OVERVIEW
Background
This feature was embedded within the secure customer platform and surfaced in two ways: through the main navigation and through personalized prompts on the student’s profile when the plan approached maturity. The aim was to provide emotional support and strategic guidance to parents during a key transition point.
Problem
Parents with maturing education savings plans often feel uncertain about how to best support their children as they approach high school graduation. Many are unsure which programs or universities align with their child's interests, especially when making financial decisions around plan withdrawals.
To help bridge this gap, a digital experience was designed for parents with students in Grade 10 or 11 and whose savings plans were nearing maturity. The experience invited parents to answer a few short questions about their child’s career interests. Based on the responses, it recommended relevant post-secondary programs across Ontario universities.
To help bridge this gap, a digital experience was designed for parents with students in Grade 10 or 11 and whose savings plans were nearing maturity. The experience invited parents to answer a few short questions about their child’s career interests. Based on the responses, it recommended relevant post-secondary programs across Ontario universities.
My Role
I was one of two product designers on the team. I led the end-to-end UX/UI design process, including:
- Defining the problem and exploring user needs with the team
- Designing an interactive career and program exploration map
- Creating detailed wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes
- Collaborating with developers to align on feasibility and delivery
- Iterating designs based on internal reviews and user feedback
- Ensuring accessibility and alignment with design system standards
Solution
Instead of a multi-step form, we designed an interactive career & program map. This tool allows parents to search by interest or future career goal, and also see a visual map that connects the selected career to relevant university programs in Ontario. They can explore each program with additional details such as degree type, co-op availability, and location.
Key UX features:
Key UX features:
- Intuitive search bar with suggested terms
- Clean, node-based map visualization
- Ability to filter by region, program type, or university
- Persistent navigation to jump back to interests or switch careers
- Mobile-friendly experience
Customer Outcomes
The tool helped parents better understand how their child's interests could translate into potential academic paths. It gave them a clearer sense of direction when thinking about RESP usage and school planning. Parents also found value in being able to repeat the experience for each child, making it useful for families with multiple beneficiaries.
Tools & Technologies
Figma for wireframing and prototyping
Miro for user journey mapping and brainstorming
InVision for interactive prototypes and stakeholder presentations
Miro for user journey mapping and brainstorming
InVision for interactive prototypes and stakeholder presentations