Application Form Redesign
Redesigning a multi-step application form under tight constraints, balancing scalability and user reassurance
Postcard CRM
I led a redesigned of the job application experience for 6,000+ students applying for US summer jobs.
Overview
Postcard is a CRM system supporting our cultural exchange programs. It enables participants to apply for seasonal roles while helping partner camps and resorts find suitable staff.
Starting in late 2024, I led a redesign of the participant application journey. After the new design launch, we achieved an 89 NPS score from participants this year. In our program survey, around 4% of respondents explicitly described the application process as "easy" and "efficient." This is notable, since users rarely comment when things just work.
6,000+program participants annually
200+business partners
89NPS score
4%unsolicited UX praise
Context
For participants, our cultural exchange programs sit in an unusual space: part job application, part travel program enrollment.
Our company acts as an agency: we recruit students, screen them, and connect them with camp employers in the US. Our success depends on participants completing the full application journey. However, the system had been around for years: outdated, not mobile-friendly, and too simple (literally just a digital form). This motivated us to refresh the experience entirely.
Slide to revealThe Challenge:A months-long journey
The application process spans months: from initial registration to departure day. This makes the process uniquely challenging. Users aren't just filling out forms. They're committing to an expensive, months-long journey that requires deposits, interviews, visa paperwork, and a significant leap of trust. Participant dropout is highest in the early stages , before they've invested significant money or emotional commitment.
Stage
Sign up
Welcome call
Basic application
First payment
Screening interview
Detailed application
Second payment
Job search
Placement
Third payment
Pre-departure
Final payment
What the user does
Register on the platform
Receive a call from our sales team
Fill in name, availability, skills
Pay deposit to confirm commitment
Interview with our team to verify eligibility
Add work history, medical info, references
Pay next installment
Browse camps, book interviews with employers
Receive job offer from a camp
Pay next installment
Arrange visa, insurance, final paperwork
Pay remaining balance
Duration
Minutes
30 min(scheduled within a week)
1–2 hrs(can be split across sessions)
Minutes(but decision may take days)
1 hr(scheduled within a week)
2–4 hrs(can be split across sessions)
Minutes(but decision may take days)
Weeks to months
Minutes(after weeks of searching)
Minutes
~1 month
Minutes
Feelings
😊
😃
😐
😰
😬
😩
😓
🤞
🎉
😌
😅
✈️
System (Postcard)
-
Appointment scheduling
Application forms
Payment portal
Appointment scheduling
Application forms
Payment portal
Camp directory, interview booking
Placement confirmation
Payment portal
Document portal, pre-departure info
Payment portal
Human support
-
Sales team introduces the program
Sales checks quality, nudges if delayed
Sales assists with payment questions
Interviewers conducts interview
Support reviews submissions
Support: Review submissions, monitor progress, provide guidance
Explore:
All Case Studies
I've broken this 13-month effort into focused case studies. Use the tabs above to see each scope on the journey map, then explore context, process, and outcomes below.
Feel free to reach out for collaborations or just a friendly hello.