Guiding users to link data

I worked closely with a cross-functional team to create a feature that led more users to link their financial data to their account on a personal finance website/app by presenting a clear, engaging, and straightforward process filled with on-brand, benefit-focused copy.

At a Glance

Problem

After creating an account on a personal finance website/app, users weren't sure what step to take next or why. This contributed to inaction when it came to linking financial data. That meant users wouldn't get the full value of the product features.

Solution

Use elements of gamification, benefit-focused copy, strong CTAs, and a clear step-by-step process to guide and motivate users through linking their financial data to their account.

Results

Across desktop and mobile experiences, more users linked their credit score and financial accounts when presented with the new experience, enabling the organization to provide them with personalized insights and features.

More About the Work

When users register for an account on this personal finance website/app, they can take advantage of personalized tools and insights that help them manage their money. But first, users need to connect some personal data, like their credit score and financial account information.

At the beginning of this project, when a user logged in to the website or app, they were presented with a list of account types they could link. We saw an opportunity to improve the design and content of the existing UI element to guide users through the process in a way that was more clear and engaging.

Process & Tools

I worked closely with a UX researcher and product designer throughout this project. Steps included:

Research on gamification
UX and content audit of onboarding experience and flows
Competitive analysis
Ideation and alignment on direction
Wireframing, copy development, and iteration in Figma
User testing
Finalizing a copy doc

During design, we modified our approach a couple of times in response to learnings from user testing and feedback from engineering. We solved for problems like user expectations of what would happen at the end of the flow and our team's engineering capacity for an MVP product.

User-Focused Content Design

To improve clarity and trust, I developed content that:

Tied into messaging users encountered earlier in the registration process
Presented a clear step-by-step process — showing only a single, strong, primary call-to-action on each screen
Concisely explained how the user would benefit from linking each financial account type
Explained how users could link accounts later if they chose to not link data during this flow
Reflected their recent actions
Clearly explained what happens next when users elect to skip or dismiss
Addressed edge cases and error states

A/B Test Results

In A/B testing, our new experience came out on top, and even exceeded goal metrics. Results include:

Users linking their credit score: Increased 6.3% on desktop, and 8.9% on mobile
Users linking a financial account: Increased 7.6% on desktop and 11.4% on mobile