Gilbert Rogers

Case Study

Promenade

Overview

Promenade was a project aimed at providing United States military veterans with an easy-to-use hub for accessing essential services after completing their service. This included resources like GI Bill benefits, counseling, healthcare, and more.

As the sole designer on the project, I had the opportunity to take full ownership of the design process — a chance to truly test my skills and prove myself as a UX designer

Approach

Given the fast-paced environment and limited resources typical of early-stage startups, I adapted my design process to balance best-practice UX methods with practical constraints. Without access to formal user research, I relied on heuristic evaluations, competitor analysis, and a strong focus on usability principles. My primary goal was to create a site that felt significantly more intuitive and accessible than existing government platforms, ensuring that veterans could find and access the services they needed with ease.

Challenges:

  • Very short timeline.


  • Researching veteran needs.


  • Incorporate personal life coach functionalities.


  • Handling moderator accounts.

Business Outcomes:

  • Increased usability


  • Built user trust


  • Enabled scalable growth



Process Overview

With MVP being in our sights for the timeframe, accessibility and clarity were the core focus of the design Service categories were organized around real-world needs rather than government jargon, making resources easier to find.

Mobile responsiveness was prioritized early to accommodate users accessing the site on their phones. Simple onboarding prompts and contextual guidance helped users quickly understand how to navigate and access their services.

Onboarding

A major focus of the project was designing an onboarding survey that would intelligently guide veterans to the services most relevant to their needs. The survey asked targeted questions about military service history, employment status, financial situation, and educational background. By collecting this information up front, we were able to personalize service recommendations and reduce the time users spent searching through unrelated resources.

User Score

To help veterans stay motivated and track their progress toward personal goals, we designed a dynamic scoring system. After setting an individual goal — such as entering the education sector or focusing on mental health — users would receive a tailored score reflecting their engagement.

For example, those focusing on mental health could track progress through therapy sessions, self-help reading, or wellness activities. The system was designed to make personal growth visible, giving users a sense of momentum and achievement over time.

Outcome

The final Promenade platform offered veterans a simple, personalized way to access the services they needed most. By combining an intuitive onboarding survey, a motivational scoring system, and a clean, accessible design, we created a user experience that felt supportive and empowering from start to finish.

Reflection

Working as the sole designer on Promenade challenged me to take full ownership of the UX process from start to finish. Without a large team to lean on, I learned how to adapt quickly, prioritize decisions, and balance ideal UX practices with real-world startup constraints. This project strengthened my ability to advocate for users while still aligning with business needs, and showed me how even small, focused design efforts can make a real difference in people's lives. It was a meaningful reminder of why I love designing for impact.

Thanks for reading!

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