Optimizing the learning experience: UX flows that increased course registrations
Client: PRAYD S.A & Danny Pazos | Year: 2018
Role:
Lead UI/UX design strategy
Brand identity + system
Social media design + integration
Motion design and video editing
WordPress development
Team:
1 UI/UX designer, 1 Visual designer, 1 Creative director
Tools:
Photoshop, Illustrator, After-effects, Premier Pro, ClickUp, inDesign, Zappier, WhatsApp, Slack, WordPress CMS
Goal:
Establish Danny Pazos as a medical influencer to sell medical courses and increase monthly revenue.
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Establishing trust through design for a medical institution
In June 2018, Danny Pazos, a Maxillofacial surgeon, approached our agency to develop a solution that would help him sell ambulatory medical courses more effectively. His focus was on teaching minimally invasive treatments—including rhinoplasty, bichectomy, and botulinum toxin (Botox) injections—to licensed medical professionals. He also offered a specialized course for odontologists covering dental implant procedures.
Despite his high-level expertise, Danny faced several barriers: low market visibility, inconsistent branding, and no streamlined way to capture or nurture leads. He needed a cohesive digital presence that could position him as a trusted educator, build credibility, and drive course signups.
Solution: multi-touchpoint strategy with automation
Over a six-month period, we worked collaboratively to establish a unified brand and digital ecosystem that would drive awareness, trust, and enrollment. Key milestones included:
- Website & UX design
I designed and implemented a conversion-focused website, mapping user flows that led visitors from initial interest to registration. Each interaction was tailored to reflect the credibility and professionalism required in the medical education space. - Brand identity development
I led the creation of a cohesive brand identity, including visual standards, tone of voice, and design templates. This ensured consistency across digital and offline touchpoints. - Automated messaging system
Using Facebook, Slack, and Zapier integrated with WhatsApp, I built a lightweight automation system that captured leads, sent confirmation messages, and maintained a dynamic database—enabling scalable, low-overhead communication with prospects. - Marketing asset production
I produced a series of social media graphics and motion design assets to support course promotions, using storytelling and visual clarity to drive engagement.
My role
- Developed the brand identity and visual system
- Designed end-to-end UX flows and website UI
- Built and deployed automated messaging workflows
- Created social and motion graphic assets to support campaigns
Project background
In 2018, online courses saw a surge in popularity—particularly across creative, development, and marketing sectors. However, medical courses remained scarce, largely due to regulatory constraints and the need for rigorous safety standards.
Our client, a highly experienced Maxillofacial surgeon—one of only a few in the country—was still relatively unknown to the public. He was often mistaken for a general dentist, highlighting a broader lack of awareness about his specialized field.
To address this, he set out to create a series of professional courses with three key goals:
- Establish credibility and raise awareness
Position himself as a trusted expert while educating the public and fellow professionals on what Maxillofacial surgery truly entails. - Create a new revenue stream
Develop educational content that could supplement his clinical income through passive or active course offerings. - Improve clinical standards across the industry
Teach other practitioners how to properly perform ambulatory treatments, with the aim of reducing the volume of complex reconstruction work he often received due to prior mismanagement.
This initiative was both a personal mission and a strategic move to elevate the profession while creating sustainable impact and visibility.
Challenges
As we began work on the project, several core issues quickly came into focus:
- Lack of brand trust
Despite his extensive credentials, the client had little to no recognition in the market. This created a credibility gap that needed to be addressed before audiences would consider investing in his courses. - Inconsistent branding
His existing visual identity and messaging lacked cohesion, making it difficult to present a professional and trustworthy image across channels. - No reliable touchpoints
There was no centralized platform or consistent method for potential students to get in touch, ask questions, or register for upcoming sessions—causing friction and missed opportunities. - Limited course capacity
Each session was capped at 20–25 participants, meaning that every lead had to count. A well-designed funnel and seamless user experience were essential to fill seats efficiently and maintain momentum. - One unique challenge we faced was the rotating course locations. Danny Pazos held his sessions in three major cities—Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca—which meant each course required a temporary setup that functioned like a clinical operating environment. This logistical complexity influenced both our communication strategy and user experience: 1) Pre-course information had to be city-specific and updated regularly. 2) The website and messaging flows were adapted to clearly display the location, schedule, and logistics for each city—minimizing confusion and increasing registration confidence.
These early insights helped shape our strategy: build trust, unify the brand, and create a streamlined digital experience that could support long-term growth—even within a constrained capacity model.
Target audience
The courses were not intended for general audiences or entry-level professionals. Instead, we focused on a highly specific segment of the medical community—those with both the legal qualifications and practical experience necessary to perform minimally invasive procedures.
Our ideal participants were:
- Certified medical professionals registered with SENESCYT (the national accrediting institution)
- Legally authorized to perform skin-incision procedures
- Financially prepared to invest approximately $300+ per course
- Experienced practitioners with established clinics—not recent graduates
- Primarily aged 35–55
We saw particularly strong interest from:
- Cosmetologists
- Dermatologists
- Odontologists
Understanding this demographic was critical in shaping our messaging, pricing strategy, and user experience—ensuring we communicated both credibility and value to an audience that expects high standards and clear ROI.
Hypothesis
We hypothesized that medical professionals were motivated to expand their skill sets not just for academic purposes, but for strategic career and business growth. By offering courses in minimally invasive procedures, we believed we could tap into three core motivations:
- Attract new patients
Adding services like Botox or bichectomy could help professionals diversify their offerings and draw in a broader clientele. - Increase revenue from existing patients
Offering additional treatments would allow practitioners to upsell within their current patient base, increasing overall value per client. - Explore new career directions
Some professionals were likely using these courses as a way to test the waters in adjacent medical fields—potentially preparing for a broader shift in their practice.
This hypothesis informed everything from how we structured course content to how we positioned the offering in marketing materials—focusing on ROI, patient appeal, and strategic career growth.
Step 1: Brand identity and system development
As part of the brand overhaul, I developed a cohesive visual identity that was versatile, scalable, and consistent across all touchpoints—crucial for establishing trust and recognition within the medical community.
Logo design
The new logo was created to adapt seamlessly across a wide range of brand touchpoints:
- Business cards
- Roll-up banners
- Video and motion graphics
- Social media content
- PowerPoint presentations
- Email marketing
- Website
At the heart of the logo are three dots, each representing a key pillar in the education of a maxillofacial surgeon:
- Oral & dental services
- Aesthetic services
- Maxillofacial surgery
This subtle visual metaphor adds depth and meaning to the brand while maintaining a minimalist look appropriate for medical professionals.
Typography
To convey professionalism and modernity, I established the “Uniform” sans-serif typeface as the brand’s primary font. Its clean geometry and neutral tone support a clear, trustworthy communication style across print and digital materials.
Iconography
The icon system was designed to be expressive yet minimal—built for static and animated applications alike:
- Single-line construction
- No fill, allowing for a lightweight, elegant appearance
- One-color usage for consistency and legibility
- Motion-friendly for use in UI animations or emotional cues in digital content
Color system
Magenta was chosen as the brand’s primary color for its ability to balance warmth, energy, and medical relevance:
- Elegant and modern, while subtly referencing blood without being too direct
- Commonly associated with academic institutions, reinforcing ICROM’s position as a center for education
- Flexible enough to stand out across digital, print, and environmental applications
Together, these elements formed a unified and symbolic visual identity, helping ICROM stand out in a competitive field, build trust, and scale its presence across multiple formats and markets.
Step 2: Website & UX design
Our user research revealed a clear trend: while users visited the website, most of their engagement began on social media. As a result, the website’s primary role shifted toward being a trust-building brand hub—reinforcing credibility, showcasing past success, and serving as an informative touchpoint that aligned with our broader marketing efforts.
The site focused on transparency and ease of access, featuring:
- Dynamic Banner Design: Homepage banners highlighted active courses, emphasizing their theoretical–practical structure to capture interest at a glance.
- Curated Gallery: Real photos from past courses, including before-and-after images and surgical procedures, to establish authenticity and professionalism.
- Informational Content: Clear, user-friendly sections detailing what participants could expect, common questions, and first-hand testimonials.
- Eligibility Guidelines: Defined participant requirements to pre-qualify leads and set expectations upfront.
- Course-Specific Landing Pages: Each course had a dedicated page with detailed content and a contact form connected to Zapier for automated lead handling.
- Direct Communication: Contact forms also routed submissions directly to an internal email to ensure responsiveness.
We made several iterations throughout the project to maintain a clean, up-to-date experience. Prioritizing transparency, clarity, and accessibility. The website ultimately served as a trusted destination in the customer journey—one that supported conversion while strengthening the brand. Iterations also included grammatical refinements and the adoption of industry-specific terminology to ensure the content resonated with a professional medical audience.
Step 3: Lead generation and automation workflow
To streamline lead capture and follow-up for ICROM’s medical courses, we built a fully integrated automation system using Zapier—connecting the website and social media platforms to internal communication and marketing tools.
Multi-channel lead collection
We identified that Facebook and Instagram were the primary channels used by our target audience. Lead generation forms were embedded on both platforms as well as on the official website (icrom.ec), ensuring maximum visibility and ease of access.
Automated workflow with Zapier
Once a user submitted a form, Zapier triggered a set of automated actions to ensure no lead was missed and each inquiry was handled appropriately:
- Slack: Submitted form data was sent to a dedicated Slack channel for internal tracking, allowing us to compare entries against the existing client database and monitor performance in real time.
- Mailjet: Automated emails were sent to leads with detailed information including course curriculums, pricing, and important reminders—helping build trust and reduce manual workload.
- WhatsApp Business: For more complex, medically specific questions, leads were routed directly to the client via WhatsApp. This allowed for personalized communication and faster response times, which proved critical in nurturing high-intent prospects.
This automation flow helped reduce friction, increase response speed, and standardize the lead handling process, ultimately contributing to a 650% growth in course sales and brand visibility.
Step 4: Marketing asset production
Over the course of six months, I focused on improving the website’s user experience by enhancing its design, functionality, and overall clarity. I developed comprehensive documentation and established streamlined processes that brought consistency and structure to the project. This approach helped reduce user confusion and guided visitors through an intuitive and seamless journey, ensuring their goals could be met efficiently.
By aligning design improvements with user needs and business objectives, I created a foundation that supported the brand’s growth strategy. From this foundation, I produced key assets that enhanced the brand’s visual language and clearly communicated its value proposition — helping users grow their practice while maximizing return on investment.
The deliverables I crafted included:
- An animated logo that reinforced brand identity with engaging motion, improving user recall
- Explainer videos designed to simplify complex concepts and guide users through the product’s key benefits
- Static and animated social graphics optimized for lead generation and brand awareness, designed to engage target audiences and drive action
Through these efforts, I was able to deliver a cohesive, user-centered brand experience that balanced visual storytelling with clear, actionable messaging — supporting both user satisfaction and business growth.
Reflections and impact
Over the course of six months, I led the development of multiple brand and user experience touchpoints that elevated ICROM’s credibility and market presence. From messaging clarity to consistent visuals, every element was crafted to reinforce the benefits of the courses and create a frictionless path to conversion—not just for course signups, but also to begin building a valuable database of interested patients.
Key outcomes included:
- A new visual identity—logo, typography, and color system—that gave ICROM a professional, recognizable presence
- A conversion-focused website with UX flows that consistently drove engagement and registration
- Printed materials and social media assets that extended the brand’s influence across platforms
- A cohesive brand tone, sound, and feel that resonated with both medical professionals and prospective students
The results were significant:
- 650% increase in course sales
- Established Dr. Danny Pazos as a trusted figure in the medical education space
- Within a year, he transitioned from offering small-group workshops to launching a certified medical academy
This project exemplifies how strategy, design, and system thinking can come together to not only meet immediate business goals—but also build the foundation for long-term transformation.
Lessons learned and insights
This project was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, shaped by unique circumstances and regulatory conditions that are unlikely to be replicated. Back in 2018, medical regulations were comparatively lax, allowing for more flexibility in our approach. However, with evolving social norms and stricter behavioral models now in place, similar projects face far greater constraints—making this experience particularly rare and invaluable. Here are some of my insights from this project:
- Initially, we managed communication manually, but quickly realized this approach was highly time-consuming and inefficient. To streamline interactions, I explored integrating automation tools like Zapier, Mail Jet, and Slack. Since our client preferred to respond to inquiries individually, we also incorporated WhatsApp Business into the workflow, allowing for personalized yet organized communication.
- This project marked our first hands-on experience with Zapier. While we don’t have exact data, I can confidently say that automating key processes saved us countless hours, transforming days of manual follow-up into efficient, automated workflows.
- Medical professionals often prefer to see images related to procedures. However, this posed challenges on social media platforms such as Facebook, where needles and medical imagery were frequently flagged as “violent content.” To comply with platform guidelines while maintaining visual appeal, we shifted to aesthetically pleasing visuals — using black-and-white images and highlighting the areas targeted for treatment rather than explicit operation shots. For consistency, we maintained this style across the site.
- Tailoring the website to medical professionals was challenging. Initially, we received significant interest from actors, entertainers, and spa professionals outside the target audience. This feedback prompted us to refine our messaging by consistently emphasizing “only for medical professionals” and implementing verification steps to confirm registration with SENESCYT, the national professional accreditation system.
- We also needed to understand and communicate clearly who qualified as a patient. Many prospective patients were interested, but we had to educate ourselves on health criteria that could disqualify candidates from treatment.
