Here’s a **fully rewritten, senior-level UX/UI case study** for **First Command Financial Services**, tailored for your portfolio to highlight strategic thinking, research, and measurable outcomes.
—
# **First Command Financial Services — UX Redesign**
### *Simplifying financial planning and investment management for clients and advisors.*
—
# **Overview**
First Command Financial Services provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning for individuals and families. Their digital experience, including client portals and advisor tools, was functional but **outdated, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate**, making it harder for clients to engage with their financial data and advisors.
I was tasked with **redesigning the client portal and key touchpoints** to improve usability, increase trust, and streamline financial planning workflows.
**My Role**
Lead UX/UI Designer
UX Research · Interaction Design · Responsive Web · Dashboard Design · Visual Design
**Team**
Product Manager · Financial Advisors · Engineers · Compliance Lead
**Timeline**
10 weeks
—
# **The Challenge**
Key challenges identified:
### **1. Complex workflows**
Clients and advisors faced multi-step processes for investment tracking, goal planning, and account management, causing confusion and errors.
### **2. Outdated visual design**
The portal lacked hierarchy, modern visuals, and clear indicators for key actions, leading to a perception of a “clunky” digital experience.
### **3. Trust and compliance concerns**
Financial services require clarity in messaging, secure navigation, and visible compliance cues to maintain user trust.
—
# **Goals**
### **Business Goals**
* Increase client engagement with digital tools
* Streamline advisor-client workflows
* Reduce support inquiries through better guidance
* Modernize the brand perception digitally
### **User Goals**
* Quickly view account balances and performance
* Track financial goals and projections
* Understand investment options clearly
* Safely communicate with advisors
—
# **Research & Insights**
I conducted:
* Stakeholder interviews with advisors and client support teams
* Competitive benchmarking against Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard
* Usability testing with current clients
* Workflow mapping for goal planning and account management
### **Key Insights**
* Clients often abandoned tasks due to multi-step navigation
* Advisors needed faster access to client insights
* Dashboard information was dense and overwhelming, reducing trust and usability
—
# **Design Approach**
### **1. Streamlined Information Architecture**
* Consolidated account and goal information into clear dashboards
* Simplified navigation into three main areas: Accounts, Goals, Advisor Communications
### **2. Visual Hierarchy & UI**
* Introduced clean, modular dashboard cards
* Enhanced typography and color system for clarity
* Added progress indicators, charts, and callouts for key metrics
### **3. Advisor-Client Collaboration Tools**
* Simplified messaging interface
* Real-time notifications for updates
* Clear action prompts for advisors and clients
### **4. Mobile-First Design**
* Responsive dashboard layouts
* Touch-friendly cards and charts
* Quick access to key financial summaries
### **5. Accessibility & Trust**
* WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
* Semantic HTML, screen-reader-friendly labels
* Security and compliance cues integrated subtly but clearly
—
# **Before & After Highlights**
### **Before**
* Dense dashboards with unclear hierarchy
* Multi-step workflows for common tasks
* Outdated typography, colors, and icons
* Inconsistent mobile experience
### **After**
* Modular dashboards with actionable insights
* Streamlined workflows for account management and goal tracking
* Clean, modern visual design reflecting trust and professionalism
* Fully responsive and accessible across devices
—
# **Outcome & Impact**
### **Qualitative Results**
* Clients reported easier navigation and clearer insights into their investments
* Advisors noted faster access to client data and smoother workflow
* Marketing and product teams praised the improved brand alignment
### **Early Metrics**
* Reduced task abandonment in goal tracking flows
* Increased dashboard engagement
* Lower support inquiries related to navigation
—
# **Reflection**
This project reinforced the importance of **clarity, trust, and actionable insights** in financial services UX. Key takeaways:
* Users need dashboards that communicate **complex information simply**
* Mobile-first thinking is essential for busy clients
* Subtle design can communicate credibility and reliability without overwhelming
Next phases could include:
* Personalized investment recommendations in-dashboard
* Interactive goal simulations
* Integration with financial planning tools for advisors
—
If you want, I can now rewrite **Fossil** in the same **senior-level portfolio-ready format** to complete your financial/retail design case studies.
Do you want me to do that next?