What is Laika?

Laika (now Thoropass) is a leading web application focused on automating compliance frameworks.

Objective

The goal was to automate compliance requirements through a seamless end-to-end background check user experience.

Why Background Checks?

• Compliance with core programs like SOC 2 ISO and HIPAA requires background checks for all employees.
• The existing process of background check data entry was manually intensive and error-prone.

Problem

• Manual data entry was required for each employee, causing delays and inaccuracies.
• Prolonged compliance program completion due to data gaps.

Our background feature was limited to a column on the People Table that required manual data entry to reflect the background check status of each individual employee.

Research & Insights

• A feature with minimal manual data entry was not found in the compliance space.
• Checkr is the most widely used background check vendor by customers and is a key integration used by 85% of Laika's users.

The Process

I led the design and research process, including:

• Collaborating with product managers and developers.
• Conducting user research to understand user pain points.
• Designing and testing wireframes to validate user flows.

What I Did

My Role:

Product Designer, UX Researcher

Team:

Product Manager, 4 Developers, 2 Compliance Auditors

My Contributions:

Led the UX design and research of the project, created wireframes, conducted user interviews, collaborated with developers to ensure a smooth implementation.

The Solutions & MVP Features

1. Seamless Checkr Integration

• Built a Checkr integration to streamline background checks directly in-app, removing the need for external navigation.
• Users can now activate the integration, check health status, and initiate checks all within Laika.

2. Transparent Background Check Status

• Provided live alerts and notifications for updated background check statuses.
• Reduced manual data entry by automatically mapping background check results to user profiles.

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3. Initiating Background Checks from Laika

This seamless integration eliminated the need for users to navigate to external platforms, saving valuable time and effort. Key functionality of this feature:

• Ability to activate their Checkr integration.
• Ability to check the health status of their integration.
• Ability to initiate a Checkr background check within Laika.
• Confirmation receipts.

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Impact

The successful implementation of the background check feature resulted in:

• 100% successful integration and initiation of background checks within the pilot group.
• Reduced the time for users to initiate background checks and monitor statuses by up to 50%.
• Improved customer satisfaction by 35%.
• Achieved a seamless and automated mapping of background check results to user profiles, ensuring data accuracy and certification compliance.

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Outcome

The background check feature reduced manual processes and compliance delays, positioning Laika as a comprehensive compliance solution for customers.

User Flow for Developers

This user flow provides clear guidance and a structured framework for developers to understand the touch points and APIs required for initiating and managing background checks.

Variations

Our first set of explorations were heavily focused on the “People Table” because it is the main source of truth for employee data required for compliance frameworks.

We did not go with these choices because the feature still appeared to be hidden and would not effectively reduce friction for users when initiating background checks.

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