Executive Case Study · UX Research

FINRA eFOCUS
Personas &
Journey Map

Understanding how regulatory reporting professionals interact with the eFOCUS filing platform — from data preparation to final submission.

Research Method
User Interviews + Use Case Analysis
Organization
CIT Capital Securities LLC
Focus Area
FOCUS Report & SIPC Filing Workflow
02 — User Personas

Who Files FOCUS Reports

Research surfaced three distinct roles engaged in the eFOCUS workflow, each with different responsibilities, pain points, and expectations of the platform.

A
Adam
Associate, Regulatory Reporting
CIT CAPITAL SECURITIES LLC
About

A front-line associate who handles the hands-on data entry and validation work for FOCUS and SIPC filings. Consults with teammates who hold institutional knowledge when questions arise.

Core Responsibilities
Data entry into eFOCUS Validate regulatory data Prepare FOCUS + SIPC filings Support automation testing
Workflow with FINRA

Enters all data directly into eFOCUS. Relies on numbers provided by accounting and finance departments.

Priority Driver

Driven by organizational process schedules and manager direction.

Wants from eFOCUS
  • Due date reminders & opt-out notifications
  • Annotations to leave notes for his manager
  • Import functionality (Excel / XML)
S
Samantha
CFO · Series 27 FinOp Principal
CIT CAPITAL SECURITIES LLC
About

The senior financial officer and registered FinOp Principal who carries final accountability for all regulatory filings and supervises the associates who enter data.

Core Responsibilities
Supervise associates Review all FOCUS filings Final submission authority Accuracy validation
Workflow with FINRA

Reviews and submits all FOCUS filings. Uses trending data within FOCUS to determine accuracy before approving submission.

Priority Driver

Driven by organizational compliance processes and regulatory deadlines.

Wants from eFOCUS
  • Due date reminders & opt-out notifications
  • Annotations to send feedback to associates (AJ)
  • Import functionality (Excel / XML)
R
Richard
FinOp Principal
INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL CONSULTANT
About

An experienced FinOp who may operate as an in-house expert or as an external consultant. Provides oversight and expertise across the full breadth of the filing workflow.

Core Responsibilities
Compliance oversight Filing review & approval Request extensions File amendments
Workflow with FINRA

Engages across the full lifecycle — from filing preparation through transmission, analysis, review, and final approval. Handles exception scenarios like extensions and amendments.

Priority Driver

Regulatory compliance obligations and firm risk management requirements.

Key Capabilities Used
  • Itemization & line-item detail views
  • Memo and annotation tools
  • Extension requests & amendments
03 — Journey Map

The FOCUS Filing Lifecycle

Six stages from data gathering through confirmed submission, mapped across all three personas with their key actions, touchpoints, and emotional state at each step.

1 · Prepare
2 · Enter
3 · Validate
4 · Review
5 · Transmit
6 · Post-File
Actions
Gather source data Pull numbers from accounting & finance departments. Track scheduled filing dates.
Adam
Enter data into eFOCUS Manually key data via Form or Questionnaire views, or import via Excel / XML.
Adam
Validate line items Cross-check itemization details; attach supporting documentation; add annotations for manager.
Adam  Richard
CFO / FinOp review Samantha reviews trending data for accuracy. Richard examines itemization & memos. Feedback sent via annotations.
Samantha  Richard
Approve & transmit Samantha gives final approval. Filing is transmitted to FINRA through eFOCUS.
Samantha
Analyze & archive Analyze submitted filings, export records, file amendments if needed, request extensions for future periods.
Samantha  Richard
Touchpoints
Scheduled filing calendar · Email reminders · Internal team communication
eFOCUS Form / Questionnaire · Import (Excel, XML) · Help by Line Item
Itemization detail pane · Document attachment · Annotation tool · Memo tool
Trending data in FOCUS · Annotation feedback · Internal review workflow
Approve filing UI · Transmit to FINRA button · Confirmation receipt
Export filings · Analysis views · Amendment filing · Extension request
Pain Points
No proactive due date alerts. Must track deadlines manually.
Manual data entry is time-consuming. No import tool forces re-keying from source systems.
No structured annotation channel to communicate issues to manager within platform.
Samantha can't send inline feedback to Adam through the filing. Review is done out-of-band.
Tight deadline pressure. Any last-minute data errors require rework before approval window closes.
Limited export flexibility. Amendment and extension processes are not streamlined.
Emotional State
Neutral, routine
Focused but frustrated by manual effort
Anxious — accuracy is critical
Cautious, detail-oriented pressure
Tense until confirmed
Relieved once filed; analytical
04 — Design Opportunities

Where eFOCUS Can Improve

Six prioritized opportunity areas surfaced directly from user interview findings and the use case diagram — each mapped to the personas that would benefit most.

01
Smart Deadline Notifications
Proactive due date reminders with opt-out controls. Push notifications before filing windows close, reducing reliance on manual calendar tracking.
Adam Samantha Richard
02
In-Platform Annotation System
Contextual annotation tools that allow associates to flag line items for manager review, and CFOs to send feedback directly within the filing — eliminating out-of-band communication.
Adam Samantha Richard
03
Data Import (Excel / XML)
Allow direct import of financial data from source accounting systems, reducing manual re-entry errors and dramatically reducing preparation time for all users.
Adam Samantha
04
Trending & Accuracy Analytics
Expand FOCUS trending data views to make anomaly detection faster for CFOs. Surface historical comparisons at the line-item level to support Samantha's review workflow.
Samantha Richard
05
Contextual Help by Line Item
Inline regulatory guidance at the point of data entry, helping associates like Adam resolve questions without needing to consult a colleague for institutional knowledge.
Adam
06
Streamlined Extensions & Amendments
Simplified workflows for requesting filing extensions and submitting amendments — reducing friction for FinOps in exception scenarios and improving audit trails.
Samantha Richard
FINRA eFOCUS USER RESEARCH
Personas & Journey Map
SOURCE MATERIAL
User interviews · CIT Capital Securities LLC
Firm Use Cases diagram · August 2018