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Optimizing RESP Onboarding Experience
Group 1000005375
Yandy Hung
Problem Statement A major friction point was the Social Insurance Number (SIN) input, which caused hesitation and abandonment. Additionally, users lacked clarity on the process timeline and plan options.
OVERVIEW
Background Role: Solo UX/UI Designer
Timeline: 2 months
Platform: Mobile & Web
Team: Product Owner, Developers, QA, UX Researcher
Project goal I was responsible for user research analysis, wireframing, prototyping, and designing an improved onboarding flow. The previous flow created uncertainty around time commitment, information security, and plan selection, leading to user frustration and high abandonment rates.
CHALLENGES
The onboarding process had significant user drop-offs at key stages: Primary Caregiver Selection:  40% users misunderstood primary caregiver eligibility.
SIN Input Step:  Users hesitated due to security concerns and missing information, 35% abandoned at SIN input step.
Perceived Length: No clear progress indicator, leading to frustration.
Lack of Flexibility: 50% of users did not return after they drop-off.
Research & Insights
To address these issues, I conducted
User Interviews Understanding pain points and expectations
Usability Testing Observing real-time interactions
Analytics Review Identifying drop-off points and user behaviours
My Key Findings:
  • Users needed clearer information upfront.
  • Security concerns discouraged users from entering their SIN.
  • Lack of a progress indicator created uncertainty.
  • A “save and return” option would improve completion rates.
Design solution
1. Value Proposition Screens We introduced three onboarding screens highlighting the benefits of RESP, including government grants, tax-free growth, and long-term savings advantages. This helped build trust and motivation for users to complete the process.
Adobe Express - valuepop 1
2. Clearer Primary Caregiver Selection In the previous RESP onboarding flow, many users were confused about whether they qualified as the primary caregiver, leading to errors and increased drop-off rates. Some users assumed they were the primary caregiver when, according to government definitions, they were not. This confusion often resulted in delays, requiring additional support from customer service.
Frame 1000006705 2
3. Secure & Simplified SIN Input During the original RESP onboarding flow, we noticed a significant drop-off when users were required to enter their Social Insurance Number (SIN). Some users felt hesitant about providing their SIN due to security concerns, while others simply didn’t have it on hand, preventing them from completing the application.
After the redesign:
  • Enhanced security messaging: We added clear, reassuring messaging to explain why the SIN is required and how it is securely handled, reducing user hesitation.
  • Inline validation & autofill support: To minimize entry errors, we added real-time validation and support for secure autofill on mobile and desktop devices.

These changes improved completion rates, reduced frustration, and made the onboarding process more seamless while maintaining security and compliance.
Frame 1000006706 1
4. Progress Bar with Estimated Time
  • Step-by-step progress indicator with estimated completion times.
  • Impact: Increased user commitment and reduced perceived effort.
5. Stop & Resume Feature Users could now save progress at any step and return later, preventing frustration for those who needed more time to gather documents or consider their options. This flexibility helped reduce abandonment rates, particularly for users hesitant to input their SIN immediately.
[Mockup] iPhone 19 1
Intercept - need more info 1
6. Chatbot Assistance A chatbot was added to provide real-time support for complex questions, clarify government requirements, and reassure users about security concerns. This addition led to a reduction in customer support inquiries and improved user confidence.
Frame 1000006709 1
7. Enhanced plan selection The previous plan selection page overwhelmed users with complex financial details. We redesigned it with a clearer layout, breaking down key benefits, monthly contributions, and comparisons in a simplified, user-friendly format. This reduced confusion and increased plan selection confidence.
Frame 1000006711 1
8. Skip beneficiary info for prenatal applicants To accommodate expecting parents, we allowed users to skip beneficiary information if the child had not yet been born. This removed a key blocker, making it easier for parents to set up an RESP in advance without unnecessary delays.
Frame 1000006712 1
9. Beneficiary SIN page improvements Many users dropped off at the Beneficiary SIN entry step because they didn’t have their child’s SIN readily available. To address this, we introduced:
  • A “Set a Reminder” function so users could receive a notification to return and complete this step later.
  • A “Skip for Now” option allowing users to proceed with onboarding without entering the child’s SIN immediately. This ensured they could continue setting up the RESP and finalize it once they obtained the required information.
[Mockup] iPhone 19 1
User flow and prototype
  • User flow to show the clean updated flow for every stakeholders.
  • Low-Fidelity Wireframes: Iterated based on user feedback.
  • High-Fidelity Prototypes in Figma: Showcased new flows and UI enhancements.
Flow chart 1
Frame 1000006710 1
Key Learnings and Thoughts This case study highlights my ability to identify pain points, leverage research insights, design user-centric solutions, and measure impact. Through strategic UX improvements, we enhanced trust, reduced drop-offs, and increased RESP registrations.
Back
Optimizing RESP Onboarding
Experience
Yandy Hung
Problem Statement A major friction point was the Social Insurance Number (SIN) input, which caused hesitation and abandonment. Additionally, users lacked clarity on the caregiver eligibility, process length, and plan selection.
OVERVIEW
Background Role: Solo UX/UI Designer
Timeline: 2 months
Platform: Mobile & Web
Team: Product Owner, Developers, QA, UX Researcher
Project goal I was responsible for user research analysis, wireframing, prototyping, and designing an improved onboarding flow. The previous flow created uncertainty around time commitment, information security, and plan selection, leading to user frustration and high abandonment rates.
CHALLENGES
The onboarding process had significant user drop-offs at key stages Primary Caregiver Selection:  40% users misunderstood primary caregiver eligibility.
SIN Input Step:  Users hesitated due to security concerns and missing information, 35% abandoned at SIN input step.
Perceived Length: No clear progress indicator, leading to frustration.
Lack of Flexibility: 50% of users did not return after they drop-off.
Research & Insights
To address these issues, I conducted
User Interviews Understanding pain points and expectations
Usability Testing Observing real-time interactions
Analytics Review Identifying drop-off points and user behaviours
My Key Findings:
  • Users needed clearer information upfront.
  • Security concerns discouraged users from entering their SIN.
  • Lack of a progress indicator created uncertainty.
  • A “save and return” option would improve completion rates.
Design solution
1. Value Proposition Screens We introduced three onboarding screens highlighting the benefits of RESP, including government grants, tax-free growth, and long-term savings advantages. This helped build trust and motivation for users to complete the process.
Adobe Express - valuepop 1
2. Clearer Primary Caregiver Selection In the previous RESP onboarding flow, many users were confused about whether they qualified as the primary caregiver, leading to errors and increased drop-off rates. Some users assumed they were the primary caregiver when, according to government definitions, they were not. This confusion often resulted in delays, requiring additional support from customer service.
Frame 1000006705 2
After the redesign Simplified selection options: Instead of vague radio buttons, we redesigned the selection process with plain language labels and supporting tooltips to help users choose the correct role.
Inline validation and real-time feedback: If a user selected “Yes” for primary caregiver but didn’t meet eligibility criteria, an alert message appeared explaining next steps, preventing errors later in the process.
These improvements reduced misclassification errors, decreased support inquiries, and ensured a smoother onboarding experience for RESP applicants.
3. Secure & Simplified SIN Input During the original RESP onboarding flow, we noticed a significant drop-off when users were required to enter their Social Insurance Number (SIN). Some users felt hesitant about providing their SIN due to security concerns, while others simply didn’t have it on hand, preventing them from completing the application.
After the redesign:
  • Enhanced security messaging: We added clear, reassuring messaging to explain why the SIN is required and how it is securely handled, reducing user hesitation.
  • Inline validation & autofill support: To minimize entry errors, we added real-time validation and support for secure autofill on mobile and desktop devices.

These changes improved completion rates, reduced frustration, and made the onboarding process more seamless while maintaining security and compliance.
Frame 1000006706 1
[Mockup] iPhone 19 1
Intercept - need more info 1
4. Progress Bar with Estimated Time
  • Step-by-step progress indicator with estimated completion times.
  • Impact: Increased user commitment and reduced perceived effort.
5. Stop & Resume Feature Users could now save progress at any step and return later, preventing frustration for those who needed more time to gather documents or consider their options. This flexibility helped reduce abandonment rates, particularly for users hesitant to input their SIN immediately.
6. Chatbot Assistance A chatbot was added to provide real-time support for complex questions, clarify government requirements, and reassure users about security concerns. This addition led to a reduction in customer support inquiries and improved user confidence.
Frame 1000006709 1
Frame 1000006711 1
7. Enhanced plan selection The previous plan selection page overwhelmed users with complex financial details. We redesigned it with a clearer layout, breaking down key benefits, monthly contributions, and comparisons in a simplified, user-friendly format. This reduced confusion and increased plan selection confidence.
8. Skip beneficiary info for prenatal applicants To accommodate expecting parents, we allowed users to skip beneficiary information if the child had not yet been born. This removed a key blocker, making it easier for parents to set up an RESP in advance without unnecessary delays.
Frame 1000006712 1
[Mockup] iPhone 19 1
9. Beneficiary SIN page improvements Many users dropped off at the Beneficiary SIN entry step because they didn’t have their child’s SIN readily available. To address this, we introduced:
  • A “Set a Reminder” function so users could receive a notification to return and complete this step later.
  • A “Skip for Now” option allowing users to proceed with onboarding without entering the child’s SIN immediately. This ensured they could continue setting up the RESP and finalize it once they obtained the required information.
User flow and prototype
  • User flow to show the clean updated flow for every stakeholders.
  • Low-Fidelity Wireframes: Iterated based on user feedback.
  • High-Fidelity Prototypes in Figma: Showcased new flows and UI enhancements.
Flow chart 1
Frame 1000006710 1
Key Learnings and Thoughts This case study highlights my ability to identify pain points, leverage research insights, design user-centric solutions, and measure impact. Through strategic UX improvements, we enhanced trust, reduced drop-offs, and increased RESP registrations.
Group 1000005375