A comprehensive UX case study on designing a coaching ecosystem that increased adoption by 45% and accelerated feedback loops by 50% for life science teams.
iCoach First provides structured field coaching programs for life-science commercial teams, equipping trainers, managers and field coaches with playbooks and feedback mechanisms. Their offline-heavy processes made it challenging to scale coaching consistently or measure true impact on field performance.
UXGen partnered with iCoach First to design a mobile-first coaching experience, digitize coaching plans, enable structured observations, and create analytics that connected coaching actions to field outcomes.
iCoach First
Life Sciences, Field Coaching
UX Design, Research, Mobile App Design
6 Months
Mobile Coaching Platform
Designed for rapid observation capture and real-time feedback in field environments
Overcoming digital resistance and fragmented processes in life sciences field coaching
Coaches relied heavily on paper notes and spreadsheets
Digital tool adoption was below 50% due to complex interfaces
Feedback loops took days or weeks to complete
No connection between coaching activities and field performance metrics
Manual report consolidation consumed days each month
Inconsistent coaching led to slower product rollouts
Training insights failed to reach scale across organization
Unable to quantify coaching ROI or correlate with sales outcomes
Less than 50% of coaches used digital tools regularly due to poor onboarding and complex interfaces
Observations lived in disconnected systems making trend analysis impossible
Unable to connect coaching activities with field performance and business outcomes
Understanding the field coaching ecosystem through immersive research
We conducted comprehensive field research to understand the unique challenges faced by coaches, managers, and sales representatives in life sciences organizations.
Coaches needed tools that worked seamlessly on mobile devices during field sessions, not just desktop applications for later data entry.
The value of coaching feedback diminished rapidly if not delivered within hours of observation, not days or weeks.
Coaches needed structured templates for consistency but flexibility to adapt to unique field situations.
Experienced Trainer • 42 • On-the-Go
Regional Manager • 38 • Data-Driven
Medical Rep • 32 • Growth-Focused
Mobile-first coaching platform with structured workflows and measurable outcomes
Coaches schedule sessions and select appropriate coaching templates based on rep needs and focus areas
Mobile-friendly observation capture with checklists, voice notes, and photo evidence during field sessions
Structured feedback delivery with clear action items and improvement recommendations
Progress tracking and impact measurement connecting coaching to field performance metrics
Quick checklist templates for rapid observation capture
Voice-to-text notes for hands-free documentation
Photo evidence capture for visual reference
Auto-generated action items for immediate follow-up
Coaching coverage visualization across teams and territories
Rep improvement tracking over time with trend analysis
High-impact coaching topic identification
Territory heatmaps for strategic planning
Measurable improvements in coaching adoption, engagement, and effectiveness
More coaches used the mobile app regularly due to simplified flows and onboarding
Rep engagement with coaching action items rose, leading to better product demos
Automated workflows cut time between observation and action closure by half
Structured follow-ups improved retention of coached skills
Initial rollout with 25 pilot coaches. Focus on mobile app usability and simplified observation workflows.
Scaled to 75+ coaches across multiple regions. Implemented automated workflows and feedback loops.
Connected coaching data with field performance metrics. Established ROI measurement and optimization cycles.
iCoach First saw a rapid shift in how coaching was delivered and tracked. The UX-first mobile flows and simple dashboards turned coaching from an offline chore into a repeatable, measurable capability.
The iCoach and UXGen teams collaborated closely to balance usability, data needs, and compliance in field operations. The platform has fundamentally changed how we approach coaching effectiveness and measurement.
Field coaching happens in dynamic environments where desktop access is impractical. Mobile optimization was critical for adoption.
Complex interfaces were the primary barrier to digital tool usage. Simplified workflows increased engagement by 45%.
Connecting coaching activities to business outcomes transformed coaching from a cost center to a strategic investment.
Future iterations will focus on expanding social features, integrating with more health platforms, and developing advanced AI coaching capabilities.
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