March - August 2022
Atomic Forms
Redesigning the veteran disability claims submission experience
What is Atomic Forms?
Atomic Forms is Trajector's platform that enables veterans who received medical consulting services to complete and submit their VA disability forms directly to the VA. The platform integrates with Trajector's Zoho CRM, allowing veterans to access their medical data and complete forms including 526ez, 0781, 0781a, 0995, 8940, and 4138.
The multi-step process guides veterans from identity verification through document generation, e-signing, and final submission via e-fax to the VA, presented as a streamlined 5-step experience.
Platform
Android & iOS
Timeline
December 2024 - Present
Role
Lead Product Designer
The Problem
Intimidating Government Aesthetic: V1 mimicked traditional VA forms with dense text blocks, clinical layouts, and bureaucratic language that made veterans feel like they were navigating government red tape rather than receiving support from an advocate.
Lack of Process Visibility: V1 provided no clear indication of progress or remaining steps, leaving veterans uncertain about how much work remained. Without progress indicators or step completion feedback, users felt lost in an endless process with no sense of achievement or forward momentum.
Repetitive Data: Veterans had to re-enter identical personal information across multiple forms (526ez, 0781, 0781a, etc.), creating frustration and the perception that the system didn't respect their time or data.
Emotional Isolation: V1 provided no acknowledgment that veterans might be dealing with trauma, financial stress, or emotional difficulty while completing disability claims. The interface felt cold and transactional during a deeply personal process.
Unclear Value Proposition: Veterans couldn't understand why they should use Atomic Forms instead of submitting directly to the VA, leading to skepticism about Trajector's motives and value.
V2 Transformation | Strategic Solutions
Empathetic Visual Language:
Replaced government-style density with clean, approachable design using the Mona Lisa system. Warm colors, supportive messaging, and human-centered layouts that feel like a trusted advocate rather than another bureaucratic barrier.
Strategic Complexity Hiding:
Presented the process as 5 manageable steps while intelligently handling 11+ backend requirements invisibly. Veterans see clear progress toward completion rather than overwhelming procedural complexity.
Smart Data Intelligence:
Eliminated repetitive entry through intelligent form logic that populates veteran information across all required documents, respecting their time and reducing friction.
Emotional Support Integration:
Built in acknowledgment of the emotional weight of disability claims through supportive language, celebration of progress milestones, and design choices that prioritize veteran comfort and confidence.
Transparent Value Communication:
Clear explanation of Trajector's unique benefits throughout the process - showing veterans exactly how Atomic Forms simplifies what would otherwise be a complex direct-to-VA submission process.
Design system |
Evolution for AF
Background
While Mona Lisa already provided a reusable component structure, AF V2 required deeper integration and customization to unify Atomic Forms' experience with broader Trajector products. The system’s header and footer components were previously more fragmented or inconsistent across product lines.
Key Evolution Points
Unification of Header: Developed a standardized, multi-brand header architecture that consolidates logos, user profile elements, logout options, and navigation controls into a singular, reusable component pattern. This supports seamless brand switching and a consistent user context across flows.
Standardized Footer: Designed and implemented footer elements including Terms of Service and Privacy Policy links as part of the system, enabling legal compliance while ensuring visual alignment and repeatability in all screens.
Flexible Component Variants: Added multiple logo and button variants within header and footer modules to accommodate different brands and screen sizes without compromising design coherence.
Visual and Functional Consistency: The harmonized components across AF V2 help reduce cognitive load on users, streamline developer handoff, and reduce maintenance by centralizing styling and behavioral logic.
Impact
This evolution of Mona Lisa through AF V2 demonstrates a strategic approach to scaling design systems by focusing on core structural elements like headers and footers, which drive higher consistency, brand trust, and efficiency across complex multi-product ecosystems. It highlights how adapting and unifying existing systems can deliver strong design impact and technical scalability in mid-to-late stage product development.
We alo evolved the system for tables, which are now being used in other applications like Smart Va disability calculator & Client portal.
Design Process
Research & Discovery Phase
Behavioral Analysis: Conducted comprehensive analysis of V1 user behavior patterns, identifying critical drop-off points during the verification-to-submission journey. Studied how veterans interacted with government forms, noting increased anxiety levels when faced with multiple sequential steps and complex validation requirements.
Emotional Journey Mapping: Mapped the emotional trajectory of veterans submitting disability claims - from initial apprehension about the process to relief at successful completion. Identified that veterans experienced peak stress when unsure about remaining steps or when encountering repetitive data entry across multiple forms.
Compliance Constraints Study: Researched VA submission requirements, government form standards, and legal obligations to ensure the redesigned experience maintained all necessary validation steps, data collection points, and security measures while improving user perception of complexity.
Strategic Insights
Core Discovery: Psychological Safety in Critical Processes Through user behavior analysis, discovered that veterans approach disability claim submissions with heightened emotional sensitivity. Unlike standard e-commerce or productivity apps, these forms represent potential life-changing financial support. Traditional UX principles of transparency can backfire when users see the full scope of government bureaucracy.
The 5-Step Strategy: Developed the insight that perceived simplicity trumps transparent complexity for high-stakes interactions. Veterans needed to feel the process was achievable and within their control. Rather than showing 11+ backend processes (identity verification, data validation, cross-form population, PDF generation, signature application, compliance checks, submission protocols), consolidated these into 5 user-facing phases that felt manageable and goal-oriented.
Confidence Over Transparency Principle: Established that for critical documents, user confidence should be prioritized over system transparency. Veterans performing well when they could visualize clear progress toward a specific endpoint rather than getting lost in procedural complexity.
Validation & Testing Methodology
AI-Powered User Simulation: Implemented synthetic user testing to create diverse veteran personas and simulate their interactions with the redesigned flow. Used AI algorithms to generate heatmaps showing potential interaction patterns, identifying areas where users might hesitate, abandon, or require additional support.
Behavioral Prediction Modeling: Created models to predict user behavior at each transition point, testing whether the 5-step approach would maintain engagement compared to the more transparent multi-step approach. Validated that simplified progress indicators increased perceived completion likelihood.
Risk-Free Validation: Chose AI-powered testing over traditional user testing for initial validation to avoid exposing real veterans to potentially frustrating experiences during the design phase. This approach allowed for rapid iteration and refinement before involving actual users in the process.
Design System Impact Testing: Tested how the new patterns would integrate with the Mona Lisa design system and scale across other Trajector products, ensuring the empathetic approach could become a standardized pattern for veteran-facing interfaces.
Results & Impact
Key Performance Metrics
High completion rates with strong case progression through the 5-step process. Analytics show consistent monthly case volume with 444 cases created in March 2025 peak month.
Strong conversion funnel with cases moving effectively from initiation (19 cases) through benefits selection (30 cases) to document generation (6 cases) and successful filing (14 cases), demonstrating the effectiveness of the streamlined user experience.
Sustained platform adoption with monthly performance showing consistent usage patterns, indicating veteran confidence in the redesigned process and reduced abandonment rates compared to V1.
Ecosystem & Business Impact
Design System Evolution: The V2 Atomic Forms became the cornerstone for Trajector's empathetic design language, establishing reusable patterns now implemented across:
VA Disability Calculator: Applying simplified complexity principles to benefit estimation tools
Dynamic Screener: Using progressive disclosure patterns for medical history collection
Client Portal: Implementing milestone-based progress tracking for ongoing case management
Future Products: Creating standardized approach for all veteran-facing digital experiences
Cross-Product Standardization:
Component Library Growth: 15+ new empathetic design components added to Mona Lisa design system
Pattern Documentation: Established guidelines for handling sensitive user data collection
Accessibility Standards: Enhanced system-wide accessibility patterns for diverse veteran demographics
Scalability Framework: Created reusable approach for simplifying complex government processes
Business Value Creation:
Competitive Differentiation: Atomic Forms V2 positions Trajector as more user-friendly than direct VA submission
User Acquisition: Improved completion rates support higher conversion from consultation to submission
Operational Efficiency: Reduced support burden through intuitive self-service design
Brand Trust: Enhanced perception of Trajector as veteran-advocate rather than form processor
Long-term Strategic Impact
Market Positioning: Established Trajector as a technology company that truly understands veteran needs, not just a claims processing service. The empathetic design approach differentiates from competitors who focus purely on compliance rather than user experience.
Product Roadmap Influence: V2 success validates the strategic simplification approach, influencing future product decisions to prioritize perceived ease over feature transparency across all veteran-facing tools.
