CSBS UX Design Internship

Led the initiative to understand the pain points of small company users with NMLS, the official nationwide system for licensure.

12 WEEKS + EXTENDED FALL SEMESTER / MAY - DEC 2025

Role: UX Design Intern

Team: Technical L&D Team, Products and Solutions BU

Tools

Miro

Google Workspaces

ServiceNow

Skills

Product Design

UX Research

User Interviews

Journey Mapping

OVERVIEW
—

Problem

Small companies, often called "mom and pop shops", face unique challenges in navigating NMLS licensing compared to larger institutions. Without dedicated staff, they often rely heavily on the call center for support.

Additionally, their experiences are not well documented. The scope of this project is to shed light on their overall experience (esp. in relation to larger companies), identify specific problems and areas for improvement, and offer potential recommendations to enhance on-demand self-service support.

> 53%

mortgage license companies consist of a single mortgage loan originator (MLO)

> 93%

mortgage licensed companies are considered micro-sized, employing 10 or fewer MLOs

~ 320,000

calls from MLOs struggling to complete their licenses in 2023

My Contribution

For this highly technical project, I led end-to-end user research efforts. This included conducting in-depth interviews with call center agents and end users to uncover needs and pain points. I also learned and utilized ServiceNow to analyze customer support tickets, allowing me to quantify user issues.

Throughout the project, I managed the research process independently. I also created and maintained a project timeline to ensure steady progress and team alignment.

For this highly technical project, I led end-to-end user research efforts. This included conducting in-depth interviews with call center agents and end users to uncover needs and pain points. I also learned and utilized ServiceNow to analyze customer support tickets, allowing me to quantify user issues.

Throughout the project, I managed the research process independently. I also created and maintained a project timeline to ensure steady progress and team alignment.

Timeline

Onboarding

Week 2

Self-walkthrough

Hypothesis Map

Week 3

Formal Interview Guide

for Call Center Interviews

Week 4

Call Center

Interviews

Week 5

Call Center

Interviews Analysis

Week 6

ServiceNow Quant.

Data Analysis

Week 7

Refine

Hypothesis Map

Week 8

User Interviews

Week 9

User Interviews

Analysis

Week 10

Finalize User Journey Maps

+ handoff

Context and Scoping

The NMLS Resource Center is the official gateway to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) and provides users with resources, guidance, news, and updates.

NMLS Resource Center (Before Redesign)

To keep the effort focused and impactful, we prioritized the redesign around six core NMLS workflows that small companies most frequently use. The goal was to simplify navigation and reduce dependency on support calls. These high-priority workflows included:

👤 Account Creation

Initial setup process for registering a company on the NMLS platform.

📑 MU1 Filing

Primary form for companies to apply for licenses.

✍ MU2 Attestation

Form required for persons identified as a Control Person or Qualifying Individual (QI).

📊 Financial Statements

Electronically submit financial statements to satisfy state agency requirements.

💲 Form Payments

Submitting the required fees associated with NMLS filings and license applications.

⚙️ Account Management

Managing updates like amendments and Advance Change Notices (ACN).

Why This Project Matters

Reduce call center reliance
and costs

Having specific user pain points could improve small company users' experience and reduce call center reliance and costs.

Gain a better understanding of
the user group's experiences

Currently, small companies are underrepresented because most input comes from conferences dominated by large firms.

Suggest recommendations to improve self-service support

Real data will help identify improvements for the new NMLS Resource Center, to be released in September, 2025.

RESEARCH
—

Research Goals

GOAL 1

Map the journey

Document the end-to-end NMLS licensing journey of 6 core workflows for small-company users.

GOAL 2

Locate friction

Identify high error touchpoints, especially where users turn to the Resource Center or call support

GOAL 3

Assess RC perception

Evaluate findability, completeness, and trust in the current Resource Center vs. users’ expectations

Methods

9
interviews (agent + end user)

900
ServiceNow ticket analysis

6
user journey maps

Call Center Interviews

We created a journey map from self-evaluation to guide 6 interviews with call-center agents.

I began with a hypothesis journey map from a self-guided system review, then led six remote, semi-structured 1:1 interviews (60–90 minutes). I transcribed and affinity-clustered insights, quantified pain-point frequency (number of participants citing each issue), and updated the journey maps weighted by mention strength.

Led call-centre agent interviews using a custom Excel guide outlining key steps across six core workflows

ServiceNow Analytics

To quantify findings, I extracted ServiceNow call-center tickets, analyzing a random sample of 900 to size pain points against themes.

Extracting tickets from ServiceNow (last 1 month)

Analyzing against affinity themes to quantify pain points

User Interviews

Finally, we led three remote, semi-structured 1:1 interviews (60–90 minutes). I transcribed and affinity-clustered insights, quantified pain-point frequency (number of participants citing each issue), and updated the journey maps.

Interviewing end users to assess RC perception and understand user journey

Affinity Mapping

Using Miro, I organized all research insights under six key workflow categories. From there, I extracted user pain points and identified over 25 issues that directly informed six journey maps.

Affinity mapping to extract user behaviors and pain points

DEFINE
—

User Journey Maps

I synthesized research findings into six detailed journey maps, each structured around user actions, emotional journey, quantified pain points, and verbatim quotes. The color-coded data rows highlight issue severity, making it easy for stakeholders to identify where users struggle most.

A snapshot of the six journey maps created

DESIGN
—

New NMLS Resource Center

The redesigned NMLS Resource Center launched on September 20, 2025, directly addressing key pain points from our research: confusing navigation, information overload, and content that previously catered only to large companies.

The New NMLS Resource Center, launched on September 20

REFLECTION
—

I completed my internship in August 2025 and was extended through the Fall semester. Working at the intersection of financial regulation and UX has taught me more than I can easily summarize, but here are the key takeaways:

Empathy is key: Conducting user interviews revealed just how much is at stake in this industry. Every piece of instructional text, every button placement carries weight that can cost people their livelihoods. Designing with user empathy has never felt more essential.

Data drives buy in, but stories create connection: Senior stakeholders need the numbers, user counts, error rates, conversion metrics. But user stories are what make those numbers resonate. Learning to weave both qualitative and quantitative methods into my journey maps has been one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

Pivot often: Real-world projects are rarely linear. We started with a vague goal of improving self-service for small company users, paused, and shifted to understanding their pain points. That detour uncovered insights that shaped key decisions and informed tree testing for the new NMLS Resource Center information architecture.

Small discoveries snowball: This research also helped us improve support for call center agents. A deep dive into ServiceNow call center data revealed untapped potential for UX improvements we hadn't anticipated.

CSBS UX Design Internship

Led the initiative to understand the pain points of small company users with NMLS, the official nationwide system for licensure.

12 WEEKS + EXTENDED FALL SEMESTER / MAY - DEC 2025

Role: UX Design Intern

Team: Technical L&D Team, Products and Solutions BU

Tools

Skills

OVERVIEW—

Problem

Problem

Small companies, often called "mom and pop shops", face unique challenges in navigating NMLS licensing compared to larger institutions. Without dedicated staff, they often rely heavily on the call center for support.

Small companies, often called "mom and pop shops", face unique challenges in navigating NMLS licensing compared to larger institutions. Without dedicated staff, they often rely heavily on the call center for support.

> 53%

> 93%

~ 320,000

My Contribution

My Contribution

Throughout the project, I managed the research process independently. I also created and maintained a project timeline to ensure steady progress and team alignment.

Throughout the project, I managed the research process independently. I also created and maintained a project timeline to ensure steady progress and team alignment.

Timeline

Timeline

Context and Scoping

Context and Scoping

The NMLS Resource Center is the official gateway to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) and provides users with resources, guidance, news, and updates.

The NMLS Resource Center is the official gateway to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) and provides users with resources, guidance, news, and updates.

NMLS Resource Center (Before Redesign)

To keep the effort focused and impactful, we prioritized the redesign around six core NMLS workflows that small companies most frequently use. The goal was to simplify navigation and reduce dependency on support calls. These high-priority workflows included:

To keep the effort focused and impactful, we prioritized the redesign around six core NMLS workflows that small companies most frequently use. The goal was to simplify navigation and reduce dependency on support calls. These high-priority workflows included:

👤 Account Creation

Initial setup process for registering a company on the NMLS platform.

📑 MU1 Filing

Primary form for companies to apply for licenses.

✍ MU2 Attestation

Form required for persons identified as a Control Person or Qualifying Individual (QI).

📊 Financial Statements

Electronically submit financial statements to satisfy state agency requirements.

💲 Form Payments

Submitting the required fees associated with NMLS filings and license applications.

⚙️ Account Management

Managing updates like amendments and Advance Change Notices (ACN).

Why This Project Matters

Why This Project Matters

Reduce call center reliance and costs

Gain a better understanding ofthe user group's experiences

Suggest recommendations to improve self-service support

RESEARCH—

Research Goals

GOAL 1

Map the journey

Document the end-to-end NMLS licensing journey of 6 core workflows for small-company users.

GOAL 2

Locate friction

Identify high error touchpoints, especially where users turn to the Resource Center or call support

GOAL 3

Assess RC perception

Evaluate findability, completeness, and trust in the current Resource Center vs. users’ expectations

Methods

9interviews (agent + end user)

900ServiceNow ticket analysis

6user journey maps

Call Center Interviews

We created a journey map from self-evaluation to guide 6 interviews with call-center agents.

We created a journey map from self-evaluation to guide 6 interviews with call-center agents.

Led call-centre agent interviews using a custom Excel guide outlining key steps across six core workflows

ServiceNow Analytics

To quantify findings, I extracted ServiceNow call-center tickets, analyzing a random sample of 900 to size pain points against themes.

To quantify findings, I extracted ServiceNow call-center tickets, analyzing a random sample of 900 to size pain points against themes.

Extracting tickets from ServiceNow (last 1 month)

Analyzing against affinity themes to quantify pain points

User Interviews

Finally, we led three remote, semi-structured 1:1 interviews (60–90 minutes). I transcribed and affinity-clustered insights, quantified pain-point frequency (number of participants citing each issue), and updated the journey maps.

Finally, we led three remote, semi-structured 1:1 interviews (60–90 minutes). I transcribed and affinity-clustered insights, quantified pain-point frequency (number of participants citing each issue), and updated the journey maps.

Interviewing end users to assess RC perception and understand user journey

Affinity Mapping

Using Miro, I organized all research insights under six key workflow categories. From there, I extracted user pain points and identified over 25 issues that directly informed six journey maps.

Using Miro, I organized all research insights under six key workflow categories. From there, I extracted user pain points and identified over 25 issues that directly informed six journey maps.

Affinity mapping to extract user behaviors and pain points

DEFINE—

User Journey Maps

I synthesized research findings into six detailed journey maps, each structured around user actions, emotional journey, quantified pain points, and verbatim quotes. The color-coded data rows highlight issue severity, making it easy for stakeholders to identify where users struggle most.

OVERVIEW
—

Reduce call center reliance
and costs

Gain a better understanding of
the user group's experiences

RESEARCH
—

9
interviews (agent + end user)

900
ServiceNow ticket analysis

6
user journey maps

DEFINE
—

DESIGN
—

REFLECTION
—