Surge Bonus App
The Surge Referral Tracker app was designed for a company seeking a fun, easy way for employees to refer friends and family to open job positions
THE PROBLEM
Surge needed a more efficient and engaging way for employees to refer friends, family, and connections to open job positions
At the time, referrals were made manually — either by word of mouth or through email — which often led to inconsistent tracking, missed opportunities, and confusion about where a referral stood in the hiring process. Additionally, there was no clear system for staff to see how many bonuses they had earned or who was leading in referrals.
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Leadership wanted to incentivize referrals with a sense of fun and visibility. They envisioned a mobile app that not only allowed employees to send referral invites, but also made it easy to track bonus progress, view the hiring pipeline, and see a real-time leaderboard. The challenge was to design an app that balanced function and motivation while keeping the experience intuitive for a wide internal audience.
MY ROLE
As the lead (and only) UX designer on this project, I was responsible for taking the app from concept to high-fidelity prototype.
My work began with stakeholder interviews to understand core business goals, followed by creating user flows, wireframes, visual designs, and a working prototype in Figma. I also facilitated feedback sessions with team leads and revised designs based on both technical feasibility and user clarity.
​With no existing design system in place, I also defined the app’s visual style — adapting the company’s brand elements into a scalable UI system that could grow with future versions of the app. This project gave me end-to-end ownership of the UX process, from ideation to interactive prototype.
Low-High Wireframing process
Wireframing is a crucial part of my UX process, helping me map out structure and flow before diving into visuals. For this project, I began with low-fidelity wireframes to define the core user journey. However, due to a tight timeline, parts of the wireframing phase were shortened to prioritize high-fidelity designs. It was a good reminder that while wireframes are often skipped under pressure, they’re key to building thoughtful, user-centered solutions.
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
The users of this app were internal employees, ranging from young staff just entering the workforce to more senior employees with decades at the company.
This wide demographic meant the app needed to feel approachable and easy to use for everyone — regardless of tech savviness or age.
From this, I made accessibility and clarity a priority. I used large, legible text, touch-friendly buttons, and minimal distractions to keep the experience focused. I also incorporated friendly iconography and simple visual progress bars to make the referral process feel more engaging and less transactional. Users could see how far along each of their referrals was, whether they had just applied or were already interviewing.
By keeping the design simple, direct, and visually guided, I created a system that could work equally well for someone checking referrals on their lunch break or using the app for the first time.
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Final interactive prototype showcasing core user flows
approved by stakeholders for its clarity, functionality, and alignment with the company’s vision.
BREAKING
DOWN THE PROCESS
I began with stakeholder discovery sessions to define app goals and map out the key features: referral sending, bonus tracking, a leaderboard, and login flow. Once aligned, I sketched user flows and created low-fidelity wireframes to structure the layout of each screen. These wireframes helped focus the project around functionality before visuals were introduced.
Next came high-fidelity designs in Figma, where I brought in the company’s brand colors, typography, and iconography. I worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the look and feel matched their expectations while still prioritizing user experience. The dashboard, leaderboard, and referral progress screens were refined through multiple iterations.
​Finally, I built an interactive prototype and tested it with internal reviewers. Their feedback led to several improvements, including clearer progress bars and simplified onboarding steps. Each stage of the process was guided by user goals: invite quickly, track easily, and feel motivated by progress.
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THESE WERE SOME MAJOR LEARNINGS OR POINTS I WANTED TO CALL OUT
Designing for Motivation
Incorporating gamified elements like a leaderboard and progress tracking made a huge difference in how users perceived the app. These features added purpose and excitement, turning referrals into a friendly competition that aligned with the company's goals.
Bridging Visual Identity and UX
It was crucial to design an app that looked and felt like an extension of the company. I learned how to adapt an existing brand into a digital interface — from choosing the right button styles to using color in a way that supported usability.
Simplicity Wins with Broad User Bases
Designing for a diverse audience reminded me that clarity beats complexity. Creating an interface that worked for both young and older adults taught me how to reduce cognitive load and focus on what users really need to succeed.
LESSONS LEARNED
This project reinforced the importance of designing with empathy for your audience.
I couldn’t rely on assumptions or trendy UI patterns — everything had to be intentional, accessible, and easy to understand. Designing for both younger and older employees pushed me to think critically about every element on the screen: Is this clear enough? Is this button large enough? Is this flow intuitive?
​I also learned the value of stakeholder collaboration. Their vision of a fun, brand-aligned experience helped shape the final product in ways I wouldn’t have anticipated on my own. Staying open to feedback and iterating quickly helped ensure the app delivered both business value and user satisfaction.
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Lastly, working solo on the full UX process gave me a new level of confidence in owning design from start to finish. It reminded me that great UX is equal parts listening, testing, and designing with purpose.