Prudential employees rely on multiple platforms for learning and development, including LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Workday, Pluralsight, and daily microlearning via Axonify. While each tool offers value, according to the learning team, despite having access to a wealth of learning resources— Prudential employees experienced a fragmented learning journey. Each platform had its own interface, structure, and logic, making it difficult for employees to:
Identify what learning was required vs. optional
Know where to begin or which platform to use
Track their progress across different systems
Stay engaged with continuous learning
This fragmentation not only caused confusion and friction but also undermined Prudential’s goal of cultivating a culture of proactive upskilling and development.
To uncover the root of these challenges, I conducted a series of user interviews, task analyses, and journey mapping sessions with employees across departments. We also collaborated with HR and platform owners to understand the content ecosystem and technical constraints. After gathering insights from the business team, I developed a set of user interview questions designed to explore Prudential employees’ experiences with learning and development across multiple platforms. The questions I used were structured to uncover pain points, behaviors, mental models, and opportunities for improvement:
Research & Insights
Streamlining Learning & Development in Prudential’s Talent Marketplace
My Role
User Research, UI Design
Client
Prudential Corporate Technology
Year
Jan 2024 - June 2024
Prudential’s Talent Marketplace is a digital platform designed to empower employees to take charge of their career growth by connecting them with internal job opportunities and learning resources. As part of the Experience Design team, for this project I led user research initiatives to optimize core features of the platform—specifically improving how employees discover upskilling content, complete required training, and explore relevant career paths within the company.
Summary
Under a non-disclosure agreement; some of the details in this case study may be vague to protect the company’s intellectual property.
This project marked a meaningful step toward creating a more intuitive and connected learning experience for Prudential employees. By grounding our design decisions in real user insights and aligning closely with technical teams, we were able to simplify how employees discover, track, and engage with their learning.
The refreshed learning page within the Talent Marketplace now provides clearer visibility into required learning, daily content, and upskilling opportunities—all in one centralized location. It reduces the cognitive load of navigating across multiple tools and supports employees in taking greater ownership of their development.
That said, the experience is still evolving. Because learning content is distributed across several third-party platforms, employees must still navigate external systems for deeper engagement. This creates ongoing opportunities to further integrate these tools and deliver an even more seamless, end-to-end learning journey. Our work sets a strong foundation—and opens the door for continued iteration.
Refreshed Learning Experience
I used the synthesized data, key themes, and persona and shared them with business leaders through a clear, insight-driven presentation. I focused on storytelling—walking them through real employee pain points such as difficulty navigating between learning platforms, unclear visibility into required vs. optional learning, and the cognitive overload caused by disjointed tools. I used persona snapshots and quotes, from our research to humanize the data and build empathy, helping stakeholders understand not just what users were struggling with, but why it mattered for engagement and performance.
To move from insight to implementation, I collaborated closely with technology leads. I initiated working sessions to map out the learning ecosystem’s architecture and understand what data and features could realistically be surfaced on the Talent Marketplace through available APIs. This included:
Clarifying which learning records, statuses, and metadata (e.g., due dates, completion rates) could be pulled from platforms like Workday Learning or Axonify
Discussing the feasibility of embedding personalized content from LinkedIn Learning or Udemy
Identifying opportunities to aggregate learning tasks from multiple systems into a single, unified view
These conversations helped ensure that the redesigned learning experience wasn’t just desirable for users but also technically feasible within existing system constraints. By bridging user needs with platform capabilities, I helped lay the groundwork for a more integrated, intuitive learning page within the Talent Marketplace.
After conducting user interviews I wrote all the responses out on notes and did a affinity mapping brain storming session to synthesize the data we collected. The common themes are listed here.
Goals
Advance to a leadership role in the next 12–18 months
Build a stronger strategic skillset (e.g., data storytelling, team management)
Complete required training on time without missing deadlines
Frustrations
Platforms feel disjointed; she wastes time jumping between Workday, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy
It's unclear which learning is mandatory vs. optional
She gets too many irrelevant content suggestions
Needs
A centralized view of all learning tasks and recommendations
Personalized learning paths tied to her role and career plan
Notifications or nudges when deadlines approach or new relevant content becomes available
Motivations
Career growth and promotion
Recognition from management (e.g., in performance reviews)
Structured guidance on how to upskill for a specific role
Summary
Alex is a driven Senior Business Analyst who’s actively working toward a leadership role. She’s eager to grow but finds it frustrating to navigate multiple learning platforms that don’t talk to each other. She often wastes time figuring out what’s required and where to start. Maya wants a centralized, personalized learning experience that clearly aligns with her goals and helps her stay on track—without the confusion.
Alex Williams
Age
Education
Status
Occupation
Location
35
MBA
Single
Senior Business Analyst
New Jersey
Challenge