Scalable Coaching Booking Platform
What?
What?
A streamlined 1:1 coaching booking system integrated into Asian Student Achievement's WordPress site.
For who?
For who?
College students and early-career professionals seeking mentorship, and volunteer coaches managing their appointments and availability.
My role
My role
UX/Web Design Intern responsible for research, platform selection, testing, and implementation.
Project duration
Project duration
1 year
Tools
Tools
Figma
Figma
WordPress
WordPress
Why this matters
Why this matters
For Asian Student Achievement (ASA), 1:1 coaching is an important pillar for their mission to support Asian/Asian-American students and young professionals. They were previously managing coaching sessions with Google Forms, which created friction at the most critical touchpoint: connecting students with mentors. Without a smoother system, ASA risked losing engagement and overburdening its staff.
For Asian Student Achievement (ASA), 1:1 coaching is an important pillar for their mission to support Asian/Asian-American students and young professionals. They were previously managing coaching sessions with Google Forms, which created friction at the most critical touchpoint: connecting students with mentors. Without a smoother system, ASA risked losing engagement and overburdening its staff.
What ASA needs
What ASA needs
A booking platform seamlessly integrated into their WordPress site that could:
Automate scheduling and reduce admin overhead
Give clients a clear, self-service way to book coaching sessions
Empower coaches to manage availability and requests on their own
Easily scale with ASA's growing community and coaching demand
A booking platform seamlessly integrated into their WordPress site that could:
Automate scheduling and reduce admin overhead
Give clients a clear, self-service way to book coaching sessions
Empower coaches to manage availability and requests on their own
Easily scale with ASA's growing community and coaching demand
The Solution
The Solution
I designed and implemented an integrated booking system that promotes one of ASA's core pillars and connects ASA's community with coaches.
I designed and implemented an integrated booking system that promotes one of ASA's core pillars and connects ASA's community with coaches.
Integrated entry point: Clear gateway for ASA's 1:1 coaching program, guiding students directly to book sessions.
Strengthened ASA's coaching visibility as a core service
Reduced drop-off by making session booking the clear next step.
Simple, self-service scheduling: Step-by-step form for students to choose a focus, pick a time, and confirm details.
Eliminated manual Google Form sign-ups
Gave students instant booking confirmation without admin back-and-forth
Self-managed scheduling: Secure portal where coaches manage their appointments and track sessions.
Empowered coaches to control their calendars
Reduced ASA's administrative workload by automating scheduling
Integrated entry point: Clear gateway for ASA's 1:1 coaching program, guiding students directly to book sessions.
Strengthened ASA's coaching visibility as a core service
Reduced drop-off by making session booking the clear next step.
Simple, self-service scheduling: Step-by-step form for students to choose a focus, pick a time, and confirm details.
Eliminated manual Google Form sign-ups
Gave students instant booking confirmation without admin back-and-forth
Self-managed scheduling: Secure portal where coaches manage their appointments and track sessions.
Empowered coaches to control their calendars
Reduced ASA's administrative workload by automating scheduling
Integrated entry point: Clear gateway for ASA's 1:1 coaching program, guiding students directly to book sessions.
Strengthened ASA's coaching visibility as a core service
Reduced drop-off by making session booking the clear next step.
Simple, self-service scheduling: Step-by-step form for students to choose a focus, pick a time, and confirm details.
Eliminated manual Google Form sign-ups
Gave students instant booking confirmation without admin back-and-forth
Self-managed scheduling: Secure portal where coaches manage their appointments and track sessions.
Empowered coaches to control their calendars
Reduced ASA's administrative workload by automating scheduling
Integrated entry point: Clear gateway for ASA's 1:1 coaching program, guiding students directly to book sessions.
Strengthened ASA's coaching visibility as a core service
Reduced drop-off by making session booking the clear next step.
Simple, self-service scheduling: Step-by-step form for students to choose a focus, pick a time, and confirm details.
Eliminated manual Google Form sign-ups
Gave students instant booking confirmation without admin back-and-forth
Self-managed scheduling: Secure portal where coaches manage their appointments and track sessions.
Empowered coaches to control their calendars
Reduced ASA's administrative workload by automating scheduling
How I Did It
Goals and Guidelines
Goals and Guidelines
Streamline booking for students
Make it simple and intuitive for students to find a coach and schedule a session without administrative delays.
Streamline booking for students
Make it simple and intuitive for students to find a coach and schedule a session without administrative delays.
Empower coaches to self-manage
Provide coaches with a secure portal to update availability, view bookings, and track sessions, shifting scheduling ownership to coaches and reducing ASA's administrative workload.
Empower coaches to self-manage
Provide coaches with a secure portal to update availability, view bookings, and track sessions, shifting scheduling ownership to coaches and reducing ASA's administrative workload.
Integrate seamlessly into ASA's existing site.
Ensure the booking system fit naturally intro ASA's existing WordPress site so staff could be maintained and remain sustainable beyond my internship.
Integrate seamlessly into ASA's existing site.
Ensure the booking system fit naturally intro ASA's existing WordPress site so staff could be maintained and remain sustainable beyond my internship.
Balance professionalism and accessibility
Design an experience that felt professional and trustworthy while remaining welcoming to early-career users who might be booking a coaching session for the first time.
Balance professionalism and accessibility
Design an experience that felt professional and trustworthy while remaining welcoming to early-career users who might be booking a coaching session for the first time.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
I compared three WordPress-compatible booking plugins to identify which could best support ASA's coaching program. The main priorities were enabling clients to upload resumes, giving coaches visibility into pending requests, and ensuring long-term affordability.
I compared three WordPress-compatible booking plugins to identify which could best support ASA's coaching program. The main priorities were enabling clients to upload resumes, giving coaches visibility into pending requests, and ensuring long-term affordability.
Why we chose Amelia
Why we chose Amelia
File upload/resume submission is not something WP Booking Calendar (WPBC) or Simply Schedule (SS) clearly supported out of the box.
File upload/resume submission is not something WP Booking Calendar (WPBC) or Simply Schedule (SS) clearly supported out of the box.
Manual approval/pending status workflows are either missing or less robust in SS and WPBC, but are built-in for Amelia.
Manual approval/pending status workflows are either missing or less robust in SS and WPBC, but are built-in for Amelia.
While SS and WPBC do well for easy embed, calendar display, availability notifications, and other features, they fall short on the dual-audience (client + coach) needs without extra work or add-ons.
While SS and WPBC do well for easy embed, calendar display, availability notifications, and other features, they fall short on the dual-audience (client + coach) needs without extra work or add-ons.
Cost vs benefit: To get all the needed features with WPBC or SS, ASA would need to pay more, configure more, or possibly integrate third-party plugins or custom development. Amelia offered the full feature set more cleanly.
Cost vs benefit: To get all the needed features with WPBC or SS, ASA would need to pay more, configure more, or possibly integrate third-party plugins or custom development. Amelia offered the full feature set more cleanly.
System Flow
System Flow
To ensure the platform met both client and coach needs, I mapped the end-to-end system and detailed booking flow. These diagrams clarified how Amelia would automate confirmations, reduce ASA's manual workload, and capture the right information upfront to set more productive coaching sessions.
To ensure the platform met both client and coach needs, I mapped the end-to-end system and detailed booking flow. These diagrams clarified how Amelia would automate confirmations, reduce ASA's manual workload, and capture the right information upfront to set more productive coaching sessions.
System flow: Mapped client, coach, and ASA interactions into one automated system, reducing manual scheduling and ensuring confirmations happen instantly.
Booking flow: Structured the booking journey to capture the right details (resume, focus area, contact info, etc.) upfront, giving coaches context and saving ASA staff admin time.
System flow: Mapped client, coach, and ASA interactions into one automated system, reducing manual scheduling and ensuring confirmations happen instantly.
Booking flow: Structured the booking journey to capture the right details (resume, focus area, contact info, etc.) upfront, giving coaches context and saving ASA staff admin time.
System flow: Mapped client, coach, and ASA interactions into one automated system, reducing manual scheduling and ensuring confirmations happen instantly.
Booking flow: Structured the booking journey to capture the right details (resume, focus area, contact info, etc.) upfront, giving coaches context and saving ASA staff admin time.
Drafting the Experience
Drafting the Experience
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
The wireframes established the foundation of the coaching platform, outlining a client-facing landing page, a step-by-step form that captured all required information, and a coach's portal concept for managing appointments and resources. These low-fidelity drafts allowed ASA to visualize the structure early and give feedback before I moved into implementation.
The wireframes established the foundation of the coaching platform, outlining a client-facing landing page, a step-by-step form that captured all required information, and a coach's portal concept for managing appointments and resources. These low-fidelity drafts allowed ASA to visualize the structure early and give feedback before I moved into implementation.
Landing page: Shows introduction of coaching program, basic information about coaches, and the booking form.
Booking form (1st step): Client chooses a coaching topic.
Booking form (2nd step): Client chooses a date and time for their coaching session.
Booking form (2rd step): Client puts personal information (name, contact information, etc.) and other important information for the session.
Coach's portal: Page for coaches to see upcoming appointments and have access to shared resources.
Landing page: Shows introduction of coaching program, basic information about coaches, and the booking form.
Booking form (1st step): Client chooses a coaching topic.
Booking form (2nd step): Client chooses a date and time for their coaching session.
Booking form (2rd step): Client puts personal information (name, contact information, etc.) and other important information for the session.
Main Page WordPress Draft
Main Page WordPress Draft
Translating the wireframes into WordPress, I designed the landing page to be both informative and functional. It highlighted ASA's mission, introduced the volunteer coaches, and integrated the booking form at the bottom of the page. This helped students understand the value of coaching before taking action.
Translating the wireframes into WordPress, I designed the landing page to be both informative and functional. It highlighted ASA's mission, introduced the volunteer coaches, and integrated the booking form at the bottom of the page. This helped students understand the value of coaching before taking action.
Coach's Portal WordPress Draft
Coach's Portal WordPress Draft
For the coach's side, I drafted a portal where volunteers could log in, manage their sessions, and access shared resources. By drafting this layout in advance, ASA could envision how their internal workflows would be supported, making it easier to align on what functionality mattered most for coaches.
For the coach's side, I drafted a portal where volunteers could log in, manage their sessions, and access shared resources. By drafting this layout in advance, ASA could envision how their internal workflows would be supported, making it easier to align on what functionality mattered most for coaches.
Usability Testing
Usability Testing
To validate the system, I tested the booking flow with both 5 ASA interns (clients) and 4 staff/board members (coaches). Each group completed real booking and scheduling tasks, while I observed ease of use and captured pain points.
Testing confirmed that the system successfully replaced ASA's Google Form process while revealing areas of improvement. These insights directly informed design changes that made the booking platform clearer and easier to understand for both clients and coaches.
To validate the system, I tested the booking flow with both 5 ASA interns (clients) and 4 staff/board members (coaches). Each group completed real booking and scheduling tasks, while I observed ease of use and captured pain points.
Testing confirmed that the system successfully replaced ASA's Google Form process while revealing areas of improvement. These insights directly informed design changes that made the booking platform clearer and easier to understand for both clients and coaches.
Learnings From Clients
Learnings From Clients
Booking was straightforward: Clients quickly located coaching topics and successfully scheduled sessions.
Booking was straightforward: Clients quickly located coaching topics and successfully scheduled sessions.
Email automations worked reliably: Clients were clearly informed about the status of their session requests.
Email automations worked reliably: Clients were clearly informed about the status of their session requests.
Cancellations caused confusion: The system gave clients no immediate confirmation that their appointment was actually cancelled.
Cancellations caused confusion: The system gave clients no immediate confirmation that their appointment was actually cancelled.
Some coaching topics were unclear and discouraged clients from booking sessions for ones they did not fully understand.
Some coaching topics were unclear and discouraged clients from booking sessions for ones they did not fully understand.
Learnings From Coaches
Learnings From Coaches
Automated emails were essential and helped coaches access login credentials and know high-level appointment details without friction.
Automated emails were essential and helped coaches access login credentials and know high-level appointment details without friction.
The default dashboard view often hid upcoming appointments outside the visible date range, adding an extra step to managing schedules.
The default dashboard view often hid upcoming appointments outside the visible date range, adding an extra step to managing schedules.
Readability issues in the dashboard UI slowed navigation (later resolved with a plugin update).
Readability issues in the dashboard UI slowed navigation (later resolved with a plugin update).
How Testing Shaped Iteration
How Testing Shaped Iteration
Added a cancellation confirmation flow to reduce uncertainty.
Added a cancellation confirmation flow to reduce uncertainty.
Introduced a standard operating guide to help inform coaches of portal functions.
Introduced a standard operating guide to help inform coaches of portal functions.
Revised coaching topics to be clearer and more relevant to client needs.
Revised coaching topics to be clearer and more relevant to client needs.
Adjusted UI readability and default views to make the coach's portal more intuitive.
Adjusted UI readability and default views to make the coach's portal more intuitive.
Main Page
Main Page
The final landing page consolidated ASA's coaching program into a clear, professional entry point. Instead of the old Google Form link, clients can now view coach profiles, understand coaching topics, and seamlessly book a session directly on the ASA website. By structuring the page around clarity and trust, the design increased discoverability of coaching services and gave clients more confidence in the program.
The final landing page consolidated ASA's coaching program into a clear, professional entry point. Instead of the old Google Form link, clients can now view coach profiles, understand coaching topics, and seamlessly book a session directly on the ASA website. By structuring the page around clarity and trust, the design increased discoverability of coaching services and gave clients more confidence in the program.
Coach's Portal
Coach's Portal
The new coach's portal streamlined scheduling and reduced administrative overhead. Appointment requests and client details are accessible in one place, eliminating the scattered communication of the Google Forms process that previously slowed down the process. With availability management and appointment tracking built into the portal, ASA's volunteer coaches gained a tool that supported their contributions without adding extra burden.
The new coach's portal streamlined scheduling and reduced administrative overhead. Appointment requests and client details are accessible in one place, eliminating the scattered communication of the Google Forms process that previously slowed down the process. With availability management and appointment tracking built into the portal, ASA's volunteer coaches gained a tool that supported their contributions without adding extra burden.
Reflection
Reflection
The ASA booking platform was my first end-to-end project where I owned the full design process from initial research through implementation and launch. Working closely with ASA's CEO and stakeholders, I learned how to balance usability with business needs and navigate collaboration when stakeholder and user perspectives didn't always align.
Through this experience, I learned the importance of…
Choosing scalable solutions that fit within existing systems (like WordPress integration)
Designing for two distinct user groups (clients and volunteer coaches) and ensuring a seamless experience for both
Iterating quickly based on testing insights to reduct confusion and strengthen trust in the system
This project gave me the confidence to lead future projects with a systems-first mindset, building tools that can solve immediate pain points and grow with the organization. More importantly, it reinforced how meaningful it is to design solutions that are launched and used in the real world.
The ASA booking platform was my first end-to-end project where I owned the full design process from initial research through implementation and launch. Working closely with ASA's CEO and stakeholders, I learned how to balance usability with business needs and navigate collaboration when stakeholder and user perspectives didn't always align.
Through this experience, I learned the importance of…
Choosing scalable solutions that fit within existing systems (like WordPress integration)
Designing for two distinct user groups (clients and volunteer coaches) and ensuring a seamless experience for both
Iterating quickly based on testing insights to reduct confusion and strengthen trust in the system
This project gave me the confidence to lead future projects with a systems-first mindset, building tools that can solve immediate pain points and grow with the organization. More importantly, it reinforced how meaningful it is to design solutions that are launched and used in the real world.
