

3. Design and Prototyping: 

1. Created low-fidelity wireframes to explore different design concepts.

2. Developed high-fidelity, pixel-perfect wireframes for mobile, tablet, and
   desktop platforms.

3. Created interactive prototypes to test and refine design solutions.

4. Collaboration and Iteration: 

1. Presented design concepts to stakeholders and incorporated feedback.

2. Collaborated closely with developers to ensure design feasibility and
   implementation.

3. Worked with quality analysts to ensure designs met accessibility and
   usability standards.

5. Documentation and Handoff: 

1. Created detailed design specifications and style guides for developers.

2. Conducted design reviews to ensure accurate implementation.

Results:

• Successfully consolidated agent and associate platforms into a single, unified portal.

• Improved user experience through redesigned core pages and new feature development.

• Enhanced global navigation and search functionality, leading to increased efficiency.

• Implemented a standardized design system, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Streamlined workflows and reduced development costs.

• Contributed to the continuation of the agent and associate homepage.

• Improved the global navigation and its drop down functionality.

• Developed new features that enhanced the user experience and provided valuable information

Key Learning:

• Effective communication and collaboration are essential for successful project outcomes.

• A user-centered design approach is crucial for creating intuitive and engaging experiences.

• Thorough documentation and clear communication are vital for seamless development hand-off.

• The importance of understanding and improving user stories to produce effective user flows.

Conclusion:

My contributions as a Senior UX Designer were instrumental in the successful launch of the Single Portal WFG project. By focusing
on user needs, collaborating effectively, and applying UX/UI best practices, I helped to create a unified platform that improved the
agent and associate experience, and achieved significant business objectives.