top of page

ApplyBoost 2.0

Redesigned ApplyBoost’s onboarding and lead-management experience to reduce student drop-off, clarify Recruitment Partner value, and improve operational visibility. I led design strategy and UI execution for a real production initiative.

Project Overview

ApplyBoost is a program within ApplyBoard platform that supports students in their study-abroad journey by either connecting them with Recruitment Partners (RPs) or allowing them to continue independently. After the India launch of ApplyBoost V2.0, the experience revealed several gaps, particularly around partner selection clarity, onboarding transparency, and lead management, which contributed to student drop-off and operational friction.
 

ApplyBoost 2.0 was initiated to address these issues. I led the design strategy and UI execution for this iteration, focusing on clarifying key decision points, improving visibility into onboarding progress for students and RPs, and designing workflows that could scale within existing platform and design system constraints.

Role

Lead UI Designer

Client

Internal (ApplyBoard Inc.)

Tools

Figma, Atlassian Jira/Confluence, Airtable, Miro

Duration

2 months

Methodologies

User Empathy, Wire framing, Prototyping, Heuristics, Scalability, Brand Alignment, Accessibility.

My Role & Collaboration

I was the Lead Designer on ApplyBoost 2.0, responsible for design strategy, experience definition, and UI design across key student- and RP-facing flows.

​My responsibilities included:

  • Defining experience principles and success criteria with Product

  • Translating research insights into flows, IA, and interaction models

  • Designing production-ready UI aligned to the Crystal Design System

  • Facilitating cross-functional alignment with PMs, Engineers, IRMs, and RS teams

  • Iterating designs based on feasibility, reuse of existing capabilities, and roadmap constraints
     

I partnered closely with a dedicated UX Researcher who led user interviews, surveys, and insight synthesis. My role focused on turning those insights into actionable design decisions.

Problem Statement

How might we reduce student drop-off and improve conversion by making Recruitment Partner selection clearer, onboarding more transparent, and lead management easier for students, RPs, and internal stakeholders?

Frame 9965.png

This problem statement calls for a renewed approach to the ApplyBoost Program, one that prioritizes both the student and RP experience and addresses the structural challenges that have previously limited its success. By improving ApplyBoost, we aim to offer a robust, student-centered solution that enhances the likelihood of successful enrollment, whether students choose to work with an RP or pursue their journey independently.

Discovery and Research

To understand the root causes behind low engagement and conversion, a UX Researcher conducted qualitative and quantitative research across students, Recruitment Partners, and internal stakeholders. This included user interviews, surveys, focus groups, and internal workflow reviews.

​

I collaborated closely throughout synthesis to translate findings into experience opportunities and design direction.

Key Insights & How They Shaped Design Decisions

Through user interviews, data analysis, and feedback reviews, we gained a clear understanding of user needs and challenges. This research also confirmed our initial hypothesis regarding the issues ApplyBoost 1.0 aims to address.

​Our analysis of ApplyBoost 1.0 has revealed several key issues impacting both program functionality and user engagement:

1. Students dropped off when sent directly to RP pages without context

I introduced a guided onboarding experience that explains ApplyBoost’s value and sets expectations before asking students to choose a partner.

2. RPs believed profiles were complete, but critical information was missing

I designed clearer completion criteria, progress indicators, and “what’s missing” states to reduce ambiguity.

3. Stakeholders lacked real-time visibility into onboarding progress

I aligned lead and onboarding states to a shared mental model across students, RPs, and internal teams.

4. Declined and archived leads were confusing and hard to act on

I simplified lead status definitions and designed explicit reason-based actions to reduce operational friction.

5. Access limitations slowed collaboration

I explored role-based access patterns to support delegation while maintaining data control.

These findings underscore the need for clearer communication channels, streamlined onboarding processes, and improved access to program tools to enhance both RP and student experiences within ApplyBoost.

image 3 (1).png
Frame 11936 (1).png

Strategy & Design

My design approach focused on three guiding principles:

​

  • Clarity at decision moments : Students should understand why they are choosing an RP and what happens next.

  • Progress visibility : Students, RPs, and internal teams should always know where they are in the process and what actions remain.

  • Operational scalability : Designs needed to reduce manual updates and work within existing platform capabilities.
     

These principles guided prioritization, flow definition, and UI decisions across the experience.

Process

Collaborative workshops and brainstorming sessions with key stakeholders have been critical in identifying user personas and mapping out the ApplyBoost customer journey. Innovative design solutions are now driving the creation of new features to directly address identified issues, aiming to improve both student and RP experiences. By incorporating clearer processes, enhanced access, and streamlined communications, the ApplyBoost redesign aligns with both user expectations and ApplyBoard’s strategic goals, creating a cohesive, user-centered experience that fosters engagement and reduces churn.



This redesign strategy emphasizes simplicity, transparency, and accessibility, ensuring that ApplyBoost provides students with the guidance they need, while equipping RPs and program managers with the tools necessary for efficient, seamless collaboration.

image 1 (2).png

Solution

ApplyBoost 2.0 focused on improving two core experience areas:
 

  • Student onboarding and partner selection

  • Lead management and onboarding visibility for RPs and internal team

The revamped ApplyBoost UI solution is centered around four key components to optimize user experience, support effective lead nurturing, and strengthen the student-RP matching process. By implementing targeted interfaces and interactive elements, this redesign offers an intuitive and supportive journey for both students and Recruitment Partners (RPs).


​

  1. Enhanced Student Onboarding – A streamlined onboarding flow empowers students to choose an RP during or after signup, offering a more personalized journey.

  2. RP Journey – A flexible framework and progress tracking help RPs onboard smoothly, increasing visibility and engagement.

  3. Lead Nurture – A central Lead Status Page allows students to monitor their application status and manage RP requests, while a Stakeholder Dashboard tracks overall progress and an Archive feature organizes inactive leads.

  4. Student-RP Match Framework – Tailored matching criteria align students with suitable RPs, boosting successful applications.


​

This solution prioritizes transparency, control, and engagement, aligning with ApplyBoard’s commitment to supporting student success.

Using Apply Board Branding & Crystal Design System

The ApplyBoost UI revamp leverages the ApplyBoard Brand and Crystal Design System to create a seamless and cohesive user experience aligned with the new UX strategy. The updated visuals and interface elements draw from ApplyBoard’s established brand principles, conveying trust, innovation, and inclusivity—core values that resonate with ApplyBoost’s mission to support diverse student journeys.

Every element, from typography to iconography, reflects the polished and professional aesthetic of the ApplyBoard Brand, reinforcing familiarity for users across ApplyBoard’s platforms. The Crystal Design System ensures consistency and scalability, enabling UI components that are accessible, adaptable, and intuitive. This cohesive design framework not only enhances usability but also strengthens ApplyBoost’s visual identity, creating a unified experience that aligns with ApplyBoard’s overarching brand evolution.​​

Frame 11943 (1).png
Frame 11942 (1).png

Design Phase

The goal of this phase is to bridge the gap between user expectations and technical feasibility, balancing creativity with functionality. It sets the stage for development by offering clear visual direction and ensuring the product reflects the brand identity while meeting user requirements. Ultimately, the UI design phase transforms abstract concepts into tangible, user-focused solutions that drive engagement and satisfaction.

Hero Flow 1: Student Onboarding & RP Selection

To reduce early drop-off, I redesigned the onboarding experience to guide students through ApplyBoost’s value, eligibility, and next steps before presenting RP options.This approach replaced the previous “direct-to-partner” model, which research showed caused confusion and disengagement.
 

Key improvements included:

  • Clear explanation of ApplyBoost benefits and outcomes

  • Progressive disclosure of RP information

  • Visual progress indicators to set expectations

  • Reduced cognitive load at the decision point

image 6.png

RP Journey

A tailored framework is implemented for selecting RPs to join the ApplyBoost program, with criteria that enhance the student-RP matching process. The RP onboarding journey is designed with transparency and ease-of-use in mind, providing RPs with clear pathways to opt in and engage within the program. The flexible matching logic supports the successful mobilization of student applications by connecting them to the most relevant RPs. Detailed onboarding screens and a progress tracker will improve RP accessibility and visibility into the process, facilitating higher engagement and retention.

image 7.png

Hero Flow 2: Lead Management & Status Clarity

I redesigned lead states and interactions to create a shared understanding across students, RPs, and internal stakeholders.

Key improvements included:
 

  • Simplified lead status taxonomy

  • Explicit declined and archived states with clear reasons

  • Improved visibility into onboarding progress

  • Reduced need for manual follow-ups and status updates
     

This improved operational clarity while maintaining flexibility for different RP workflows.

Student-RP Match Framework

For ApplyBoost’s success, effectively matching students with suitable RPs is essential. The Student-RP Match Framework incorporates specific matching criteria into the onboarding journey, using data points from the DJS journey to ensure alignment between students’ needs and RP strengths. An intuitive matching interface will allow seamless connections, enhancing the likelihood of successful applications and creating a high-impact network for student support.

bottom of page