Role: UX/UI Designer
Responsibilities: UX strategy, workflow design, wireframes, UI design, and collaboration with engineering

Project Overview

Rocket Close requires employment candidates to complete a background screening as part of the hiring process. Candidates receive an invitation to create an account, submit their personal information, and authorize the screening before the report can be generated.

I designed a streamlined applicant experience that guides candidates through account creation, submission of required information, legal disclosures, and electronic consent. After submission, candidates can track the progress of their background check through a centralized report manager.

The goal was to simplify a compliance-heavy process and provide applicants with clear visibility into the status of their screening.

The Problem

Completing a background check requires applicants to submit personal information and review multiple legal disclosures and authorizations. Without a clear structure, this process can feel complex and intimidating.

Common challenges included:

• Applicants unsure where to begin after receiving the screening request
• Multiple compliance forms presented without clear guidance
• Limited visibility into progress throughout the submission process
• Uncertainty about whether the background check was successfully submitted

These issues created friction for candidates and generated additional support requests.

The Goal

Design a guided experience that allows candidates to easily complete their screening requirements while maintaining compliance.

The solution needed to:

• Clearly guide applicants through each step of the screening process
• Reduce confusion around legal disclosures and consent forms
• Ensure all required information is captured accurately
• Provide transparency into the background check status after submission

UX Approach

Mapping the Applicant Journey

I began by mapping the full candidate journey from invitation to report completion to identify opportunities to simplify the process.

Applicant journey

1. Candidate receives screening invitation
2. Account creation
3. Login and begin screening request
4. Complete personal information
5. Review disclosures and authorizations
6. Provide electronic consent
7. Submit background check request
8. Monitor report status

This mapping helped identify where applicants needed the most guidance and reassurance.

Designing the Submission Flow

Guided Screening Workflow

To simplify the experience, the submission process was broken into a clear, step-by-step flow.

Design considerations included:

Progress tracking
A visible progress indicator helps applicants understand where they are in the process.

Progressive disclosure
Information is presented in manageable sections rather than overwhelming users with long forms.

Form validation
Inline validation helps prevent errors and ensures applicants complete required fields.

Clear call-to-action
Each step includes a clear next action so users can confidently move through the workflow.

Compliance & Authorization Experience

Background checks require candidates to review and authorize multiple legal documents.

To make this step more approachable, the design includes:

• Clearly labeled disclosure sections
• Readable document formatting
• Simple acceptance checkboxes
• Clear explanations of required consent steps

This structure helps applicants complete required authorizations without confusion.

Report Manager

Once the screening request is submitted, applicants are directed to a report manager where they can monitor the progress of their background check.

The dashboard provides:

• Status updates for the screening request
• Confirmation that the submission was received
• Visibility into processing stages
• Access to completed reports

Providing this visibility reduces uncertainty and minimizes support inquiries.

Outcome

The redesigned workflow provides a clear and structured experience that helps candidates successfully complete their screening requirements.

Key improvements

• Simplified applicant submission flow
• Improved clarity around disclosures and authorization steps
• Clear progress indicators throughout the process
• Increased transparency with a report status dashboard

Usability Testing: Conducted testing with job applicants and individual users to ensure that the application was efficient, intuitive, and met the needs of individuals ordering their own reports.

Outcome: The redesigned workflow provided a clear, stress-free experience for individual applicants. Users were able to easily navigate compliance requirements, submit their personal data securely, and track their report status in real-time.