Tax Credits Trail Map:

Have you ever been on a long hike and suddenly paused, unsure whether to turn right or follow the path to the left? In those moments, it’s easy to feel disoriented. But experienced hikers know the value of a trail map—an essential guide to help navigate twists and turns.

This same principle applies to digital products. When customers lose their way in a complex product experience, they need a clear guide to help them move forward. At Gusto, we discovered this was precisely the challenge our customers faced while navigating the process of claiming their R&D tax credits.

A Journey of Confusion

For customers completing an R&D credit report, the journey was anything but smooth. They frequently struggled to understand the steps involved, how much effort was required, and whether it was all worth their time.

Our data painted a stark picture. On average, customers navigated XX screens spread across two sub-domains, taking XX days and XX browser sessions to complete their reports.

This disjointed process left many feeling frustrated and uncertain.

Customer support calls confirmed this story. In a review of 120 calls, 86% focused on confusion about next steps or the overall process. It became clear: we needed to build a better map for this journey.

Charting a New Path

We hypothesized that migrating to a task-based interaction design pattern would transform the experience. By breaking the process into clear, actionable steps and providing a sense of forward progress, we believed we could improve both understanding and engagement. Success would be measured by two key metrics:

• Activation Rate: The percentage of customers completing all required onboarding data.

  
  

• Conversion Rate: The percentage of customers approving their credit calculations and agreeing to terms.

These metrics would allow us to gauge the impact of our redesign during the 2023 fall tax season compared to the previous year.

Exploring the Terrain

Our design journey began with two competing ideas.

The first option was to enhance the existing navigation system. We aimed to improve sub-step visibility and provide additional information to guide users. This approach required minimal changes to the product structure, making it a quick win. However, it came with limitations: it wasn’t mobile-friendly, couldn’t handle an indeterminate number of steps, and felt clunky when revisiting completed tasks.

The second option was more ambitious: introduce a centralized dashboard. This new starting point would serve as a home base, organizing the report into phases and tasks. With clear progress tracking and a consistent layout for each session, the dashboard promised improved navigation and support for features like task assignments. Yet, it required a significant development lift and was less tested with our user base.

After weighing the pros and cons, we decided to take the more ambitious route.

The Solution

We introduced the “R&D Dashboard,” a centralized hub designed to orient customers from the moment they logged in. The dashboard emphasized primary tasks, such as submitting required data and retrieving their credit forms, while reserving space for secondary information like credit estimates and deadlines.

This non-linear approach gave users the flexibility to move through the process at their own pace while always knowing what came next. It was our trail map in action—a guide to keep customers on the right path.

The Results

The impact of the new design was mixed but insightful. Among our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) segment, activation rates increased by 26%, signaling a significant improvement in onboarding completion. Even among the general audience, activation rates rose by 12%.

However, conversion rates dipped—by 4%. We traced this decline to operational challenges and external factors that disrupted the process, rather than issues with the design itself.

Customer feedback told a more encouraging story. Many praised the new layout for its clarity and ease of use, and internal teams reported greater efficiency in managing customer queries. The R&D Dashboard also created new opportunities for experimentation, laying a foundation for future improvements.

Lessons Learned

Not everything went as planned. While activation rates improved, conversion rates revealed a need for stronger alignment between product and service operations. In hindsight, investing more time in service design could have minimized disruptions and created a more seamless experience.

Additionally, our attempts to measure in-app customer sentiment fell flat, with engagement in feedback tools remaining low. Improving this mechanism will be a key focus for future iterations.

A Trail Worth Following

Designing the “Tax Credits Trail Map” reinforced an important lesson: clarity is critical. By giving customers a clear starting point and a reliable guide, we helped them navigate a complex process with greater confidence. While there’s always room to improve the journey, this redesign was a meaningful step forward—one that turned confusion into progress.