Case Study
A tale of one financial institution
A tale of one financial institution
Overview
Overview
The Client
A Fortune 100 Financial Institution sought our assistance to envision the next generation Wealth Management platform for Financial Advisors (FAs) as part of their digital transformation initiatives.
A Fortune 100 Financial Institution sought our assistance to envision the next generation Wealth Management platform for Financial Advisors (FAs) as part of their digital transformation initiatives.
A Fortune 100 Financial Institution sought our assistance to envision the next generation Wealth Management platform for Financial Advisors (FAs) as part of their digital transformation initiatives.
Goals
Creating a proof of concept to help the organization's overarching goal of driving digital transformation across all aspects of its operations.
Enhancing the way Financial Advisors (FAs) engage with clients on an ongoing basis is a key priority.
Optimizing workflows, aligning with strategic goals, providing expert advice on client strategies, and delivering value for growth are central areas of improvement for Financial Advisors (FAs).
Creating a proof of concept to help the organization's overarching goal of driving digital transformation across all aspects of its operations.
Enhancing the way Financial Advisors (FAs) engage with clients on an ongoing basis is a key priority.
Optimizing workflows, aligning with strategic goals, providing expert advice on client strategies, and delivering value for growth are central areas of improvement for Financial Advisors (FAs).
Creating a proof of concept to help the organization's overarching goal of driving digital transformation across all aspects of its operations.
Enhancing the way Financial Advisors (FAs) engage with clients on an ongoing basis is a key priority.
Optimizing workflows, aligning with strategic goals, providing expert advice on client strategies, and delivering value for growth are central areas of improvement for Financial Advisors (FAs).
My Role
Lead designer; Set design direction and UX Strategy; Lead brainstorming, ideation sessions, and design reviews; Collaborated with team to prioritize efforts; Participated in user research and discovery, stakeholder meetings and interviews.
Lead designer; Set design direction and UX Strategy; Lead brainstorming, ideation sessions, and design reviews; Collaborated with team to prioritize efforts; Participated in user research and discovery, stakeholder meetings and interviews.
Lead designer; Set design direction and UX Strategy; Lead brainstorming, ideation sessions, and design reviews; Collaborated with team to prioritize efforts; Participated in user research and discovery, stakeholder meetings and interviews.
Team
Program Manager, Product Owner, Designer, & UX Researcher
Program Manager, Product Owner, Designer, & UX Researcher
Program Manager, Product Owner, Designer, & UX Researcher
Time
6 month engagement
6 month engagement
6 month engagement
Our User Centered Design Process
Our User Centered Design Process
Our User Centered Design Process
1. Shared understanding of the current experience
1. Shared understanding of the current experience
1. Shared understanding of the current experience
Started by asking questions
What is the overarching goal?
What problems are we trying to solve?
Who are we solving the problems for?
What are the uses cases and workflows for each persona?
Who are the competitors?
What are the current processes for internal and outside offices?
What’s the current state of the UX and overall designs?
What are the requirements, priorities and timeline?
What is the overarching goal?
What problems are we trying to solve?
Who are we solving the problems for?
What are the uses cases and workflows for each persona?
Who are the competitors?
What are the current processes for internal and outside offices?
What’s the current state of the UX and overall designs?
What are the requirements, priorities and timeline?
What is the overarching goal?
What problems are we trying to solve?
Who are we solving the problems for?
What are the uses cases and workflows for each persona?
Who are the competitors?
What are the current processes for internal and outside offices?
What’s the current state of the UX and overall designs?
What are the requirements, priorities and timeline?
Conducted Discovery sessions
Initiated a series of kick-off meeting with stakeholder to understand the vision & purpose, business objectives and product goals, requirements, system workflows, and what defined success.
Initiated a series of kick-off meeting with stakeholder to understand the vision & purpose, business objectives and product goals, requirements, system workflows, and what defined success.
Initiated a series of kick-off meeting with stakeholder to understand the vision & purpose, business objectives and product goals, requirements, system workflows, and what defined success.
Primary Research
Engaged in continuous meetings and interviews with stakeholders and their clients to gain a comprehensive understanding of their processes, workflows, and utilization of current tools and systems, as well as identify pain points, challenges, and requirements.
Engaged in continuous meetings and interviews with stakeholders and their clients to gain a comprehensive understanding of their processes, workflows, and utilization of current tools and systems, as well as identify pain points, challenges, and requirements.
Engaged in continuous meetings and interviews with stakeholders and their clients to gain a comprehensive understanding of their processes, workflows, and utilization of current tools and systems, as well as identify pain points, challenges, and requirements.
Secondary Research
To gain a deeper understanding of the current UX and design landscape, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the client's documentations, short-term goals, and the implementation of the current software.
To gain a deeper understanding of the current UX and design landscape, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the client's documentations, short-term goals, and the implementation of the current software.
To gain a deeper understanding of the current UX and design landscape, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the client's documentations, short-term goals, and the implementation of the current software.
2. Defining the problem
2. Defining the problem
2. Defining the problem
Synthesizing Research
Synthesized the results of the discovery and research process to extract critical insights and develop substantiated assumptions.
Synthesized the results of the discovery and research process to extract critical insights and develop substantiated assumptions.
Synthesized the results of the discovery and research process to extract critical insights and develop substantiated assumptions.
Extracting Insights
Key insight of discovery and research phase that helped define our design decisions.
A small yet passionate group of Financial Advisors (FAs) express discontent and frustration with the existing report creation tool and the requirement to access multiple systems in order to generate a basic financial report.
In contrast, some FAs who have joined from other banks with more sophisticated processes face challenges as they highly value the current data set, resulting in the need for workarounds with the legacy system.
Lastly, the majority of FAs, who have no prior experience with other systems, tend to simply accept the current state of the workflow without questioning or seeking improvements.
Key insight of discovery and research phase that helped define our design decisions.
A small yet passionate group of Financial Advisors (FAs) express discontent and frustration with the existing report creation tool and the requirement to access multiple systems in order to generate a basic financial report.
In contrast, some FAs who have joined from other banks with more sophisticated processes face challenges as they highly value the current data set, resulting in the need for workarounds with the legacy system.
Lastly, the majority of FAs, who have no prior experience with other systems, tend to simply accept the current state of the workflow without questioning or seeking improvements.
Key insight of discovery and research phase that helped define our design decisions.
A small yet passionate group of Financial Advisors (FAs) express discontent and frustration with the existing report creation tool and the requirement to access multiple systems in order to generate a basic financial report.
In contrast, some FAs who have joined from other banks with more sophisticated processes face challenges as they highly value the current data set, resulting in the need for workarounds with the legacy system.
Lastly, the majority of FAs, who have no prior experience with other systems, tend to simply accept the current state of the workflow without questioning or seeking improvements.
Determining Needs & Pain points
Highly-engaged Financial Advisors’ current productivity and reputation is being impacted and they need a fast and easy report creation tool
Stakeholders want a consolidated system where FAs can quickly have access to all types of information and data in one place
Highly-engaged Financial Advisors’ current productivity and reputation is being impacted and they need a fast and easy report creation tool
Stakeholders want a consolidated system where FAs can quickly have access to all types of information and data in one place
Highly-engaged Financial Advisors’ current productivity and reputation is being impacted and they need a fast and easy report creation tool
Stakeholders want a consolidated system where FAs can quickly have access to all types of information and data in one place
3. Designing the solution
3. Designing the solution
3. Designing the solution
Brainstorming, iterating, and Creating Artifacts
Iterated through various user workflows, case studies, and scenarios to develop and design solutions that will streamline report-building processes, reduce friction, and enhance speed and productivity.
Designed a user interface and visual language that FAs can immediately identify without the need for extra cognitive load.
Integrated a clear and concise instructional language, prominent and well-defined labels, and succinct messaging to offer robust support at every step of the process.
Incorporated micro interactions within the interface to deliver prompt feedback at different touch points for enhanced user experience.
Developed a user-friendly onboarding workflow for novice users, facilitating swift report creation, and also incorporated various avenues for advanced users to efficiently access data and generate personalized reports.
Iterated through various user workflows, case studies, and scenarios to develop and design solutions that will streamline report-building processes, reduce friction, and enhance speed and productivity.
Designed a user interface and visual language that FAs can immediately identify without the need for extra cognitive load.
Integrated a clear and concise instructional language, prominent and well-defined labels, and succinct messaging to offer robust support at every step of the process.
Incorporated micro interactions within the interface to deliver prompt feedback at different touch points for enhanced user experience.
Developed a user-friendly onboarding workflow for novice users, facilitating swift report creation, and also incorporated various avenues for advanced users to efficiently access data and generate personalized reports.
Iterated through various user workflows, case studies, and scenarios to develop and design solutions that will streamline report-building processes, reduce friction, and enhance speed and productivity.
Designed a user interface and visual language that FAs can immediately identify without the need for extra cognitive load.
Integrated a clear and concise instructional language, prominent and well-defined labels, and succinct messaging to offer robust support at every step of the process.
Incorporated micro interactions within the interface to deliver prompt feedback at different touch points for enhanced user experience.
Developed a user-friendly onboarding workflow for novice users, facilitating swift report creation, and also incorporated various avenues for advanced users to efficiently access data and generate personalized reports.
Outcome
Outcome
The Output
Conducted weekly meetings to showcase concepts, wireframes, and high fidelity mockups.
Conducted collaborative working sessions with the client to gather feedback, iterate, and refine the design.
Conducted weekly meetings to showcase concepts, wireframes, and high fidelity mockups.
Conducted collaborative working sessions with the client to gather feedback, iterate, and refine the design.
Conducted weekly meetings to showcase concepts, wireframes, and high fidelity mockups.
Conducted collaborative working sessions with the client to gather feedback, iterate, and refine the design.
The Results
Upon the conclusion of the 6-month engagement, we provided the client with a comprehensive design thinking process, framework, and design language to guide their internal teams in their digital transformation journey.
Upon the conclusion of the 6-month engagement, we provided the client with a comprehensive design thinking process, framework, and design language to guide their internal teams in their digital transformation journey.
Upon the conclusion of the 6-month engagement, we provided the client with a comprehensive design thinking process, framework, and design language to guide their internal teams in their digital transformation journey.