Account Selection 2.0
Redesigned the account selection experience to provide clarity and intuitive interactions, reducing friction. This improved conversion rates and decreased fallout, leading to a 23% increase in account openings.
Client
Vanguard Financial
Industry
Financial
Service
UX/UI Design
UX Strategy
Duration
8 Weeks
At Vanguard Financial, the account selection process is a critical step in the onboarding journey, directly influencing conversion rates. However, data showed that many users hesitated at this stage, leading to high drop-offs and incomplete applications. Users often struggled to choose the right account type due to unclear terminology, lack of comparison tools, and decision paralysis. My goal was to create a more intuitive, guided selection experience that empowered users with diverse experience to make informed decisions with confidence.
The challenge
The initial MVP for Vanguard’s account selection flow fell short of expectations—it lacked the clarity and guidance necessary to support users with varying levels of investing knowledge. As a result, many users abandoned the onboarding process at this critical step. Data revealed a sharp decline in online account openings, with the highest drop-off rate occurring at the account selection stage.
My goal was to identify the root causes of user hesitation and redesign the experience to reduce friction, improve retention, and instill confidence in new investors.
The solution
To meet the needs of both novice and experienced investors, I designed a more intuitive and inclusive account selection experience. The solution prioritized clarity and flexibility, featuring simplified language, guided prompts, and smart defaults to help users navigate confidently.
For those who needed more information, the interface offered in-context explanations and side-by-side comparisons. At the same time, users who already knew what they wanted could bypass guidance and make quick selections. This approach reduced cognitive load, improved decision-making, and created a smoother, more personalized onboarding experience.
The design process
Using Figma, I developed an interactive prototype and tested multiple iterations with users. We also conducted A/B testing, comparing the original MVP flow to a redesigned, more guided approach.
The existing MVP featured a stepper-style journey that asked preliminary questions to guide users toward an account recommendation. While this worked reasonably well for novice investors, it created unnecessary friction for experienced users who found the process repetitive and restrictive.
To address this, I explored two design directions:
The first was a drawer-style layout aligned with the current design system, making it easy to implement. This approach emphasized a streamlined, scannable experience that supported quick decision-making and felt more like a “shopping” flow.
The second was an expandable card design that offered two levels of guidance: a brief summary with a clear call-to-action for confident investors, and an expandable section with more detailed descriptions for users who needed additional support. This flexible model successfully accommodated both novice and advanced users within a single flow.
the results
Based on the user testing results, I refined the card design, adjusting the content-to-image ratio and ensuring responsiveness for mobile and tablet devices. The final design allowed users to compare multiple accounts by expanding cards side-by-side. A filtering system provided additional support in making the right selection, and an "escape hatch" was included for users needing more guidance, redirecting them to the original stepper experience.
Current outcomes:
The team conducted a 90/10 test to measure impact, and after seeing a 3% uptick in engagement, I secured buy-in to scale the project. The page is now fully scaled with a 23% increase in new account openings since last quarter.
