OVERVIEW
Two major redesigns of FinPath's financial wellness platform. The first brought clarity. The second introduced AI without breaking the trust we had just built.
CLIENT/COMPANY
TCG, a HUB International company
ROLE
Lead Product Designer
TIMELINE
Jun 2024 - Mar 2025
TOOLS
Figma, Framer, WordPress
PROBLEM
The Dashboard Had Every Feature. Nobody Knew Where to Start.
FinPath is a financial wellness platform used by public sector employees across the U.S., mostly K-12 teachers, administrators, and support staff. When I started working on it, the platform had a lot going for it: coaching, courses, savings calculators, investment trackers. Genuinely useful tools. The problem was that it had all of these tools on one screen with no clear story connecting them. Users would log in and see everything at once, with no sense of what mattered to them specifically or where to begin.
Problems
UX Insights
Coaching was underbooked
No clear CTA or path to book support
Users dropped off early in onboarding
The quiz felt like a barrier, not a help
Most tools were ignored
No mental model or progress logic
Dashboard lacked narrative
No sense of stages or journey
Design Goal: Bring order to the chaos with personalization, structure, and simplicity.
current dashboard
Then, halfway through the project, everything changed. The company adopted an AI tool called TIFIN @Work that could deliver personalized financial guidance in real time. Suddenly, the dashboard we had just redesigned needed to change again, and this time, the challenge was not just information architecture. It was trust.
New Problems
Trust-Centered Design
AI felt unfamiliar or intimidating
Introduce softly, with benefit-first copy
Users wanted to keep human options
Keep coaching highly visible and accessible
STEPScore quiz became redundant
Shift quiz logic into AI onboarding flow
Coaching & courses needed recontextualizing
Align tools under 3 clear paths of help
the idea
Our mission was to transform FinPath from a screen full of tools into a focused platform that actually guided people. We defined five objectives: Clarify the experience so it is obvious what steps users should take and why those steps matter. Drive engagement with coaching so users actually book sessions. Use data to suggest relevant tools without overwhelming people. Give users a reason to come back and track their progress. Future-proof the design for emerging features, including AI.
AUDIENCE
These Are Not Power Users. They Are Teachers Who Just Want to Feel Less Stressed About Money.
WHO THEY ARE
FinPath serves public sector workers, primarily K-12 school district employees, including teachers, administrators, and support staff. These users often juggle multiple responsibilities and face complex financial realities. They are not tech-first users. They are practical, cautious with personal information, and often unfamiliar with or hesitant toward AI. They are not trying to become financial experts. They just want clear, trustworthy guidance that respects their time and helps them feel a little more in control.
Personas
JANELLE, 34, TEACHER
Pain Points:
Doesn’t know which tools apply to her situation
Feels overwhelmed by financial terms and jargon
Hesitant to talk to a coach out of fear of judgment
Goals with FinPath:
Get quick, relevant help based on her financial stage
Learn how to pay off loans and save for retirement
Use tools that feel supportive, not intimidating
RON, 45, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR
Pain Points:
Rarely has time to explore the platform during work
Finds the dashboard cluttered and hard to navigate
Doesn’t trust AI to give him the same depth as a coach
Goals with FinPath:
Quickly find what’s relevant to him and his goals
Get answers fast, ideally without booking a call
Recommend tools to staff with confidence
TIFFANY, 29, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Pain Points:
Doesn’t feel “financially literate” enough to use the platform
Has bounced between part-time jobs with little stability
Sees FinPath but doesn’t know what to click or why
Goals with FinPath:
Understand her financial baseline
Get small, personalized recommendations
Avoid feeling judged or overwhelmed
WHO THEY ARE
Across all three, the same needs kept coming up: clarity on what the tool is and why it is helpful, control over how they engage with it, and confidence that the guidance is safe and designed for people like them.
RESEARCH
We Needed to Understand Why People Were Not Engaging, Not Just What They Were Clicking
APPROACH
Surface-level fixes were not going to cut it. We needed to understand the gap between what FinPath offered and what users actually experienced when they logged in. We combined platform analytics with user sentiment to uncover where the experience broke down. Two questions guided everything: what stops a user from taking confident action when they land in FinPath? And later, when AI entered the picture: how would they respond to a new AI-driven experience they did not ask for?
METHODS
We ran five research streams: Platform analytics to map where users dropped off and which tools were being ignored. User surveys to gather direct feedback on friction points and trust gaps. Stakeholder interviews to capture business goals from product, marketing, and coaching leads. Competitive analysis benchmarking against SoFi and similar fintech platforms. Design audits evaluating the old dashboard's visual hierarchy, flow, and affordances. Due to privacy constraints, all research data was anonymized and kept internal.
key insights
Insights
Design Decision
“I don’t know what these tools are or how they help me.”
Introduced 3-card navigation with descriptions and icons for each financial path
"I have to take a long quiz to access the dashboard."
Deferred the STEPScore quiz to the AI tool’s onboarding and reduced question load
“I don’t trust new tech right away.”
Introduced the AI tool through soft language and optional entry, with human help nearby
“I don’t know what’s changed since I last visited.”
Added a persistent STEPScore banner and logic for returning users vs. new users
reframing the problem
Early on, we realized this was not just a navigation issue. It was a mental model issue. Users were not failing to complete tasks because the UI was broken. They were failing because the experience did not align with how they think about financial help. We were not just redesigning a dashboard. We were helping people choose their financial path with confidence. That meant shifting from tool delivery to decision empowerment and from technology-first messaging to trust-centered storytelling. For AI to work, users had to feel like they were choosing help, not being handed a black box.
IDEATION
From a Tool Buffet to a Financial Guide
In the early phase of the project, our goal was to bring order to the chaos. We needed to introduce hierarchy, help users understand their financial stage, and personalize the experience.
We anchored our strategy around the STEPScore quiz, a guided assessment that would evaluate a user’s financial well-being and surface tailored tools and courses. To support this, we:
Redesigned the dashboard UI with improved spacing, visual hierarchy, and modern components
Mapped user flows for first-time vs. returning users
Introduced micro-moments during onboarding to educate without overwhelming
Built a coaching logic model that matched users with dedicated coaches based on quiz results
turning point
Midway through the project, FinPath adopted TIFIN @Work, an AI tool that could deliver personalized financial advice in real time. This changed the entire product strategy. The platform no longer needed to guess what tools a user might want. The AI could suggest them with context. That meant we could remove entire layers of complexity. But we quickly realized the AI could not be introduced like a feature drop. For this audience, teachers and public sector workers who are already cautious about sharing financial information, it had to feel gentle, optional, and supportive. Not like a system taking over. So we made deliberate choices: avoided the word AI in initial microcopy, used warm outcome-driven language like "get personalized help," kept coaching visible as an equal alternative, and embedded personalization gradually without forcing it upfront.
We took a step back and reframed the dashboard’s job:
Instead of surfacing tools, it needed to help users choose how they wanted to receive guidance.
We redesigned the homepage into a 3-card layout, with each card representing a distinct, trust-calibrated path:
AI Guidance – for fast, intelligent suggestions
Coaching – for human support
Courses – for self-paced financial learning
Each path was:
Clearly described in plain language
Framed around outcomes, not technology
Tied to different comfort levels, from automated to human
We also replaced mandatory onboarding steps with optional, embedded entry points like a shortened quiz inside the AI assistant, and clear live coaching CTAs.
IDEAS EXPLORED
Idea
Notes
Status
STEPScore Quiz-First Onboarding
Required up front to personalize tools
Kept initially, later deferred to AI onboarding
3-Card Dashboard Layout
AI, Coaching, Courses as distinct paths
Kept — became core structure
Live Coaching Access Point
Added a real-time option alongside scheduling
Kept — improved engagement
Personalized Banner for Financial Stage
Displayed user’s current quiz results
Cut — became unimportant the AI tool's memory
Financial Tool Platform
Broad label for calculators, resources, etc.
Cut — too vague, unclear purpose
ideation outcome
The redesign evolved from "make it modern and personalized" to "make it feel safe, supportive, and effortless." Phase 1 laid the groundwork: onboarding, quiz logic, coaching flows. Phase 2 reframed the experience: clear paths, contextual guidance, and emotional trust.
TESTING
Validating Two Redesigns in Two Very Different Worlds
During the first redesign, our focus was on improving engagement through personalization, better onboarding, and clearer access to coaching.
We ran a series of internal usability tests and stakeholder walkthroughs to validate the effectiveness of our early ideas.
Focus Area
What We Looked For
STEPScore Onboarding
Could users complete the quiz without drop-off or fatigue?
Coaching Assignment Flow
Did users understand how they were matched with a coach?
Dashboard Hierarchy
Could users distinguish between tools, courses, and coaching?
Returning User Logic
Did users know what to do when they came back?
Banner System
Did the STEPScore banner feel helpful or ignorable?
Feedback
Iteration
Users liked the concept of a financial “score,” but felt the quiz was too long
Reduced quiz length
Coaching flow worked well, especially for first-time users
Streamlined coaching logic to better handle rebookings
Tools and courses were hard to differentiate; many skipped over them entirely
Flagged tool sprawl as a deeper design issue
The persistent banner helped returning users re-engage, but became repetitive for power users
Set the stage for a future shift toward clearer pathways
With the integration of TIFIN @Work, we had to test not just interactions, but emotions. Would users trust this new way of receiving guidance?
We ran moderated tests using prototypes of the 3-path layout and AI entry flow, focusing on tone, clarity, and confidence.
Focus Area
What We Looked For
3-Card Navigation
Could users understand the differences between AI, Coaching, and Courses?
Microcopy & Labels
Did users understand what they were clicking into and why?
AI Entry Flow
Did users feel in control, not forced into automation?
Quiz Timing
Was the lighter, embedded quiz experience easier to complete?
Live Coaching Access
Did users notice and prefer “Join Now” over “Schedule Later”?
Feedback
Iteration
“I’m not sure which card to start with.”
Added microcopy under each card to describe the experience (e.g., “Smart financial help from AI”)
“This assistant feels cold, is it secure?”
Reframed AI with warm, non-technical language
“Do I have to talk to a bot?”
Emphasized choice: human coaching always visible
“Quiz still feels like a lot.”
Deferred quiz deeper into AI flow, made it skippable
testing takeaways
Hierarchy wins over novelty.
Users defaulted to the clearest option. The 3-card layout helped them orient quickly.
Live coaching needs to feel immediate.
“Join Now” had a stronger conversion than “Schedule Later”, so we gave it visual priority.
AI needed a soft entry.
Framing, not features, was the unlock. By shifting focus to outcomes and using less technical language, trust improved.
Onboarding still had to earn attention.
Whether via quiz or assistant, users appreciated frictionless entry, so we made everything feel lightweight and optional.,
SOLUTION
Two Redesigns. One Goal. Give Users a Guide, Not a Menu.
The first redesign was not about AI. It was about clarity. We took a dashboard overflowing with tools and restructured it into a clear, guided experience centered around the user's financial readiness. At the heart of this version was the STEPScore, a quiz designed to assess a user's current financial health and recommend the right next steps.
STEPScore Quiz Integration
Users began their journey by taking a financial readiness quiz. Their score informed what tools, courses, and coaching pathways we suggested.
Coaching Flow Logic
First-time users were auto-matched with a coach; returning users saw rebooking prompts.
Persistent Guidance Banner
The user’s score and recommended actions were visible across the dashboard to create a sense of continuity and momentum.
Tool Reorganization
Calculators, articles, and courses were grouped by goal, retirement, debt, and budgeting, to reduce decision paralysis.
Halfway through the project, we adopted TIFIN @Work, a white-labeled AI tool capable of delivering real-time, personalized financial advice. This marked a major shift not just in functionality, but in how we framed the platform's purpose. The scope of the second redesign was intentionally focused. Only the homepage was redesigned to accommodate the new 3-path layout. The Coaching and FinPath University pages remained structurally the same. The new AI assistant opened in a separate browser tab, preserving the FinPath brand experience while leveraging the third-party tool. Our goal was not to rebuild the entire product. It was to reframe the entry point so users understood their choices and felt confident engaging, whether through AI, coaching, or courses.
the new experience
To keep the experience approachable, we replaced the dense homepage with three simple, outcome-driven paths:
Path
Description
AI Financial Guidance
Real-time, smart help via conversational assistant, positioned as quick, private, and adaptive
Coaching (Live or Scheduled)
For those who wanted human support, now easier to access and differentiated by user type
FinPath University
Self-paced learning modules, anchored by quiz or AI data to guide discover
This separate tab offers personalized support based on user data while preserving the FinPath brand and giving users clear control over how they engage.
why the changes worked
Feature
Redesigned Version
Quiz Onboarding
Folded into AI onboarding with fewer, easier questions
Tool Discovery
No longer needed, AI handled recommendation logic
Microcopy & Labels
Shifted to soft, benefit-driven language (“Smart help made for you”)
Coaching Entry
Added “Join Live” button with urgency cues
Navigation Hierarchy
Users landed directly on the 3-card layout, no menu required
what made it work
What made the final version successful was not complexity. It was simplicity with intention. Clarity replaced confusion. Choice replaced assumption. Momentum replaced fragmentation. And by presenting AI as one of many equally valid paths rather than a forced new default, we honored the real emotional and cognitive needs of our users.
RESULTS
The Second Redesign Proved What Happens When You Remove Friction and Give People Agency
big picture
This was not a UI polish. It was a full transformation of how users interacted with FinPath, across two major redesigns that each responded to different realities. Both redesigns delivered meaningful improvements, but the second one validated the core hypothesis: users engage more when they feel in control of how they interact with a platform.
Significant increase in coaching sessions scheduled
More users completed financial tasks after onboarding
Higher completion of the STEPScore quiz when presented upfront
Noticeable uptick in usage of self-guided tools and calculators
“I finally understood what I was supposed to do next. The quiz made it feel like someone was paying attention.”
— User feedback, early 2025
High engagement with the new AI guidance feature within weeks of launch
Sharp decrease in quiz drop-off after moving it into AI onboarding
Strong interest in live coaching surfaced directly on the dashboard
Higher retention among returning users due to simplified layout and contextual prompts
Reduced bounce rate from homepage and improved time-to-action for core tasks
“I didn’t even realize it was AI at first, it just felt like someone was helping me.”
— User feedback, post-AI launch
what it validated
Simplicity drives trust, especially with unfamiliar tech
Personalization feels more powerful when it’s invisible
The right entry point changes everything — from AI to coaching
Clear design turns passive users into confident participants
REFLECTION
This Project Taught Me That Good Design Sometimes Means Starting Over
big picture
Working on FinPath across two redesigns taught me more about adaptability than any other project I have been part of.
what i learned
1. Design is a conversation, not a deliverable.
The first redesign gave us structure. It worked. Then the product pivoted to AI, and I had to let go of decisions I had already validated and start listening again to the users, the technology, and the business. That was hard, but it was the right call.
2. AI is not a feature. It is a relationship.
Introducing AI to this audience was not a UI problem. It was a trust problem. I learned that you cannot just add an AI tool to a dashboard and expect people to use it. You have to think about how it makes them feel. The language, the positioning, the option to say no, all of that matters more than the technology itself.
3. The best work is often subtractive.
After months of building, testing, and refining, the thing I am most proud of is the three-card layout. That simplification turned the dashboard from a confusing menu of options into something that actually guides people.
what i'd do differently
Push for lighter, faster testing earlier in the second redesign. We moved fast because of partner timelines, but more lightweight validation upfront could have dialed in the copy tone and AI positioning sooner.
Introduce the new experience with a stronger emotional hook, a story-driven walkthrough instead of just updated UI. Trust grows through tone as much as through structure.
closing thought
This project reminded me that product design is never just about the interface. It is about understanding what makes people feel in control, supported, and confident in their choices. In an industry that often races to implement the newest tool, we slowed down long enough to ask "how does this actually feel?" And that made all the difference.
