UX Writing | Technical Writing | E-Learning Design
UX Writing | Technical Writing | E-Learning Design
USAA Banking & Insurance
UX Writing | Content Design | E-Learning Development
Most of the images in this case study are recreations due to NDA agreements.
01
Overview
The Problem
USAA’s service reps handle millions of complex member calls. Constant product and policy changes made it hard to keep training accurate and easy to follow.
My Role
Instructional Designer | Content Developer & Designer
As a content designer contracted through NIIT and embedded full-time with USAA’s learning team,
Client
USAA
Contract Duration
6 years (yearly renewal)
Sample Projects
Deposits
Umbrella Insurance
Military Affinity
Tools Used
SharePoint, Articulate Rise & Storyline 360, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, SnagIt
Results Snapshot
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~30 % faster onboarding and trouble shooting
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90%+ on client satisfaction review scores
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High customer service rankings and reputation in banking and insurance
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6 contract renewals
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Increase in revenue for NIIT
Why It Mattered
Better learning meant better service. Clear, interactive, and relatable training helped thousands of employees stay confident and consistent, shaping how 14 million members experienced USAA. It’s part of what keeps the company at the top of its game.
Articulate Storyline 360
Archived screen recording from my Storyline 360 workflow, shown safely without any proprietary details.
02
Work Process
Day-to-Day Work
My workflow shifted slightly by project, but the rhythm stayed the same: gather, plan, build, refine.
Information Gathering & SME Interviews
Before the meeting
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Reviewed briefs, existing lessons, and reference articles.
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Drafted targeted questions to fill gaps and confirm details.
During the meeting
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Opened with quick intros and confirmed the meeting purpose (lesson type, audience, timeline).
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Shared my screen to take notes live—keeping everyone aligned and shortening review cycles.
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Color-coded notes by SME to track input and follow-ups.
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Appointed a lead SME to sign off on each step, keeping progress consistent.
After the meeting
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Applied feedback, then sent a recap email with attachments, clear instructions, and a response deadline.
Storyboarding & Drafting
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Organized content into a first-draft storyboard, starting broad and adding detail as clarity improved.
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Designed lessons around what learners needed to know and how they’d best retain it (examples, scenarios, or interactions).
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Built early drafts intentionally rough, giving SMEs something tangible to react to and refine.
Follow-Up & Iteration
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Sent concise recap emails after each session with updates and next steps.
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Highlighted new edits, keeping each review focused on one clear goal.
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Maintained steady progress by ensuring every meeting had purpose and direction.
Tracking & Problem-Solving
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Used color-coded notes to document decisions and trace feedback efficiently.
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When content questions arose late in a project, this documentation made it easy to find the source and resolve issues quickly.
Handwritten Notes
Notes I prepared for a SME meeting.
Leadership Tracker
Kept a journal of daily tasks throughout the MDX/MDR project.
Content Development
I learned the USAA voice by reading their resource library and asking SMEs lots of questions. From there, I wrote the text learners would see including feedback messages, button labels, and on-screen instructions. The tone stayed human and warm while structured, accurate, and compliant.
L: Exact steps to complete a task R: Confirmation of completion and next steps.
Feedback for knowledge checks—correct and incorrect—used clear, supportive language to explain the “why” and what to do next concisely.
L: Exact steps to complete a task R: Confirmation of completion and next steps.
03
Projects
Project Highlights
Deposits
I was contracted through NIIT to support USAA’s Federal Savings Bank training department as an Instructional Designer. I worked alongside a USAA designer to maintain and update the new-hire training pipeline for Member Service Representatives (MSRs)—a 4–6 week course required before certification to handle member calls.
Inside the Work
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Revised and built new practice simulations in Articulate Storyline to reflect current systems and processes
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Supported curriculum updates on topics like deposits, funds transfers, ATMs, and account maintenance
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Synced visuals and narration so animation, timing, and sound matched seamlessly
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Edited and recreated audio—splicing clips, forming missing words, and recording my own voice when needed
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Troubleshot and resolved Storyline issues while providing feedback to improve design efficiency
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Ensured all training stayed aligned with the latest product and policy changes
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Compiled repetitive Storyline fixes into a reference guide later used by other designers for advanced troubleshooting
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Learned Adobe Photoshop and Snagit on the job, applying new techniques immediately
Challenges of note
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Recreated missing visuals in Photoshop to match live systems
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Spliced or recorded audio when original voice actors weren’t available
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Balanced multiple priorities, fixing urgent course issues for upcoming classes
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Ensured consistency across lessons after applying requested updates
Outcomes
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Delivered accurate, up-to-date training that kept MSRs aligned with new processes
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Created resources that streamlined troubleshooting and improved turnaround on deliverables
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Received Employee of the Month recognition for initiative and collaboration
Knowledge Check
I wrote each Knowledge Check’s question, answers, hints, and feedback pop-ups—everything the learner interacts with.
Step-by-Step Simulations
Turned unfamiliar tasks into familiar motion—each step written for clarity, confidence, and flow.
Umbrella Insurance
I was contracted through NIIT to support USAA’s Property and Casualty Insurance training team as an Instructional Designer. Our team of five NIIT designers built a 12-module Umbrella Insurance course from scratch. We split the modules, but each of us managed overlapping content, shared SMEs, and tight deadlines.
Inside the Work
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Created interactive, scenario-based modules in Articulate Storyline reflecting real member conversations
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Wrote knowledge checks, dialogue scripts, and storyboards with SME input and insights
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Coordinated with an offshore QA team to resolve functionality issues
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Learned Articulate Storyline on the job, applying new techniques immediately
Challenges of Note
An insurance underwriter joined late in the project and flagged an error in one of the nearly finished modules. I traced my color-coded notes to confirm the original source, then set up an after-hours call with both SMEs to clarify and resolve it. The documentation made it easy to find the truth and fix it fast.
Outcomes
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Delivered a complete, compliant course used across member-service training
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Became well-versed in Articulate Storyline, which built the foundation for mastering new tools quickly and confidently
Every module begins with a menu with descriptions for each lesson.
The intro page welcomes learners and gives them an overview of what they'll be learning.
Knowledge Checks add interactivity to the lesson and always explain the “why” behind each answer.
Every module begins with a menu with descriptions for each lesson.
Military Affinity
I was contracted through NIIT to design an in-person lesson for USAA bank representatives introducing USAA's Military Affinity services—a 40-minute session that educated reps on the groups, offerings, and how to handle related member calls.
Inside the Work
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Built facilitator notes and an accompanying PowerPoint that guided trainers through the lesson and member conversation examples
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Covered key areas:
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Exploring the Affinity Groups section in the USAA portal
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Understanding the Military Affinity Credit Card and compliance reminders
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Learning what to say (and not say) when discussing endorsed products
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Anticipating common member questions and correct responses
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Applied USAA’s voice and compliance standards for accuracy and consistency
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Designed materials that made the lesson easy to teach, even for new facilitators
Challenges of Note
Ensuring accuracy while learning new material, designing clear visuals, and understanding the class setup while working remotely.
Outcomes
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Delivered a ready-to-use FN and PowerPoint package for USAA’s bank training program
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Helped reps feel more confident and compliant when speaking with members about Military Affinity
Facilitator Notes are the trainer’s script. Every slide, question, and cue written out to keep each class clear, consistent, and engaging.
An accompanying presentation mirrored the facilitator notes and reinforced key points with visuals.
Facilitator Notes are the trainer’s script. Every slide, question, and cue written out to keep each class clear, consistent, and engaging.
Facilitator Notes (FN)
Written in plain, familiar language drawn from SME conversations and references. My aim: easy to teach and easy to follow.
04
Leadership & Support
Collaboration & Feedback
Building relationships was as important as building lessons. I worked closely with SMEs, learning from their expertise and shaping content that reflected real-world experience. Many had been in the learner’s seat before, so their input helped make the training more practical and human.
Inside the Work
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Contributed to continued contract renewals with USAA via NIIT
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Earned 90%+ client satisfaction scores on every NIIT survey
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Collaborated with SMEs across multiple products to ensure accuracy
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Turned feedback into actionable updates quickly and clearly
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Built trust by listening, clarifying, and respecting SME time
Challenges of Note
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Planning meetings with multiple busy schedules (SMEs)
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Being remote- feedback takes time and a few iterations
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Different personalities
Outcomes
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Learned from other's expertise
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Built strong relationships, one serving as my professional referral
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Renewed contracts
Positive feedback from a SME shared with my manager during the Umbrella Insurance project.
I became the go-to person for Articulate questions on my team and loved helping. It turned every project into a shared learning experience.
Positive feedback from a SME shared with my manager during the Umbrella Insurance project.
Creating Team Resources
I noticed gaps in how our team shared knowledge, so I built two resources from scratch: a Team Directory and a Storyline 360 Guide. Both were stored in SharePoint for easy access across teams.
Team Directory
I created a table listing each NIIT teammate working with USAA, including:
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Skills and tools they knew well
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Past projects and NIIT accounts
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USAA managers they’d partnered with
I asked everyone to fill in their own row, turning it into a living reference that grew with the team. It helped designers get up to speed faster, find the right person for help, and move work forward smoothly when stuck.
Storyline Guide
Intent
I created a step-by-step guide for programming triggers and troubleshooting templates in Articulate Storyline. USAA's e-learning templates included pages that required specific actions (for example: if Choice A is selected, show the "Correct" feedback window, and enable the "Next" button.)
Who It Helped
I first created the guide for my 15+ NIIT teammates working on other USAA projects. Then I shared it with the USAA instructional designer I reported to who called it “The Bible.”
How It Worked
The guide broke these sequences into clear steps with screenshots and notes, so designers could follow and troubleshoot easily. I updated it whenever I solved a new problem or someone requested an addition.
Impact
It made projects smoother, eased deadline pressure, and helped designers grow more confident in Articulate. Ultimately, the guide contributed to speeding up module completion and strengthening collaboration.
Articulate Storyline 360
I went through step by step as I completed, writing the steps and capturing the images.
Team Meetings
I started optional biweekly check-ins to help NIIT–USAA contractors stay connected.
These sessions gave teammates space to:
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Share project insights
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Ask questions or troubleshoot common issues
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Voice concerns and get peer support
The meetings were informal by design—focused purely on connection. Most of us worked on separate projects and felt isolated even more once our NIIT office went fully remote.
05 Personal Impact
Practical lessons
Communication and Growth
Good communication changes everything. Once I opened up and built trust with my teammates, the work got better. I learned that my extroverted nature isn’t just a personality trait—it’s a tool. Being outgoing helped me connect, collaborate, and lead with more confidence.
Finding My Field
Working at NIIT introduced me to Instructional Design and, eventually, UX.
Once I learned what UX was, I realized it described how I already think—designing experiences that tell a story and help people find clarity. It also made me realize this is the kind of work I want to build my career around.
Interactions with People
I saw how much training and precision go into the jobs we often take for granted. I’m more patient, even when frustrated when speaking with customer service rep.
Practical Knowledge
I taught myself Storyline, Photoshop, and later Figma—each tool making the next easier to learn.