QuestMobile Account Balances
I redesigned the account balances table to make financial information clear and intuitive for novice investors, launching it as part of the QuestMobile app.
33%
Fewer order rejections
32%
25%
Boost in NPS
Company
Role
Principal Content Designer
Team
UX Designer
UX Researcher
Product Manager
Platform
iOS and Android
Timeline
3 months
Challenge
As part of Questrade's growth strategy to make investing easier for novice investors, we planned to launch a new mobile app tailored to their needs.
One of the biggest challenges was the account balances table. Novice investors often struggled to understand how much money they had, which led to confusion, rejected orders, and more support calls.
Discovery
We worked with Customer Experience (CX), Customer Support (CS), and User Research to uncover several key obstacles that novice investors faced with the account balances table:
Not understanding available funds: Initial research showed that only 15% of users could accurately identify their available funds (Buying Power). Many misinterpreted key terms, which led to hesitation and incorrect actions.
Confusing language and layout: Working with CX and CS teams, we confirmed that many novice investors were confused and overwhelmed by the account balances table.
Emotional impact: Many felt anxious about taking wrong actions or investment decisions, and others felt confident, but then frustration and anger when their misunderstandings resulted in failed or consequential results.
These customers frequently reached out to support teams, expressing frustration and uncertainty about completing transactions.
Guiding Principles
From our findings, we established these guiding principles:
Reduce cognitive load: Simplify the presentation of information to make it easier for users to process and understand.
Improve clarity: Use clear, industry-standard language to ensure novice investors can confidently understand their account balances.
User-centred design: Continuously validate our design decisions through user testing, ensuring every iteration addresses user pain points effectively.
My Approach
Investigation
Content audit & Comp analysis
I audited the account balances table to map out all labels and balances for a complete understanding of the structure, balances logic, and labels. I worked with an SME to compile a comparative analysis of investing terminology within the Canadian banking industry.
User journey mapping
Partnering with UX, engineering, and product teams, I led workshops to map key user journeys. This helped identify areas of friction in the account balances flow, directly informing our design choices and ensuring alignment across teams.
Low-fi design & Testing
Referencing industry standards and our research insights, I restructured the table into logical groupings to help users better understand their balances. I then replaced confusing and non-industry terms with clear, industry-standard language.
Iterative design & Testing
We then built a high-fidelity prototype of the account balances table for mobile and ran three rounds of usability testing.
We set success criteria to measure the prototype's effectiveness:
Comprehension: Identify key values and terms with an 85% success rate.
Task completion: Complete tasks with an 85% success rate
Satisfaction: Rate usability and clarity at least 4 out of 5.
We met our success criteria by the third round:
88% of participants understood key values and terms
87% of tasks were completed successfully
4.3 out of 5 average rating for usability and clarity
Outcome
We launched the redesigned account balances with the new QuestMobile app, simplifying the account balances display for over 200,000 users and resulting in significant improvements in user satisfaction and product KPIs:
33% fewer order rejections
32% fewer customer support inquiries
25% boost in NPS
Reflections & Learnings
This project highlighted how critical clarity is when dealing with financial information for novice investors.
Establishing a strong content hierarchy and working closely with users throughout the process ensured we met their needs.
I learned that prioritising user testing early and often is essential for identifying friction points and iterating effectively.
I apply these practices to all my projects to ensure that user needs are always at the centre of my design work.
Rachel
Sr UX Researcher | Questrade