Enhancing the USTA Support Experience:
A Human-Centered Approach to AI-Driven HR

USTA aimed to reduce the overwhelming volume of repetitive HR inquiries and improve the support experience for employees, volunteers, and interns. The goal was to design a seamless, approachable solution that could quickly handle everyday HR-related questions, freeing the HR team to focus on more strategic work. Our challenge was to create an AI-driven experience that was accurate, accessible, and aligned with USTA’s values, without adding friction for users who already navigated multiple systems.

CLIENT

Key Contributions

Experience Strategy | Workshop Facilitation | Organizational Framework Design | Conversational UX Design | AI Integration Strategy | Tone and Personality Development | Cross-Functional Collaboration | Post-MVP Roadmapping | Scope Definition | Future State Vision

Discovery Phase: Listening First

We began with an in-depth workshop designed to uncover the challenges HR faced and the broader needs of employees, volunteers, and interns. This phase focused on understanding how inquiries came in, where people encountered roadblocks, and how a more intuitive system could make their lives easier.

Problem:
USTA’s HR team was inundated with low-level inquiries—questions that could be answered digitally but were hard to find in the existing systems. For employees, volunteers, and interns juggling multiple platforms, accessing the right information was frustrating and inefficient. Meanwhile, HR lacked a scalable structure to triage and respond effectively.

Activities:

  • Facilitated a collaborative workshop to map HR touchpoints, user roles, and common friction points.

  • Uncovered the need for both an AI HR assistant and a supporting organizational framework to connect the right people, roles, and resources.

  • Explored the variety of needs and access patterns across different user types.

  • Identified where automation could create clarity and where human support would still be essential.

Goals:

  • Understand the full scope of HR interactions across user groups.

  • Define the opportunity space for a digital assistant that serves everyone equitably.

  • Establish a foundation for smart triage and knowledge delivery.

My Role:
I co-led the workshop and synthesized the outcomes into clear opportunity areas. I identified the need not only for a conversational AI agent, but for a broader structural model to support HR delivery across diverse user roles.

Ideation Phase: Designing for the Designing Within Real-World Constraints

Overview:
Instead of asking users to learn a new tool, we recommended integrating the AI assistant directly into Google Chat—a familiar and frequently used platform for employees, interns, and many volunteers. This approach aligned with their daily workflows and minimized disruption.

Problem:
USTA users were already navigating a complex landscape of platforms to complete their work. Adding yet another system would only increase cognitive load and resistance. While Google Chat offered an accessible, low-friction entry point, it also introduced limitations, such as how conversations are structured, how long threads persist, and how users interact with commands.

Activities:

  • Audited Google Chat’s experience limitations, including threading behaviors and slash command interactions.

  • Designed informal “micro-moment” guidance to help users intuitively engage with the bot despite platform constraints.

  • Mapped conversation types (e.g., DMs vs. threads) to specific HR use cases to reduce confusion and enhance clarity.

  • Defined a set of experience principles to ensure the assistant balanced responsiveness with empathy and support.

Solutions:
We embraced the constraints of Google Chat and designed a conversational model that used clarity, warmth, and thoughtful defaults to guide users. The assistant was tailored to feel approachable and helpful, while remaining sensitive to the personal nature of HR topics.

My Role:
I led the effort to design within platform limitations and helped translate technical constraints into thoughtful user experiences. I also mapped content types and interaction models to match the needs of various user groups, ensuring the solution was inclusive, clear, and effective for all.

Design Phase: Creating Netti, the AI HR Assistant

Overview:
Netti, the AI assistant, was designed to feel like a kind, trustworthy companion—someone who could help you find the answers you need without judgment, jargon, or friction.

Activities:

  • Developed Netti’s personality and tone based on USTA’s culture and HR context.

  • Wrote conversational flows using emotionally aware language—avoiding phrases like "error," "problem," or "incorrect," and replacing them with "challenge," "not quite right," or "let’s try something else."

  • Integrated emoji and affirmations to create a positive, calming tone.

  • Built inclusive, casual interaction styles that worked across employee types and generations.

Netti’s Personality Traits:

  • Supportive and approachable

  • Encouraging and nonjudgmental

  • Uses positive reinforcement and celebrates small wins

  • Casual yet clear in tone—like a thoughtful coworker or a friendly guide

My Role:
I created Netti’s tone of voice and messaging style. I also designed flows that addressed both functional needs and emotional considerations, ensuring the agent felt helpful and human—even within system limitations.

Outcome

Netti is now live inside Google Chat, providing fast, friendly responses to common HR inquiries for USTA employees, volunteers, and interns. It has reduced back-and-forth time by 50% and freed up 80% of the HR department’s time by addressing documented, repeatable questions. More than just a bot, Netti offers a warm, reassuring experience that reflects USTA’s people-first values—bringing a touch of humanity into HR automation.

Roadmapping & Support: Preparing for What’s Next

Overview:
Beyond the MVP, we developed a clear roadmap for scaling and supporting Netti over time. The roadmap was grounded in long-term support goals, team readiness, and evolving user needs.

Activities:

  • Delivered a phased plan to expand content, functionality, and personalization.

  • Outlined a feedback loop to ensure continuous improvement and learning.

  • Created a content governance framework tied to roles within the HR team.

  • Identified future opportunities to expand Netti’s support across departments or events.

My Role:
I partnered with product to develop a roadmap that addressed both immediate priorities and longer-term strategic growth. I also documented key principles and created playbooks to support the team in evolving Netti as the organization scales.

Learn Phase: Laying the Groundwork for Continuous Improvement

Overview:
The project provided PPG with a clear path for continuous improvement and innovation.

Key Learnings:

  • A structured discovery process is essential for uncovering actionable insights.

  • Building trust with stakeholders early ensures alignment and smoother execution.

  • A clear vision and roadmap facilitate a successful transition from strategy to implementation.

Next Steps:

  • Use the roadmap and design strategy as a foundation for future updates.

  • Continue gathering data to refine the platform and expand its impact.

My Role:
Provided documentation and actionable recommendations to support PPG’s ongoing transformation efforts.

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