Freeworld

Freeworld needed to scale up their operations, but their manual over-the-phone onboarding process and 1:1 guidance throughout the entirety of the program limited their ability to support and graduate more students.

Goal

Automate the onboarding process to get students from signup to permit-holder while minimizing 1:1 support from Success Coaches. Additional goals:

  1. Helping students visualize the process

  2. Streamlining internal processes

  3. Incorporating wraparound services

Timeline

Role

Product Design Lead

6 Months

Cross-functional Team

Business Development, Customer Success, Engineering

POST-IMPLEMENTATION Results

Program Expansion

300%

From 2 to 8 States

Job Placement

90%

National Rate: 40%

First-Year Earnings

$60k

National Rate: $30k

Recidivism Rate

5%

National Rate: 67%

Research

Stakeholder Interviews

Led meetings to align vision, goals, and issues to understand priorities for each stakeholder. Most team members not only support formerly incarcerated folks but have the lived experience as well.

Key Insights

Students’ biggest barrier: Dropoff before getting a permit

Discuss top asked questions and moments of friction from students

Feature Prioritization discussed how to approach keeping the experience contained in a single browser

Audit existing data

Defining biggest moments of friction and dropoff rates for each milestone

Mapping / listing the end-to-end user journey with the team

Review pre-program demographic data to get a holistic sense of challenges coming into program to prioritize audience

Defining Audience

There’s a wide range of skill when it comes to smartphones for people who’ve been incarcerated for 10+ Years.

For the initial launch, the team prioritized technically skilled users in order to start collecting data. Long-term, the plan is to prioritize users new to tech and smartphones for an accessible and inclusive experience.

Researching Gamification

Based on CEO’s interest, I researched ways gamification can lead to better outcomes. Turning difficult tasks into play makes the tasks more engaging, achievable, with greater learner retention. In examples we looked at, it does this by:

  • Visualizing progress

  • A clear call-to-action

  • Providing real-time feedback

  • Personalized practice

  • Increasing motivation through immediate rewards

  • Creating community with leaderboards

Process

Defining the User Journey

Creating a detailed collaborative Student Milestone checklist to understand the end-to-end process

Feature Prioritization

Working with the enginnering team, we held weekly meetings to discuss the key priorities and align on progress.

1. Embed APIs

Keep as much as possible inside a singular experience will be key to keeping things simple for the audience. Key API embeds include:

  • Calendly

  • Google Maps

  • Plaid

  • Uber

2. Document Upload

The ability to capture, upload, and store photo documents securely is important on the backend to keep the students’ files organized and attached to their account securely. Key documents include:

  • Birth Certificate

  • Social Security Card

  • Driving Permit & License

  • DOT Physical Exam Certificate

  • Proof of Residence

3. Responsive Status System

Implementing a checkmark system that visualizes the status for the student (and updates based on the status in Airtable on the backend). Key states include:

  • Default

  • Completed

  • In Review

  • Error

Early Wireframes:
Solidifying milestones

  1. Learning the program

  2. Getting Identity Documents

  3. Joining Slack

  4. Freeworld Training Classes

  5. Getting a CDL-A Permit

  6. Starting Trucking School

Mapping API States: Plaid

Understanding how the the flow for microdeposits work, setting it up as simply as possible for students, and knowing which states to design for / can be customizable

Client Feedback

Initially the strategy was to group similar tasks together so students didn’t need to relearn things later on. To prevent sudden dropoff, the client wanted make updates to test these assumptions:

  • Assumption 1: Keeping only the minimum necessary steps for onboarding to prevent dropoff

  • Assumption 2: Getting students into the Freeworld Slack earlier and connect them to real people ASAP to prevent drop off

Emphasize Support

Emphasize support up front, then continuously remind in body copy

Single Action Screens

Breaking down lists into simpler, single action screens. For more complex processes, use conversational text

Progress Tracker Variations

Explored variations on the progress tracker with different levels of details to test

Zoom User Testing & Insights

The Freeworld Team collaborated on a script for users
Users are given specific tasks, and we recorded screens (with permission) as they walked through the prototype over Zoom 

We ended up recruiting more folks who are new users to tech than the target primary users

Break down complexity


Problem: Students overwhelmed when seeing the amount of tasks to be done
Assumption: single action items per screen will help people feel less overwhelmed

Problem: Receiving many calls about how ISA Payments work
Assumption: Using short videos for important information with mini quizzes after will help reduce calls and help students retain that info

Language Precision 


Problem: People confusing external trucking school for FreeWorld permit training prep classes 
Assumption: Changing copy for online classes that prepare students for the CDL-A permit test vs. a local trucking school with behind-the-wheel training will help clarify the process

Navigation Tips


Problem: New tech users don’t intuitively know to scroll 
Assumption: Including onboarding instructions on how to navigate on android will help

Problem: New users to tech are not familiar with CTA Buttons
Assumption: Using explicit language “click here to go here” will be helpful

Updated Wireframes

A/B Testing Flow Order: Identity Documents & Slack Signup

3 Visual Directions

Short-term, we discussed having a trivia style game with using the Freeworld teachers’ avatars.

Long-term, the team would incorporate emojis as visuals when the curriculum is more solidified and has been fully tested with students

Adding Visuals & Refinement

Continuing to add more granularity per milestone as we learn more about the process

Added in animated Success Screens for each milestone

Results

End-to-End Flow

Post-Program: Wraparound Explorations

Dashboard Variations

Job Board: Key Pages

Next Steps

Defining key data points

  • User Experience Data Points

  • Prioritizing data points that show impact and scalability

  • Incorporating state-level data

Strengthening User Testing

  • Seeking an outside user researcher with experience working with formerly incarcerated folks

  • Targeted user testing recruitment

  • Following students end-to-end through the program for deeper insight

  • Continue building trust with students and potential students

Initial KPI Suggestions

  • Watched prep video (%)

  • Signup for classes (%)

  • Attended 1 class (%)

  • Completed all 4 classes (%)

  • Practice Questions (# of questions attempted)

  • Attempted all Practice Questions (%)

  • 80%+ on Practice Tests (% for each test)

Learnings & Opportunities

Learning User Challenges: Barriers

  • Not sure if it’s a scam (sounds too good to be true)

  • Lack of access to internet

  • Not asking for help or just giving up (as a result of having very little tech experience)

Learning User Challenges: Task Difficulty

  • High effort up front 

  • Cumbersome processes (getting a permit)

  • Dealing with complex orgs that don’t communicate well (DMV)

  • High level of commitment required: Getting paperwork organized, committing to classes, trucking school, potentially balancing going to school and job/childcare

  • Understanding a new business model: Income Share Agreements

Challenges: User Testing Data

  • Testing process so far is skewed toward folks who are new to technology (not target audience)

  • Difficulties getting target participants: Need more data to see patterns

  • Need more granular UX data points outside of investors’ priorities: conversion, retention, and average time to finish program

  • Not getting quality, honest answers
    Show the team how important the User

Opportunities: User Testing Data

  • Use data points as a tool for decision making and knowing where to focus next iteration

  • Explore objective third-party running testing for higher-quality results

  • Use new data points to make a business case, and onboard new tech investors

  • Exploring data collection methods and investing in tech to support