PayCheck Protection Program (PPP)

Challenge:
At the peak of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), thousands of small business owners were navigating a complicated and urgent loan process, many for the first time. Confusion and misinformation were widespread, and the bank needed a way to clearly guide applicants from inquiry to approval and through the forgiveness process.

Solution:
I partnered closely with IT, operations, and loan specialists to map out the full PPP loan journey. Based on real user questions and pain points, I designed a suite of quick-start guides, visual flowcharts, and storytelling templates that made the process intuitive, transparent, and reassuring. These materials were used by customers, loan officers, and internal support teams to streamline communication and improve trust.

My Contributions:

• Process Mapping & Collaboration
  • Worked with IT and PPP teams to define each loan type’s journey from application to forgiveness
  • Synthesized feedback from prior applicants to identify points of confusion and key clarifications needed
     
• User-Centered Content Design
  • Designed concise, easy-to-scan quick guides for three PPP loan types
  • Created a simplified process flow diagram showing customers where they were in the approval lifecycle
  • Designed storytelling templates to help PPP recipients share their experience and humanize the impact
     
• Internal & External Enablement
  • Materials were used by customer support teams, posted online, and shared directly with applicants
  • Visual consistency and clarity helped reduce call volume and improved customer confidence

Impact:

• Accelerated applicant understanding during a time-sensitive, high-pressure government program
• Supported internal teams with ready-to-use, visually clear communication tools
• Helped strengthen Sunrise Banks’ position as a transparent, supportive financial partner during crisis response